This week's Update features a variety of stories, including
stories regarding Expedia's planned roll up of its loyalty
programs and Marriott's recently announced loyalty program
partnership with Japanese e-commerce platform, Rakuten. Whether
COVID or data privacy induced, the travel industry's renewed
interest in loyalty programs - whether through traditional loyalty
programs or now, subscription programs - is definitely something to
watch. Enjoy.
Marriott and Rakuten
Announce Partnership
("In Marriage of Two Giants, Marriott and Rakuten Take Vow
on Loyalty," July 10, 2021 via WIT)
Marriott International and Japanese e-commerce platform
(e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications all linked
through a rewards program) Rakuten Group announced a partnership last week
that will provide members of the parties' loyalty program with
benefits under each program. Under the partnership, Marriott gains
direct local access to Rakuten's approximately 100 million
members for promoting Marriott's hotel brands and offering
travel experience customized for Japanese travelers. In exchange,
Rakuten members - once enrolled in Marriott Bonvoy - will enjoy
discounted member rates, opportunities to earn and redeem program
points and other member-only opportunities. Enrollment in Marriott
Bonvoy will be via a simplified one-click process on the Rakuten
platform. According to John Toomey, Marriott's Vice President
of Sales and Marketing in the Asia-Pacific region, the partnership
is part of Marriott's ongoing efforts to focus on local markets
via partnerships and other collaborations with in-country partners.
The announced partnership is scheduled to launch in phases, with
the first phase starting late next month.
Sonder Continues to Expand
Distribution Network
("Hotel Engine to Offer Sonder Inventory to Business
Travelers," October 7, 2021 via Phocus Wire)
Short-term rental company, Sonder, continues to add
corporate distribution channels for its rental inventory. In July,
Sonder announced that it was adding its inventory to the major
global distribution systems and partnering with several well-known
travel management companies and travel consortia. This past week,
Sonder and the corporate travel booking and management platform, Hotel Engine, announced that Sonder's
inventory will appear on the platform this month.
Expedia Combines Loyalty
Programs
("Expedia Group to Combine its Rewards Programs Creating
Mega Loyalty Platform," October 5, 2021 via Travel Weekly
Australia)
Expedia Group announced this past week its plan to combine the
loyalty programs of its various travel brands into a single loyalty
program. Members of the combined program will be able to earn and
redeem points on each of Expedia's brands - Expedia,
Travelocity, Hotels.com, Orbitz and notably, VRBO - for a wide
variety of products and services - air, hotel, cruise, car rental,
vacation rental and activities.
Other news:
Data Privacy Laws Forcing
Changes in Digital Marketing
October 6, 2021 via Travel Weekly
As the digital privacy landscape shifts, experts say that travel
companies will likely need to adapt their online marketing
strategies accordingly. Although online privacy has long been a hot
topic, concern over the protection of personal data has come to a
head in more recent years, driven in part by regulation.
Google Agrees to Government
Request to Pull Ads Linking to Fake Travel Sites
October 5, 2021 via CBC - Politics News
On Tuesday, Google agreed to a request from the Government of
Canada and changed the results that appear when travelers coming to
Canada search for the ArriveCan app - an effort to protect
travelers from paying unnecessary fees to phoney websites.
Asia's TruTrip Adds
Refund Subscription Service for Hesitant Business
Travelers
October 4, 2021 via Skift (subscription may be
required)
A Singapore-based corporate travel booking app has launched a
subscription package that lets companies refund their trip - with
no questions asked. TruTrip's new TruFlex feature provides an
instant refund of at least 80 percent of incurred costs for
travelers in the event of trip cancellations.
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