GETTING PERSONAL Through partnerships and credit-card affiliation, hotels have access to consumer purchase behavior and can |
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WE PROVIDE OUR MEMBERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES THEY COULDN’ T GET OUTSIDE OF LOYALTY PROGRAMS
– MICHAEL SHIWDIN, GROUP
VP OF GUEST ENGAGEMENT,
LOYALTY & STRATEGIC
PARTNERSHIPS, WYNDHAM
HOTELS & RESORTS
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capitalize on that data, sending more relevant offers to potential guests. At IHG, said Klebanov,“ We know, now more than ever, our loyalty members want to be seen as individuals, and they expect their hotel experiences to reflect their personality and their preferences. We make it a priority to understand their personalized needs and ensure they’ re being connected with the right hotel, at the right time, for the right occasion.”
Personalization in the World of Hyatt program, said Laurie Blair, VP of global marketing for Hyatt Hotels Corp.,“ is deeper than just targeted offers— it is a way for us to show care for our members whether that be through offering them more choice at more milestones or the ability to gift awards to loved ones.”
As with the Penn State
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reward, experiences have come to the fore. The World of Hyatt FIND platform, said Blair, offers more than 600 global experiences, including a recently launched clinic at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne in Australia, featuring hands-on coaching from tennis legend Stan Smith. These wide-ranging offerings, said Blair, allow members to further personalize their travel itineraries with oneof-a-kind memories, while also providing another way to earn and redeem points.
GROWING THROUGH M & A, PARTNERSHIPS Hotel companies are moving to add or acquire brands— or form partnerships— in the interest of driving loyalty. Witness the decision of Small Luxury Hotels( SLH) to be part of the Hilton Honors
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system. That partnership, said Demuth, gives SLH access to a cheaper distribution system and the opportunity to get into a customer base they wouldn’ t otherwise tap into.
Richard Hyde, COO at SLH, said Hilton Honors’ 190 million members“ were an obvious compelling factor as it brings major awareness opportunities to our small hotels.” Other factors, such as the partnership being a performance-based model with no upfront cost for hotels, he said, make it an excellent opportunity.
With brands now miniecosystems, said Demuth, there are myriad potential extensions— from Ritz-Carlton Yachts to partnerships with rideshare providers like Uber and Lyft. Brands recognize, he said, that they must be more than just hotels; they also need
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May / June 2025 hotelsmag. com 17 |