Accor to Go Global With Subscription Cards to Boost Hotel Loyalty

Accor plans to broaden its subscription cards to be more global, granting members discounts and perks worldwide instead of regionally, the Paris-based hotel giant said Tuesday.

Until now, Accor only offered subscription cards in a few regional markets: Asia Pacific, India, China, and Brazil. The new program, called All Plus, will give travelers worldwide access to discounts at hotels in selected brands at 4,000 properties across 100 countries, plus ways to accelerate their status in Accor's loyalty program.

"Our ambition is to capture more of the frequent traveler market that is asking for both rational value and peace of mind when traveling with their company or for pleasure," said Mehdi Hemici, chief loyalty and e-commerce officer. "We believe that the subscription model is one way to address peace of mind by reducing friction, which will build greater loyalty."

Cardholders accelerated their Accor bookings between 35 percent and 45 percent, Accor estimated.

"We'll be taking market share away from our competitors," Hemici said.

Accor's move is the latest attempt by travel companies to create subscription-based products as the new frontier in inspiring customer loyalty. Example includes eDreams Odigeo's club to access discounts, Selina's su