New Research: Raising the Bar on Travel Loyalty Programs for the Post-Pandemic Rebound

This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner.

Today, we’re publishing a new report from Concentrix Catalyst, in partnership with Salesforce, which explores the current state of loyalty programs in travel, tourism, and hospitality. “Raising the Bar on Travel Loyalty Programs for the Post-Pandemic Rebound” shows how companies can stay ahead in the rapidly evolving loyalty ecosystem by shoring up personalization, developing more sophisticated data strategies, and gaining a deeper understanding of customer needs.

“Today’s more digitally savvy consumer requires more sophisticated data strategies for a seamless, omnichannel travel experience as a driver of lasting loyalty,” said Martin Mehalchin, executive vice president of integrated loyalty solutions at Concentrix Catalyst.

High-margin business travel, once the driving force behind loyalty programs, may never return to pre-pandemic levels. In order to adapt, travel brands must embrace a more data-informed focus on leisure travel. Without the business travel imperative, and with remote work offering more freedom, customers are considering a wider variety of destinations and travel windows. As such, highly personalized content, offers, and experiences are now driving brand loyalty.

Based on Catalyst’s survey of more than 500 travel, tourism, and hospitality marketers, the report revealed that many loyalty programs, while mature, are in need of a data-fortified reboot. Gaining a deeper understanding of customer needs will enable brands to provide more than just perks, points, and rewards to engage a new breed of traveler and ensure lasting customer loyalty post-pandemic.

“A lot of loyalty leaders are putting more emphasis on the need to evolve their services that surround the guest experience,” said Jacqueline Nunley, senior industry advisor for travel and hospitality at Salesforce. “With consumers so much more digitally savvy post-pandemic, these loyalty leaders now recognize that better execution on delivering seamless travel experiences is the priority that’s going to drive and continue to build lasting loyalty.”

In this report, you’ll find:

• The latest perceptions around customer loyalty in travel, tourism, and hospitality
• An insights-driven list of best practices for loyalty and membership programs
• Quick steps for organizations to increase their commitment to building deeper relationships with customers
• How the definition of what it means to be a loyalty leader in the travel and hospitality space is rapidly changing and how non-leaders have an opportunity to upend established norms
• Common misperceptions around personalization and how marketers can raise the bar with more sophisticated data strategies

Register here to join Salesforce and Concentrix Catalyst on March 22, 2022 at 11 a.m. PST for their online presentation of the report’s insights.

This content was created collaboratively by Concentrix Catalyst and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.