Skip to main content

Hotel Royalty Programs

Image
By
Last week, I read two news articles about hotel royalty programs. One is about InterContinental, which allows members to use Priority Club Reward points at competitors’ properties. IHG (InterContinental Hotel Group) royal customers can now enjoy a vacation in a place where there is no IHG hotel. The other is about a newly introduced “Stash Hotel Rewards” for upscale, independent hotels. So far, the Stash Hotel Rewards program includes 65 hotels in 50 cities.

What do these changes mean to the hotel industry? How do you assess IHG’s strategy? Is it a smart move because it offers more options to its preferred guests? Or is it taking a risk of losing its preferred guests because they may switch to another brand after they try a competitor’s property?

A related discussion about the strategies of managing royalty programs between Hilton and IHG in this blog can be found: http://linchikwok.blogspot.com/2010/02/hilton-should-have-known-game-theory.html.

References:
AH&LA SmartBrief: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok05252010-1
U.S.A. Today: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok05252010-2
Picture was downloaded from: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok05252010P
Labels:

Comments

  1. Linchi KwokJune 23, 2010 at 6:33 PM

    I received an update from Stash Hotel Rewards program today for welcoming its new partners:

    • Hotel Ändra, Seattle, WA
    • Hotel Teatro, Denver, CO
    • On The Avenue Hotel, New York, NY
    • Opus Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    • The Georgian Terrace Hotel, Atlanta, GA
    • The Orlando, Los Angeles, CA
    • The Shores Resort & Spa, Daytona Beach, FL
    • Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.

    Maybe I shall check out one of its properties later.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Luxury vs. Millennials and Their Technology: The Ritz-Carlton (By Julia Shorr)

By
Embodying the finest luxury experience, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC has been established since 1983. In 1998, Marriott International purchased the brand offering it more opportunity for growth while being independently owned and operated. They are known for their enhanced service level as the motto states, “Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen”. The luxury brand now carries 97 hotels and resorts internationally and is attempting to keep the aspects of luxury while keeping up with the trends of the technologically improving generations. The Varying Demographics of the Target Market The Ritz-Carlton’s typical target market includes: business executives, corporate, leisure travelers, typically middle-aged persons and elders, and families from the upper and upper-middle class section of society .   This infers a large range of types of travelers in which all are similar in that they are not opposed to spending extra for the luxurious ambiance. However, with
4 comments
Read more

Is It OK for Hotel Staff to Wear Piercings and Tattoos?

By
Time has changed. I see more and more college students wearing piercings and tattoos nowadays, but is it OK for hotel staff to wear piercings and tattoos? The answer is “no, no, no.” According a report at USAToday.com, customers across the board do not want to see any hotel workers with pierced eyebrow, pierced tongue, tattooed arm, or nose ring. Some may argue that tattooed and pierced workers may seem more acceptable in edgy boutique hotels as compared to the big franchised hotels, but the survey results did not find any differences among a variety of lodging products. Many respondents believe people who wear visible tattoos and piercings are taking a high risk of their professional lives. If you stay in a hotel, do you mind being served by tattooed and/or pierced staff? What if you are the one who makes the hiring decision? References: USAToday.com: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010 Picture was downloaded from http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010P
25 comments
Read more

Besides helping the environment, what other benefits can restaurants see from green food packages?

By
Restaurant curbside pickup evolved from the old-fashioned takeout service and has gained momentum since COVID. Restaurateurs embrace the concept, and consumers want it. Curbside pickup will remain an essential restaurant distribution method even after the pandemic. Do off-premises restaurant services add a burden to the environment? The surge of restaurant off-premises services (curbside pickup, takeout, or delivery) could harm the environment because many retailers use food containers and packages made of plastic for one-time usage. Research shows that our world populations produce 130 million tons of single-use plastic a year (including more than food packages here), but in the U.S., only 8% of all plastic products get recycled. Some restaurants have begun using more sustainable materials in food packaging (e.g., disposable containers). Their efforts deserve a round of applause! Nevertheless, it is unclear if their good deeds can also bring them monetary rewards. For example, can gr
5 comments
Read more