What’s New With Hotel Loyalty Programs

NATIONAL REPORT—Hotel loyalty programs are always expanding, adding new deals and perks for their members. Here’s what’s new:

IHG Celebrates In-Person Connections    

IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) builds upon “We’re there,” its global marketing campaign launched in June for Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. These two brands will continue to enable people to travel and come together in real life (“IRL”) by surprising travelers with 10,000 free nights for stays at properties around the world. By encouraging guests to #BeThereIRL, the brands will celebrate the in-person connections that have taken place in nearly 4,000 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels worldwide.

A nationwide survey in both the U.S. and U.K. found that:

  • One in four adults confess to skipping work or school to gain more time with their loved ones.
  • Spending time IRL is not waning in the digital age—in fact, many adults have lied to get out of doing something else (26%) in order to take a trip to see a loved one.
  • 78% of adults would prefer to share an all-expenses paid weekend trip with someone rather than an all-expenses paid shopping spree (22%) with their best friend.

Choice Privileges Brings Back Promotion For Fall Travel

Choice Privileges, the loyalty program from Choice Hotels International Inc., is bringing back its “One Stay. Two Stays. Free Stay.” member promotion. Starting now, Choice Privileges guests who book two separate qualifying stays—and check-in between now and Nov. 8—will earn enough points for a free night that can be redeemed at more than 1,000 hotels in Choice’s family of brands. There is no limit to how many points towards free nights can be earned, and points never expire for Choice Privileges members.

“On top of all the benefits Choice Privileges offers, we know fast free nights are what our members want. This promotion is just another example of how we are delivering for our guests and helping them save big this fall,” said Jamie Russo, VP, loyalty programs and customer engagement, Choice Hotels. “Whether it’s the first stay of the year or the 100th, our ‘One Stay. Two Stays. Free Stay.’ promotion helps Choice Privileges members see the world for less.”

The Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Offers Meetings for a Million

The Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles introduced a limited-time promotion that can earn meeting planners up to one million Marriott Bonvoy Reward Points. One million Bonvoy Reward Points is enough to translate into experiences at more than 7,000 Marriott hotel and resort properties worldwide.

The million point promotion program provides meeting planners a choice to opt for a direct discount off their master account, 25,000 to 300,000 airline reward miles from participating airlines or 75,000 to one million Bonvoy Rewards Points when actualized before Dec. 31, 2020. Additionally, meeting planners can choose to share Bonvoy Points earned with up to 10 other individuals.