Hilton Worldwide’s recent decision to raise the number of loyalty points required for a free stay at its hotels has some rivals smelling blood.
Competitors like InterContinental Hotels Group Plc (IHG.L), Best Western and Carlson Hotels have announced promotions aimed squarely at potentially-disgruntled Hilton stalwarts.
“I’ve already shifted—I’m taking 25 nights from Hilton and giving them to Sheraton,” said Troy Myers, a Nashville-area consultant who is on the road some 200 nights a year. “I will still spend well over a 100 nights at Hilton—but not 150.”
Cutbacks in corporate travel spending during the recession have made the struggle to attract well-heeled customers more cutthroat than ever—and the use of loyalty programs as an enticement is a major part of that struggle. At the same time hotel companies seeking to cut costs are wary of offering too many free rooms.
Read the entire article here.