GLO FEATURED

Partnering for Loyalty: Why Collaboration Matters More Than Ever

Accor

From Stays to a Lifestyle

Loyalty as we once knew it is over. Points, perks, and upgrades built the foundation of modern hospitality – but they no longer hold attention on their own. Today, hotels are not just competing with each other; they’re competing with Spotify, Netflix, Uber, and every brand that has mastered the art of embedding itself into people’s daily lives.

(Picture: Courtesy of Accor)

Travelers don’t think in cycles of check-ins and check-outs anymore. They move fluidly through journeys, tastes, music, and culture, and they expect brands to move with them. If loyalty ends at the hotel door, it feels incomplete. That is why the future is not about rewarding a stay – it’s about building ecosystems. Partnerships are no longer optional; they are the heartbeat of guest relationships.

The Evolution of Loyalty: From Points to Passions

When loyalty programs first emerged, they were transactional. Stay with us, earn points, return for a free night. Airlines mirrored the model with frequent flyer miles. It was clever and effective, but narrow. It kept people returning, but it didn’t capture their imagination.

Digital access changed everything. Guests suddenly had instant choice, instant comparison, and instant transparency. Discounts alone lost their power. The question was no longer “What do I earn?” but “Why should I choose loyalty here? What does this brand stand for? And how does it enrich my lifestyle outside of the hotel?”

Partnerships answered those questions. By extending loyalty into dining, entertainment, and cultural experiences, hospitality brands stopped being single-service providers and started becoming lifestyle companions.

Why Partnerships Are the Backbone of Loyalty Today

Loyalty today cannot survive in isolation. Guests don’t see a flight, a transfer, a hotel, and a restaurant as separate transactions; they see one continuous journey. If a program doesn’t connect those dots, the experience feels fragmented.

Relevance also depends on frequency. A guest might stay at a hotel a few times a year, but they eat every day, listen to music every week, and move through countless lifestyle touchpoints in between. Partnerships allow loyalty to show up in those moments, becoming part of life rather than an occasional bonus.

(Picture: Courtesy of Accor)

Most importantly, partnerships transform loyalty from transactional to emotional. Discounts may secure a booking, but an exclusive concert, a chef’s table dinner, or a local art collaboration creates memories. Those memories are what people share, repeat, and return for.

And when brands come together, they amplify each other. An airline’s global network, a restaurant’s creativity, and a hotel’s hospitality DNA combine into a richer, more compelling story than any one brand could tell alone.

Where Partnerships Make Loyalty Real

At Accor, our loyalty ecosystem ALL – Accor is built to bring these connections to life. Partnerships with airlines turn fragmented journeys into seamless ones. Culinary collaborations make loyalty tangible in everyday dining, while curated gastronomy experiences transform meals into memories. Entertainment brings access to moments that can’t be replicated – from concerts to sports events that define a trip. And local cultural partnerships anchor travel in belonging, connecting guests to the heart of a destination rather than just the surface of it.

(Picture: Courtesy of Accor)

This is where loyalty becomes more than a reward. It becomes part of the story.

The Business Case: Loyalty That Performs

Partnerships are not just a matter of brand positioning; they are a driver of performance. Members who engage across multiple partners consistently show higher retention and greater lifetime value. Partnerships also open new revenue streams – whether in dining, mobility, or entertainment – expanding loyalty well beyond the room.

They bring smarter personalization too. When you understand how guests eat, travel, and play, you can craft offers that land at the right moment, in the right way. And in a marketplace crowded with options, being the program that grants access to a concert or a local festival is a point of cultural differentiation that no competitor can easily copy.

(Picture: Courtesy of Accor)

Loyalty built on partnerships is not just about keeping guests. It’s about deepening their connection and extending the value chain far beyond the stay.

The Future of Loyalty Partnerships

Looking forward, partnerships will become even more critical as loyalty evolves into something more immersive and intelligent. Artificial intelligence will allow us to deliver hyper-personalized partner offers that surface at the exact moment a guest is ready to engage. Sustainability collaborations will bring eco-conscious travelers into ecosystems that reflect their values, from local-produce dining to carbon-offset journeys. Community-driven experiences will invite guests to co-create rather than simply consume, giving them a sense of belonging and contribution. And subscription models may soon turn loyalty into an integrated lifestyle pass, blending travel, dining, and entertainment into one seamless membership.

The common thread is clear: no brand can do this alone. Collaboration is becoming the future currency of loyalty.

Living the Brand

Hospitality will always begin with the stay. But true loyalty is earned in the moments around it – in the flight that sets the tone, the meal that tells a story, the concert that creates emotion, and the local encounter that makes a place unforgettable.

Partnerships are what transform loyalty from a program into a lifestyle. They take it from transaction to relationship, from a place guests visit to a brand they live.

Because in the end, the most loyal guests don’t just stay – they belong to a membership that elevates their way of living and provides them with access to a customer-centric ecosystem.

Author: Mehdi Hemici, Chief Loyalty & Ecommerce Officer, Accor (Member of GLO Advisory Board)