Tours and activities aggregator, Klook has entered a strategic partnership with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts to boost each guest’s stay by granting them access to its inventory of in-destination experiences. In exchange, Klook will be the tours and activities provider of choice, for the international hotel brand.
The strategic partnership will begin with the implementation of the Klook Concierge – accessible via a tablet at the hotel’s Concierge desk. The Klook Concierge is a Shangri-La specific platform that was developed for this partnership. Currently in its pilot phase, the Klook Concierge will be rolled out in Bangkok, Singapore, and Hong Kong this month, before being implemented worldwide in 2019.
“The luxury traveller is more tech-savvy than ever as they are seeking smart, convenient, and cash-free solutions, and we’re continually enriching Klook’s services to make the platform suitable and engaging for all types of travellers,” said Anita Ngai (Chief Revenue Officer, Klook).
“This partnership is really something that has been six months in the making, so not a short period of time… We saw the partnership as bringing together both companies’ strengths and to have really good synergies.”
Klook bookings can be made via tablet at hotels’ concierge. Any guest can browse local experiences on the platform and make either advanced or last minute bookings, within the comfort of the hotel lobby. It is a part of Shangri-La’s strategy to develop its value proposition for guests, beyond accommodation.
The Klook Concierge can act as a channel through which Shangri-La can accompany customers throughout their journey and across destinations.
Wee Kee Ng (Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts) and Anita Ngai (Klook)
“By delivering additional hotel and in-destination features, we are strengthening the value proposition for guests in line with their widening needs and giving them more inspiring choices during their travels,” said Irene Lin, Executive Vice President – Marketing, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.
The partnership will also add an extra convenience for guests as bookings made via the concierge can be billed directly to their room, so all payments are handled at the end of their stay.
Shangri-La’s most loyal guests will enjoy a few extra perks, courtesy of this partnership too. Members of the hotel groups Golden Circle loyalty programme will earn points for any bookings made via the Klook Concierge. Golden Circle members can also use their points to book from Klook’s expansive inventory of over 60,000 experiences by the third quarter of 2019.
“We want to enhance the proposition of ‘earn and burn’, getting loyalty members to redeem their points on experiences that are not just available in the hotel,” said Wee Kee Ng (Vice President – Loyalty and Partner Marketing, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts).
The two companies will also collaborate on joint marketing initiatives in the coming year, such as making unique Shangri-La experiences available on the platform too. The partnership will enable Shangri-La to promote exclusive packages and experiences to Klook as well as its own customers.
For the hotel group, the Klook Concierge tablet is a conscious and deliberate move towards a more tech-focused approach, addressing growing guest demands for more digital services. Said Ng, “travellers are more likely to spend on experiences and hotels are only one part of their trip.” The strategic partnership will inherently give the hotel group more touch points with its customers.
He also remarked on the “big target audience that Klook can now attract to their platform” through Shangri-La’s customer base. “Both companies now can actually get to know and acquire new customers.”
Meanwhile, Klook can continue to expand its customer base, through over 100 Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts worldwide. Given the hotel group’s global presence, it is a promising strategy to expand beyond its strength in APAC and build its international presence.
