Accor Plus releases findings from year-long research on consumer attitudes to travel loyalty subscriptions
Accor Plus has released ‘The New Travel Value Exchange’, a new report that examines what consumers value in travel loyalty subscriptions. The year-long research, involving 7,078 consumers across 11 markets, directly informed Accor Plus’ revamped paid loyalty programme ALL Accor+ Explorer, which launched on 1 October 2025.
Developed in partnership with strategy and insights consultancy Forethought, the report examines what attracts travellers to paid membership and what keeps them engaged beyond the initial purchase. It explores how providers can continue to demonstrate value and earn members’ loyalty after they have paid to join.
“It’s now been a year since we unveiled ALL Accor+ Explorer, informed by the research in this report. For the first time, we’re sharing these findings alongside our experience of putting them into practice, offering the broader industry insights into what travellers value in paid membership and what gives them reasons to stay,” said Emilie Couton, Chief Executive Officer of Accor Plus.
“Consumers are subscription-savvy and accustomed to paying for services that deliver clear, relevant value. The tension is that loyalty is still often framed around points, discounts and perks, when the value travellers are seeking goes further. Immediate savings matter, but so do recognition, belonging, relevant experiences and feeling that membership is worth keeping,” said Couton.
Forethought’s research for Accor Plus, conducted among prospective and existing members, found that stay benefits and price accounted for 62% of membership choice, making them the two strongest factors across all 11 markets. Among the stay benefits tested, complimentary nights were the most preferred across all markets.
The research also found that cost was the strongest factor influencing subscription renewal (23%), followed by frequency of communications (12%), seamless application of the discount (10%) and feeling part of the community (9%).
These findings sit against a backdrop of widespread subscription use. Research cited in the report shows that 78% of Australians hold at least one paid subscription across streaming, retail, transport, food delivery, hospitality or travel, with 31% holding three or more. In Asia, 74% of consumers pay for at least one subscription.
The report also explores how AI could reshape travel choice, alongside key questions such as, “Beyond access, what makes a premium experience truly distinctive?” and “How can recognition feel more personal as more of the journey becomes automated?”
For hotel and loyalty operators, the findings highlight the importance of delivering benefits consistently, making them easy to access and ensuring members feel recognised throughout their relationship with the brand.
ALL Accor+ Explorer provides a case study of how Accor Plus applied the findings. The transformation consolidated three previous subscription products into one and brought membership management into the ALL Accor App, making the offer clearer and its benefits easier to access.
The report also examines recent member behaviour. Among ALL Accor+ Explorer members reaching renewal between October 2025 and June 2026, nearly six in 10 completed two or more stays and 66% used member-only hotel offers. Explorer members also booked more than 3.8 million room nights over the past year.
Separately, the report states that Explorer members recorded five times as many stays and four times the spend of non-members, while average commercial contribution per Explorer member increased by 20%.
Following its October expansion across the Middle East, ALL Accor+ Explorer’s network now spans 30 countries, with more than 1,400 participating hotels, 1,800 restaurants and 1,300 bars.
‘The New Travel Value Exchange’ publication is available to download HERE.
