When travel loyalty programs collide, great things happen

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Written by Alain St.Ange

When travel loyalty programs join forces, the benefits for members are outstanding, resulting in simply more of everything.

When loyalty programs join forces, the benefits for members are outstanding. It usually means they may now earn more points per dollar spent and perhaps even have their status move up in the loyalty program hierarchy. Plus, there is the convenience of being able to book travel through just one website.

A new era is beginning for the more than 110 million members of Marriott Internationalโ€™s award-winning loyalty programs โ€“ Marriott Rewards, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards, and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG). For the first time since Marriott International acquired Starwood Hotels and Resorts in 2016, the programs now operate under one set of unified benefits and one currency spanning the entire loyalty portfolio of 29 brands and more than 6,700 participating hotels in 130 countries and territories. Members are able to seamlessly earn and redeem across the entire loyalty portfolio and achieve Elite status faster with new Elite tiers. Members can now combine their separate program accounts into one at Marriott.com or SPG.com to take advantage of everything Marriott Internationalโ€™s loyalty programs offer worldwide.

Together, the unified programs are richer. Members now earn on average 20 percent more points per dollar spent and have their Elite status recognized consistently at every hotel as they indulge in the elevated benefits theyโ€™ve earned. Additionally, members now have the added convenience to book stays throughout the portfolio on Marriott.com, SPG.com, and the Marriott and SPG apps, or by contacting customer engagement centers.

โ€œThis is an exciting time for our loyalty members who now have endless inspiration to travel and experience the world to create memories that will last a lifetime,โ€ said David Flueck, Senior Vice President, Global Loyalty, Marriott International. โ€œWe merged the incredible earning and redeeming power of Marriott Rewards with the phenomenal Elite benefits of SPG to create one of the richest travel loyalty programs with the most extraordinary global portfolio of hotels โ€“ from overwater bungalows, to mountainside ski resorts, to iconic urban landmarks.โ€

In Seychelles one property is part of the Starwood property, the Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove Hotel of Beau Vallon.

Source: Aviation, Travel & Conservation News from Eastern Africa & the Indian Ocean islands

About the author

Avatar of Alain St.Ange

Alain St.Ange

Alain St Ange has been working in the tourism business since 2009. He was appointed as the Director of Marketing for Seychelles by President and Minister of Tourism James Michel.

He was appointed as the Director of Marketing for Seychelles by President and Minister of Tourism James Michel. After one year of

After one year of service, he was promoted to the position of CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board.

In 2012 the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands regional Organization was formed and St Ange was appointed as the first president of the organization.

In a 2012 cabinet re-shuffle, St Ange was appointed as Minister of Tourism and Culture which he resigned on 28 December 2016 in order to pursue a candidacy as Secretary General of the World Tourism Organisation.

At the UNWTO General Assembly in Chengdu in China, a person who was being sought after for the โ€œSpeakers Circuitโ€ for tourism and sustainable development was Alain St.Ange.

St.Ange is the former Seychelles Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine who left office in December last year to run for the position of Secretary General of the UNWTO. When his candidature or document of endorsement was withdrawn by his country just a day before the elections in Madrid, Alain St.Ange showed his greatness as a speaker when he addressed the UNWTO gathering with grace, passion, and style.

His moving speech was recorded as the one on the best marking speeches at this UN international body.

African countries often remember his Uganda address for the East Africa Tourism Platform when he was a guest of honor.

As former Tourism Minister, St.Ange was a regular and popular speaker and was often seen addressing forums and conferences on behalf of his country. His ability to speak โ€˜off the cuffโ€™ was always seen as a rare ability. He often said he speaks from the heart.

In Seychelles he is remembered for a marking address at the official opening of the islandโ€™s Carnaval International de Victoria when he reiterated the words of John Lennon famous songโ€ฆ โ€ you may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one. One day you will all join us and the world will be better as oneโ€. The world press contingent gathered in Seychelles on the day ran with the words by St.Ange which made headlines everywhere.

St.Ange delivered the keynote address for the โ€œTourism & Business Conference in Canadaโ€

Seychelles is a good example for sustainable tourism. This is therefore not surprising to see Alain St.Ange being sought after as a speaker on the international circuit.

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