W Hotels to showcase its first-ever float in the 2020 Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade
W inspires travelers to celebrate equality with first-ever Sydney parade float
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 2020-Feb-05 — /Travel PR News/ — Whoever you are, wherever you are, you’re welcome at W Hotels. With inclusiveness at the heart of W since it debuted over 20 years ago, the global, trailblazing lifestyle hotel brand is teaming up with Australia’s longest running LGBTQI organisation, the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, to celebrate equality and inspire travellers to love out loud. For the first time, W Hotels will be a major part of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras celebration, showcasing its first-ever float in the 2020 Parade taking place on February 29.
Choreographed by Sydney born Ame Delves, 80 guests – including 20 staff from W Brisbane and the soon-to-open W Melbourne, as well as Marriott Bonvoy members – will dance and march alongside W’s LOVE OUT LOUD float, a super-charged fluoro boom box that celebrates the brand’s bold and playful personality with a colorful, musical homage to individuality and inclusion.
“Since day one, W Hotels has been committed to inclusivity and equality and that sense of acceptance remains at the core of the W DNA,” said Bruce Ryde, Vice President Luxury Brands & Brand Marketing, Asia Pacific, Marriott International. “We are excited to take part in this year’s parade for the first time as both organisations aim to be global leaders lead in promoting diversity, inclusion, equality and social justice through culture and creativity. I cannot wait to see my co-workers, guests and friends of the brand marching, dancing and loving out loud and proud.”
Uniting hundreds of thousands of revelers for Sydney’s biggest night, the iconic march down Oxford Street will feature about 200 dazzling floats. Designed by 160over90, the W Hotels float will feature special guests, international drag superstar Alyssa Edwards (RuPaul’s Drag Race, Dancing Queen) and Australian singer songwriter Vera Blue, joined by local influencers Alfie Arcuri, Megan Dijkman, Michael Finch, Brandon Kilgour, musician KYVA and Lola Van Vorst. Members of Marriott Bonvoy will have access to exclusive Moments including a pre-event glam squad experience, limited-edition W merchandise and entrance to the premium parade viewing spot – W Hotels VIP viewing deck. For a chance to win, members can bid their points at www.moments.marriottbonvoy.com. Those bold and daring members keen to live it up may wish to march in the parade before a night of pumping dance beats and electrifying headliners at the official Mardi Gras after party.
Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO, Albert Kruger added: “With engaging LGBTQI initiatives worldwide and new properties opening around Australia, Mardi Gras is delighted to have W Hotels join us as our new hotel partner. Each year travellers come from across the globe to celebrate with us and we know they’ll be welcomed enthusiastically at W Hotels.”
Known for defying expectations and breaking the norms of traditional luxury, W Brisbane opened its doors in June 2019, with W Melbourne expected to follow suit later this year and W Sydney slated for 2021.
About W Hotels Worldwide
Born from the bold attitude and 24/7 culture of New York City, W Hotels, part of Marriott International, Inc., has disrupted and redefined the hospitality scene for over two decades. Trailblazing its way around the globe, with more than 55 hotels, W is defying expectations and breaking the norms of traditional luxury wherever the iconic W sign lands. With a mission to fuel guests’ lust for life, W ignites an obsessive desire to soak it in, live it up and hit repeat. The brand’s provocative design, iconic Whatever/Whenever service and buzzing Living Rooms create an experience that is often copied but never matched. Innovative, inspiring and infectious, the brand’s super-charged energy celebrates guests’ endless appetite to discover what’s new/next in each destination, to see more, feel more, go longer, stay later. W Hotels Worldwide is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the name of Marriott’s travel program which offers members access to an extraordinary portfolio of 29 global brands, experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including earning points toward free hotel stays and nights toward Elite status recognition. To enrol for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.marriott.com.
For more information on W Hotels, visit w-hotels.marriott.com/ or follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
About the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras
Media Contacts:
The Mint Partners
Nathan McIlroy, Publicity Director
61 2 9280 2133
nathan@themintpartners.com.au
Source: Marriott International
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