Hotel brands know travel professionals have a lot of choices these days when it comes to booking places to stay - so they're continuously upping the ante on their agency loyalty programs to attract and maintain valued customers and recognize the community for their dedication. The result? Amazing rewards for agents and their clients, easy-to-follow programs, and valuable business tools and resources are just the beginning. Read on to find out more.
Tried-and-True Brands
Since most hotel brands have at least one loyalty program (and many are free!), they are plentiful and diverse - making it simple to book coveted properties at different pricing levels to earn rewards. The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Look To Book program allows agents to earn points for room night bookings at more than 1,000 hotels worldwide, including its Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu®, Radisson®, Radisson RED, Park Plaza®, Park Inn® by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM properties. Additionally, the Look To Book program, which is celebrating 25 years in 2017, is also offering a variety of special offers and activities to thank its loyal members.
Meanwhile, the FRHI Hotels & Resorts offer a mix of properties through three wellknown and celebrated brands: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts and Raffles Hotels & Resorts. And the brand's travel-agent education and rewards program - Famous Agents - allows agents to earn points for booking reservations in all room categories and wholesale bookings.
InterContinental Hotels Group offers IHG Travel Consultant Connection and IHG Agent University, which encompass the IHG worldwide brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo®, EVEN® Hotels, HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels, Holiday Inn Express® Hotels, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®. Registered members receive discounts of 35 percent or more at over 5,000 IHG hotels and access to a training platform that offers points toward hotel stays, travel, and merchandise for the completion of online courses.
Tangible Rewards for You
From cash and merchandise to free and discounted travel, the perks for memberships in travel agency loyalty programs are seemingly endless. Currently, Carlson Rezidor offers 10 Look To Book points for every $1 you spend, and often offers promotions that allow members to accumulate points even faster. Keep track of Look To Book points online and spend them on retail gift cards, free hotel stays, airline miles and more.
In addition to a redeemable points program, members of the FRHI Hotels & Resorts Famous Agents program also enjoy members-only, discounted rates for all of the company's brands and preferred guest status at select properties, where members are treated to welcome gifts, guided tours and other delights. As a travel agent, all you have to do to get points is keep their Famous Agents number handy when making reservations.
The Hilton Unlimited Rewards program is another notable favorite for its cash rewards program and wide array of brands, including Hilton Hotels & Resorts™, Waldorf Astoria™ Hotels & Resorts, Embassy Suites by Hilton™, Canopy™ by Hilton, Curio - A Collection by Hilton™, DoubleTree by Hilton™, Hilton Garden InnTM, Hampton by Hilton™, Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Tru by Hilton™, Homewood Suites by Hilton™, Home2 Suites by HiltonTM and Hilton Grand Vacations™. Join and enter your Unlimited Rewards number during the booking process, and after your client completes a stay, cash rewards are automatically deposited into a prepaid debit card for you to spend. Members can snag additional points by booking with Hilton's four partners as well: Avis, Budget, Carey® and Embarque®.
Educational Opportunities & Resources
Agency loyalty programs also give travel pros the chance to learn about the latest industry trends and what unique amenities and services hotel brands have to offer their clients. Each month, Carlson Rezidor gives Look To Book members the chance to collect 500 points while they become more savvy about the hotel brand and top travel destinations using Quizbook, a web portal where agents can view mini training modules and pass short quizzes.
IHG Agent University is designed to acquaint agents with the company's brands and various consumer rewards program offerings through e-learning classes that participants can complete at their own pace. Class topics include "Great Rewards Members Love," "IHG Rates, GDS and Commissions" and "Putting Great Guests into Great Mid-Scale Hotels." By learning about everything from the spa-inspired showers at Hotel Indigo to the "Kids Stay and Eat Free" offer at Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Resort hotels, professionals equip themselves with the knowledge to make the right decisions for their clientele.
Resources for the FRHI Hotels & Resorts Famous Agents members include e-newsletters offering the latest information on new hotels, programs and services, and online lesson modules that help agents familiarize themselves with the company's offerings. Special offers also encourage program participants to experience the FRHI Hotels & Resorts signature hospitality for themselves at properties worldwide.
While the Internet has undeniably changed the way we plan and book travel, agents continue to provide an unequaled level of service to their clients - and suppliers are showing appreciation for their support and dedication through ever-evolving agency loyalty programs. So whether you're seeking marketing resources or cash rewards, there's a worthwhile program out there that'll turn your bookings into serious returns.