Loyalty tips

Hilton said Monday it’s taking steps to streamline how small- and medium-sized businesses book and manage billings for business travel and small-group meetings and events.

Amid the experience sector’s digital transformation, a notable trend is emerging: the importance of direct bookings, with smaller tour operators looking to capitalize on the next wave for experience travel businesses.

I typically refrain from commenting on ebbs and flows of loyalty and frequent flyer programs. Why? It’s somewhat uninteresting. My perspective is there will be a never-ending shift towards optimization, goosing revenue, and a focus on quarterly results by travel companies.

Four travel tech startups have announced nearly $12 million in funding over the past week.

Life was simple in 1979 when the first loyalty program of an American airline was launched. How much you flew was the number of “miles” you earned, a currency for a free seat with the airline you were being “loyal” to. 

Hyatt sees signs that more people in big cities are returning to offices, which could eventually translate to more business transient travel at the hotel giant.

Earning miles and points is easy for consumers who sign up for credit cards or special rewards programs. But knowing where and how to use those points to make their travel dreams come true has proven much more challenging – an estimated $30 billion in loyalty points go unredeemed each year.  

Marriott, the leading hotel company in India, is set to introduce its 17th brand in the country — Moxy.

Marriott Bonvoy has launched a self-paced walking tour, Capture the City Miami, curated in partnership with Greater Miami and Miami Beach and local fashion blogger Daniela Ramirez. 

India-based budget hotel operator and aggegator Oyo updated its draft red herring prospectus with results for the first half of the fiscal year signalling its intent to soon launch its initial public offering.

Expedia will continue to invest in gaining long-term value customers despite the risk of losing bookings to its competitors, as it focuses on brand awareness, paid app downloads and its loyalty program.

Tripadvisor is considering revamping its Tripadvisor Plus membership plan, turning it into a free service in its initial stages, and then figuring out a more meaningful path to monetize it at some point later.

Red Roof, Motel 6, and Extended Stay have all implemented software to reduce the need for workers. 

Hilton is finding out new ways to tap into one of the fast-growing segments of hospitality — thanks to a student competition.

Delta Air Lines has been directing more investment at enhancing what its customers experience at airports, and it relies on customer sentiment surveys to guide its progress.

Hotel loyalty programs were one of the surprise gainers of the pandemic era lull in travel and the post-pandemic boom.

The dynamics of ancillary travel product distribution for airlines is continuously changing. Brand loyal customers are the order of the day. Yet in symbiotic ecosystems where airlines use online travel giants like Expedia to tailor their travel packages, competition for loyal customers is unavoidable.

JetBlue Airways has finally made long overdue improvements to its loyalty program True Blue. The New York-based carrier announced on December 7 it’s expanding its elite Mosaic programs and creating a level of mileage accumulation named tiles that enables customers to obtain perks before reaching mosaic levels of flying.

The Travel Corporation has merged its six brands into one Global Tour Rewards program, with brand awareness behind this seemingly vanilla approach to loyalty. Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold, Costsaver, Brendan Vacations, and Contiki are now aligned under one rewards program. 

It’s another earnings season so online travel companies such as Airbnb, Expedia and Tripadvisor occasionally present facts in a misleading — or at least in an exceedingly positive-sounding — way.

Uber and Lyft are focusing on their loyalty programs, with new partnerships designed to keep members ordering cars, meals and groceries for longer periods of time.