Loyalty programmes are so valuable to road warriors that they would choose them over a spouse if they could take just one on the road, reveals a survey of 9,900 globetrotters by Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG).
The poll on travellers, who are on the road 25 times or more per year, found that most of would take their benefits in a hotel loyalty rewards programme (73%), rather than their spouse/partner (15%) or luggage (11%).
Seventy-six percent of respondents revealed they felt their status in a hotel loyalty programme would last longer than their marriage or current job.
In a travel emergency 70% of respondents said that their elite status in a hotel loyalty rewards programme would be handier than their smartphone, tablet or even their personal assistant.
Other key findings:
- Three quarters of the respondents (74%) said they would take an extra trip just to rack up miles or status in a loyalty programme, an almost equal number (73%) have taken extra business trips solely to rack up miles or status in a loyalty programme.
- Given a choice of taking one item with them while traveling most respondents would take their benefits in a hotel loyalty rewards programme (73%), rather than their spouse/partner (15%) or luggage (11%).
- Respondents were not above telling little white lies to get a better hotel room or hotel/airline travel upgrade. Nearly half of respondents (45%) would pretend it was their honeymoon, 25% would pretend they had a family emergency; and 20% would pretend to be someone important.
- Losing their status in a hotel loyalty programme (65%) scares respondents more than lost luggage (12%) or missing a flight (11%).
The survey reinforces hotel loyalty rewards programmes have eclipsed other rewards programmes in value, as half of respondents said they consider hotel loyalty programmes most important. it is followed by credit card (19%) and airline loyalty programmes (13%).
