Leisure business Marriott Hotels has signed an exclusive fleet management contract with ING Car Lease, appointing it to handle its contract hire, risk management, accident management and rental needs.

Marriott, which operates nearly 60 hotels in the UK and Ireland, runs a fleet of approximately 220 cars, with a handful of light commercial vehicles, which will also be covered by the new contract.

The fleet will be gradually transferred over to ING when vehicles reach the end of their four-year contract hire cycle. All new vehicles will be operated on the same four-year term.

Hilary Martin, corporate account manager at ING Car Lease, said: “We are seeing a lot more businesses fully outsourcing the various elements of the fleet management function as a way of reducing costs and cutting out inefficiencies.

“With the increasing awareness of the need to manage the grey fleet more proactively, we’re also seeing a rise in the number of fleets looking for innovative ways to reduce their exposure to risk in this area.”