How Show Organizers Can Make the Most of Hotel Loyalty ProgramsHow Show Organizers Can Make the Most of Hotel Loyalty Programs
Within the competitive hospitality sector, hotels are trying to score more business event bookings by offering planners special incentives and perks. Here’s how to crunch the numbers to maximize the rewards.
Similar to offerings for leisure travel guests, hotel loyalty programs allow event planners to earn points or miles on meeting and event bookings, which can be redeemed for perks like free nights, upgrades, or event credits. The hotel’s goal: Incentivize planners to win their business.
But according to BCG’s global survey of loyalty program trends, hotel and airline travel loyalty programs are no longer as effective as they once were. In fact, these programs were among the least likely of any that BCG studied to lead people to buy exclusively from one brand.
To address this lack of loyalty, more hotels have started catering to corporate event planners by revamping and updating their programs with greater incentives and added perks. For example, World of Hyatt introduced a new program in 2024 for meeting and event planners, travel advisors, and small business administrators that offers new pathways for them to earn status and milestones when they choose Hyatt for their clients and colleagues.
Those planning events or booking on behalf of travelers earn two qualifying night credits for every $5,000, up to $150,000, in eligible spend each year on qualifying events.
With Marriott Bonvoy Events, planners can earn two points for every dollar spent on eligible event charges, including guest rooms, catering, and audiovisual services for a total of up to 60,000 points per event. For Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite members, the earning potential increases to up 105,000 points per event.
“Planners typically seek rewards that offer both value and flexibility, with some of the most popular being free nights and room upgrades that can be used for future stays, allowing them to extend the value of their events beyond the meeting experience,” explained Kathy Mouw, vice president of global sales for U.S. and Canada at Marriott International. “For some, on-property perks are also highly valued, as these can include welcome amenities and late check-out, all of which enhance the guest experience.”
With budgets tighter than ever and planners expected to do more with less, how can event pros optimize these loyalty programs and get the most bang for their buck? We asked some hotel insiders for insight into their properties’ programs, as well as corporate travel industry experts for booking advice. Here’s what they had to say:
Kathy Mouw, vice president of global sales for U.S. and Canada at Marriott International
“Let’s say a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite member plans a corporate retreat with $45,000 in eligible spend. They’d earn the maximum amount of 60,000 base points. With their elite bonus (50%), they’d receive an additional 30,000 points. That’s a total of 90,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to be put towards complimentary nights or upgrades at select properties around the world, Marriott Bonvoy Moments experiences, and more. They’d also earn Elite Night Credits, helping them maintain or elevate their status for future perks and higher tiered status.”
Mike May, executive chairman of Brightspot Incentives & Events, a mid-tier agency offering end-to-end event planning
“We advise clients to consolidate their spend to one or two major [hotel] brands to really capitalize on the benefits—it dilutes the perk if the points are sprinkled across five different loyalty programs. Some planners even pool their perks together to share across the team.”
He added that “the best programs are those associated with larger hotels/brands. Not because they offer richer benefits, but because redemption is easier with a wider selection of destinations and product options.”
Nicola Wood, head of sales at BWH Hotels GB, representing 230 independent hotels in Great Britain, including Best Western and WorldHotels properties
BWH Hotels GB recently launched Planners Advantage to offer rewards to events and meetings bookers.
“Even a one-off booking can generate real value. For example, a few smaller events or group bookings totaling just over £10,000 (roughly $13,241 USD) will earn planners 30,000 points, or a £115 ($152) gift card, giving those booking smaller meetings and events the same perks as large-scale events. That’s money back into the business or perks they can use personally.”
Anish Khadiya, founder and chief business officer of ITILITE, a corporate travel management software company
“Our user studies have consistently indicated that travelers often miss out on loyalty benefits because they don't understand these benefits well... Therefore, we run a continuous user education series on different loyalty programs available and their benefits.”
Dan Surette, chief sales officer at Omni Hotels & Resorts
Last year, Omni Hotels & Resorts launched a new loyalty program for event planners called Select Planner.
“Let’s say you book a $120,000 meeting with us—that alone would get you five free nights at any Omni property and bump you up to Champion status. From there, you unlock perks like early check-in, late check-out, one-category room upgrades, and double credits on future stays. When you continue booking with us, you’ll soon reach our Icon level and enjoy even more perks like chef-driven welcome amenities and two-category room upgrades. The more you plan, the more you’re rewarded right away.”
Leslie Taborga, director of strategic partnerships at GoGather, a corporate event management services company
“We always recommend booking multiple years [of an event] or programs within the same brand. You maximize [points] by staying loyal to a brand for each event you host versus trying to choose the ‘most beneficial’ for each individual event.”
She also noted that some companies are not allowed to accept points, so it’s important for planners to review the policy. In this case, the hotel may offer another discount instead of points. “When it comes to exchanging points for other concessions, one can always ask! Major hotel chains may not be able to make these contractual decisions or changes. But smaller, boutique hotels could potentially.”
Christine Erickson, senior vice president of global supplier relations and partner network at BCD Meetings & Events
“One of the challenges I’ve observed with these loyalty programs is that they often don't allow individuals to earn points from group block bookings. Most hotel brands assign points to only one loyalty account, typically that of the corporate entity or a single meeting planner. At BCD M&E, we ensure that points are not attributed to just one individual. Once points are gathered, corporate planners can leverage them to reduce travel costs by applying them to business-related expenses. This limitation can be a drawback for attendees and hotels, potentially hindering the appeal of new memberships.”
She added that loyalty programs that have “an advanced digital platform, such as an intuitive app for sourcing destinations, making bookings, redeeming points, and managing stays” are essential.
