Hotels
Choice Hotels Launch Golf By Choice; Brings Industry-First Benefits To Its Loyalty Program
Choice Privileges, the loyalty program for Choice Hotels, is introducing Golf By Choice. The program, which Choice says is the first of its kind in the hospitality industry, provides members with exclusive access to deals on golf apparel and equipment and allows members to earn and use points when booking tee times at courses across the country. “We're constantly seeking opportunities to reward members of our loyalty program throughout their entire travel experience—from their hotel stay and beyond," Jamie Russo, vice president, loyalty programs and customer engagement, Choice Hotels, said in a release. “With Golf By Choice, we are expanding our offerings for Choice Privileges members beyond the realm of hospitality, rewarding business and leisure guests—many of which are avid golfers—with new, unique perks they can easily take advantage of.”
Corporate Social Responsibility
N.C. College Students Fight Hunger Through Intercollegiate Competition to Win Up to $22,000
The 2020 Collegiate Hunger Challenge – created by Food Lion Feeds and North Carolina Campus Compact – features 12 North Carolina colleges and universities competing to win up to $22,000 to help fight hunger. “We partnered with North Carolina Campus Compact to create the Collegiate Hunger Challenge because we know that students can’t learn when they are hungry,” Emma Inman, director of External Communications and Community Relations for Food Lion, said in a release. “Food Lion has been joining with our communities to fight hunger for many years. It’s important to us to involve our next generation of leaders to help find solutions to eliminate the difficult choices many of our neighbors have to make between textbooks and groceries, or dinner and rent. We’re excited to see the results of this year’s competition and wish all the participating schools the best of luck as they create new and unique ways to fight hunger in the towns and cities we serve.”
Adidas X Parley: Sustainability Meets Sport On A Miami Football Field
Adidas says it is creating “change by eliminating all virgin polyester by 2024.” This includes the 2020 adidas x Parley collection, an assortment of cleats and running shoes made with sustainable fabric and technology. Adidas also recently unveiled a sustainable turf field made of approximately 1.8 million plastic bottles at Miami Edison High School. An Adidas blog post states: “The donation of the field highlights our belief that a serious effort to improve ocean health is a must for us and future generations, because #ChangeIsATeamSport.”
Loyalty / Rewards Program
Miami-Dade Transit rewards travelers for looking at mobile ads on public transport
Looking to encourage travel on pubic transportation, the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works recently launched a digital loyalty rewards platform. The platform – which is powered by Cubic Interactive – is part of the agency’s mobile app, GO Miami-Dade Transit. “We are excited to be the first transit agency to adopt this loyalty-based interactive service that rewards riders,” said Alice N. Bravo P.E., director of transportation and public works for Miami-Dade County. “The program is a great way to incentivise our current riders, invite new ones to give transit a try. It provides the building blocks that will help us increase the use of transit to reduce congestion.”
Retail
H&M Group releases full-year report
The H&M group issued its full-year report last week. In the report, H&M says it continued to grow globally in 2019 and net sales increased by 11 percent in the 2019 financial year. In the Fourth quarter section of the report, it states: “Online and physical stores are being increasingly integrated with continued optimisation of the store portfolio. Around 200 new stores are planned to open in 2020, mainly in growth markets, while at the same time consolidation will continue with around 175 planned store closures, mainly in established markets. The net addition of new stores for full-year 2020 is expected to be around 25.”