Wouldn’t it be great to pay for an entire family vacation with points accrued from a loyalty program?
Well, that happens to be the case now, according to a new survey from InterContinental® Hotels Group (IHG®). According to the new research, 62% of global travelers said that it felt like a dream come true when redeeming points from their loyalty program all at one time. As a result, 65% of them are increasingly turning to loyalty programs to help fund their holidays, with one in three (37%) even organizing an entire holiday with points alone.
The IHG® Rewards Club surveyed more than 10,000 members across 13 countries, including 1,800 members in the U.S.
The top three redemption choices from the survey were: accommodations (70%), hotel upgrades (32%), and extending existing vacations an extra week (24%).
The study shows the positive sentiments and value that travelers feel toward loyalty programs. Whether the programs help make a vacation possible or enhance the overall experience, 62% of respondents indicated they felt like winning a prize when redeeming points.
Here are some other key takeaways from the study:
- 69% of the respondents felt that points were a reward in exchange for their loyalty
- 49% said that the personal welcome they received from IHG® hotels was the top reason for being a part of IHG Rewards Club
Susanna Freer Epstein, Senior Vice President Customer Loyalty Marketing, IHG said in the survey that loyalty programs play an important role in helping guests enjoy and get the most out of their holidays.
“That’s why IHG Rewards Club makes it easy for members to redeem points across a family of nine IHG hotel brands,” she said. “But this research shows that there is an emotional attachment too, in helping dreams become a reality and ensuring, with IHG Rewards Club, that our members receive a special welcome whenever and wherever they travel with us.”
Art Markman, psychologist and author of Smart Change, added that most people talk about wanting to find moments of joy in their lives when most of what they feel is stress, anxiety, and the pinch of pressing budgets.
“The way you remove stress is to pursue the wonders of life, to seek and attain your desires,” he explained. “Fulfilling your dreams through travel is the best way to find joy and stay happy. Your IHG Rewards Club points give you the opportunity to create enhanced experiences, be it your own tour guide, an epic adventure in the mountains or just a relaxing holiday for you and your family. These experiences create memories that stay with you for a lifetime.”
IHG Rewards Club is the first and largest hotel loyalty program in the world, with nearly 79 million members worldwide. IHG is one of the world’s leading hotel companies, with over 4,700 hotels around the world and a family of nine trusted hotel brands to meet a variety of guests’ needs−from a city center Holiday Inn® hotel, to an award winning InterContinental® resort. Its loyalty program offers advantages that no other hotel company can match including; free guest Internet for all IHG Rewards Club members worldwide across the IHG brand family and no blackout dates on Reward Nights−a loyalty program purposefully designed to see the customer win.