GLO @ ATM2024 Loyalty Panel unveiled latest studies from GLO and GHA indicating that experiences are on the top of customers' preferences. Emirates and EmCan/Emarat innovate and offer unique ways to spend points through once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Rixos and Cinnamon are putting personalised and tailored customer needs and requests at the top of their offering.
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GLODay 2 of Arabian Tarvel Market 2024 saw GLO hosting a loyalty dedicated panel on “Emotional Loyalty & Experiences” with panelists from leading global companies:
- Jelena Kezika, Senior Director Strategy – Global Hotel Alliance
- James Curry, Product & Member Engagement Vice President – Emirates Skyward
- Ali Ozbay, Regional Director of Marketing & Communications – Rixos Hotels UAE
- Ali Bin Zayed, Senior Manager Corporate Loyalty – EmCan (Emarat Petroleum)
- Radhey Tawar, Chief Commercial Officer – Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts
Dilek Glenister, Global Loyalty Organisation commented, that “Recent studies by Global Loyalty Organisation indicate that while traditonal loyalty linked to earning of points and miles is tranactional, true loyalty is emotional. 82% of customers and guests with emotional connection to brands will always choose that brand over others according to recent Gartner studies. GLO’s Global Loyalty Predictions 2024 Survey relealed that latest trends affecting the most loyalty and customer expereince are partnerships, experience-based rewards, personalisation and gamification”.
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Jelena Kezika, Global Hotel Alliance, commented “Latest GHA Annual Survey “What Travellers Want” revealed 3 key takeaways about loyalty: 1) Benefits and perks are the top favorite feature of members’ preferred programs; 2) Loyalty is the 3rd most important factor guests’ consider while choosing a hotel after quality of accomodation and location; 3) Room upgrades, complimentary breakfast and late check-out are top 3 valued benefits”.
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James Curry, Emirates indicated that Emirates’ proposition is a combination of Skywards program‘s ability to earn&burn and rewards availiability are the foundation of the loyalty program. Skywards complement it with widest possible opporutnities to upgrade, have premium onboard dining experiences, as well as unique once-in-a-lifetime travel journeys like recent Emirates auction of the tour of Dilmah tea plantations and tea tasting in Sri Lanka with Emirates’ partner Dilmah Tea”.
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Ali Bin Zayed, Head of EmCan, mentioned that “EmCan is actively innovating in loyalty and recently launched “Landmark Project”, first of a kind campaign in UAE to sell naming rights for Emarat’s service stations located in strategic locations”.
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Ali Ozbay, Rixos Hotels UAE highlighted that the best way to create and follow-up on loyalty is to listen to customers needs and preferences and according to studies “personalized experiences, exploration and creativity are at the top of hierarchy of human’s motivation.
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Radhey Tawar, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts commented that “Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts have a strategy of catering to kinds of guests – for exampe for single travellers Cinnamon offers unique snorkling trips, for couples – romantic trips and dinners, for families with kids – “kids stay free” offers”.
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Full video of the panel coming soon @ GLONews.
Source: GLO
