Northstar

Feature Hotels 24 JUL-AUG 2018 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS MCMAG-ASIA.COM FLEXING FLEXIBILITY Unsurprisingly, consumers do not tend to favour restrictions or excessive conditions when it comes to being rewarded for loyalty. Programmes that grant customers greater exibility in collecting points and redeeming loyalty rewards curry the most favour. "It's important to look at what benets the loyalty points can be used for. Can the points be used purely for room expenses or can they be used to oset meeting and event costs such as venue rental and catering at the hotel? The greater the variety of rewards, the more attractive the programme becomes," said Khoo of Carlson Wagonlit Travel. "The key benet that these programmes oer companies is that they allow them to defray costs. This could be by converting points to room stays for meeting and event attendees, and in some cases even cash rebates to oset event expenses incurred at the hotel, such as the venue rental and catering," Khoo added. MORE CHOICES For example, Wyndham Rewards touts its go meet planner loyalty programme as "the world's most generous rewards programme", granting points per dollar spent, without a minimum or maximum point limit. "Under our go meet program, meeting planners can earn points for guestrooms, meeting rooms and all event food and beverage charges… The lack of restrictions means the earning potential is vast and oers a faster route to more tangible and meaningful rewards," said Tony Gothard, senior director, revenue, marketing & loyalty, SEA & Pacic Rim, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. "They can maximise their points earning potential by incorporating all the rooms, food and beverage, venue "The lack of restrictions means the earning potential is vast and oers a faster route to more tangible and meaningful rewards..." TONY GOTHARD, SENIOR DIRECTOR, REVENUE, MARKETING & LOYALTY, SEA & PACIFIC RIM, WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS HOTELS & RESORTS space rentals and services that contribute to the qualifying revenue to unlock more benets," Gothard added. Marriott International's largest draw comes from the merge of three of its major rewards programmes – Marriott Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest Rewards and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards – whose points are transferable between any of the hotel properties underneath Marriott's global umbrella. Through the Hilton Honors Event Planner Program, you can earn Bonus Points for meetings, conferences, family reunions, weddings and other special events held at participating hotels within the Hilton Portfolio worldwide. AccorHotels allows point sharing and also claim to be the only hotel loyalty programme whose points don't expire, on the condition that guests stay in any Accor property at least once per year. Flexibility in maximising rewards is the key to redeeming points with ease

• Cover