July 10, 2017 View in browser
Today we’re taking a look at one of the biggest pillars of modern hotel loyalty programs: experiences.

Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) pioneered the concept years ago when it launched SPG Moments, which gave its SPG members exclusive access to one-of-a-kind and, in some cases, once-in-a-lifetime experiences that were only possible by being an elite member of the SPG program.

Today, nearly every hotel loyalty program out there also focuses on offering these special experiences for their members. And now that Marriott International owns Starwood and, therefore, SPG, we're already seeing that influence play out in Marriott Rewards as well. Just recently, Marriott Rewards and SPG announced they would be launching Master Classes, special learning experiences that members can have with celebrities and leaders in the realms of sports, food, and entertainment. Earlier this year, the company also invested in PlacePass, a sort of metasearch for tours and activities, and last year, Marriott Rewards launched its own version of SPG Moments, called the Marriott Experiences Marketplace.

Why is everyone so focused on experiences these days? In a lot of ways, loyalty programs and hotel brands aren't just preoccupied with the guest experience on site. They want to be more involved and play a larger role in the travel experience overall.

"Loyalty has always been about more than just spending nights in our hotels," David Flueck, senior vice president of global loyalty for Marriott International, told Skift. "It’s about creating incredible travel experiences for our guests. There's no better place to experience the world than within our portfolio. There's no limit to the places our members can see and the experiences they can have. Travel, more broadly, has always been about enriching the soul, meeting new people, seeing new places, and learning on your travels. To tie into their experiences has always been core to our program."

And a big part of being able to offer these kinds of once-in-a-lifetime experiences has a lot to do with the establishment of formal loyalty and rewards programs. Without those programs, it would no doubt be very difficult for a hotel company like Marriott, Hilton, or InterContinental Hotels Group to reach those guests and market the right kinds of experiences to them — not to mention know exactly what kind of pillow they prefer.

But what about travel companies that don't have a formal loyalty or rewards program? Think Airbnb, Uber, or Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. How do they keep customers loyal to their brands and personalize the experiences for their customers without those programs? We talked to some loyalty experts about that as well.

Whether or not a hotel or travel company has a formal loyalty program, the bottom line is that any business, regardless of industry, needs loyal customers.
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