WASHINGTON - Aug. 12, 2004 - Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) announced today that after a rigorous review of its online privacy policy and practices, the Better Business Bureau has granted Marriott.com and its international web sites the BBBOnLine Privacy Seal. BBBOnLine is a Better Business Bureau program that promotes consumer trust on the internet. Marriott is the first hotel company to receive this distinction for its web sites.

"We're excited to be the first hotel company web site to pass the Better Business Bureau's exhaustive examination and earn its BBBOnLine Privacy Seal," said Bruce Wolff, executive vice president, sales and marketing programs, Marriott International. "Customers trust Marriott.com, and that is one reason why it is the leading hotel-branded web site."

Marriott.com was rated as the top hotel reservation web site in the industry by PhocusWright and recently recognized by Gomez Advisors as having the fastest response time among major hotel reservation web sites. Marriott.com achieved record-setting gross sales of more than $1.4 billion in 2003 and has posted new single-day booking records nine times in 2004.

In April, the Customer Respect Group named Marriott the best hotel company for its treatment of online customers, including respect for their privacy, in its Online Customer Respect Index^TM.

The BBBOnLine Privacy Seal confirms a company stands behind its online privacy policy and has met the high standards set in the program requirements, including the handling of personal information that is provided through the company's web site; posting of an online privacy policy notice meeting rigorous privacy principles; and completion of a comprehensive privacy assessment.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading lodging company with nearly 2,800 lodging properties in the United States and 69 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites, Ramada International and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club International, Horizons, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Marriott Grand Residence Club brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has approximately 128,000 employees. In fiscal year 2003, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of $9 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com.