What happened
Owners of nearly 1,000 Marriott affiliated hotels are rebelling against the Marriott Bonvoy program, demanding that Marriott revise its reimbursement structure for award stays. Currently, hotels pay into a loyalty fund and are reimbursed at reduced rates when guests redeem points. Owners argue they are absorbing increasing costs while Marriott captures revenue, especially as points are increasingly issued through non-hotel stays. They are seeking financial transparency and compensation on par with third-party online travel agencies like Expedia. This could lead to award inflation or changes in how Marriott manages its loyalty program profitability
Sources add · 1
- LoyaltyLobby: Marriott hotel owners representing more than 1,000 hotels in the US are demanding that the corporation give them a bigger share of the loyalty program revenue, according to the WSJ