The FINANCIAL — 62% of global travellers said that it felt like a dream come true when redeeming points from their loyalty programme all in one go. As a result, 65% of them are increasingly turning to loyalty programmes to help fund their holidays, with one in three (37%) even organising an entire holiday with points alone, according to new research released by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).
69% of the respondents felt that points were a reward in exchange for their loyalty, whilst half (49%) even said that the personal welcome they received from IHG hotels, was the top reason they choose to be part of IHG Rewards Club.
In addition to making holidays a reality for many, the study also found that rewards programmes are increasingly used to enhance travellers’ holidays. Some of the top choices for point redemptions include holiday accommodations (70%), hotel upgrades (32%) and even booking an extra week on an existing holiday (24%), according to IHG.
IHG Rewards Club is the first and largest hotel loyalty programme in the world, with nearly 79 million members worldwide. IHG is one of the world’s leading hotel companies, with over 4,700 hotels around the world and a family of nine trusted hotel brands to meet a variety of guests’ needs – from a city centre Holiday Inn hotel, to an award winning InterContinental resort. Its loyalty programme offers advantages that no other hotel company can match including; free guest Internet for all IHG Rewards Club members worldwide across the IHG brand family and no blackout dates on Reward Nights – a loyalty programme purposefully designed to see the customer win.
“Loyalty programmes play an important role in helping guests enjoy and get the most out of their holidays. That’s why IHG Rewards Club makes it easy for members to redeem points across a family of nine IHG hotel brands. But this research shows that there is an emotional attachment too, in helping dreams become a reality and ensuring, with IHG Rewards Club, that our members receive a special welcome whenever and wherever they travel with us,“ Susanna Freer Epstein, Senior Vice President Customer Loyalty Marketing, IHG said.
“Most people talk about wanting to find moments of joy in their lives when most of what they feel is stress, anxiety and the pinch of pressing budgets. The way you remove stress is to pursue the wonders of life, to seek and attain your desires. Fulfilling your dreams through travel is the best way to find joy and stay happy,” Art Markman, Psychologist and author of Smart Change, said.
“Your IHG Rewards Club points give you the opportunity to create enhanced experiences, be it your own tour guide, an epic adventure in the mountains or just a relaxing holiday for you and your family. These experiences create memories that stay with you for a lifetime,” Markman added.
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