Hyatt Adds Outdoor Resort Brand Under Canvas in Loyalty Licensing Deal

Hyatt Hotels on Thursday entered a new alliance with Under Canvas, a brand that runs 13 luxury outdoor resorts. This move enables Hyatt to tap into the growing trend of upscale nature-based travel experiences, particularly near U.S. national parks.

Members of Hyatt's loyalty program can now earn and redeem reward points for stays at Under Canvas camps in destinations such as Yellowstone, Great Smoky Mountains, and Acadia National Parks.

Under Canvas is an outdoor resort brand offering premium amenities, such as king-size beds, ensuite bathrooms, and free activities like yoga and nightly campfires.

Outdoor resorts' popularity

The hotel operator also hopes the Under Canvas inventory will bolster Hyatt's position in the competitive hotel loyalty landscape by offering rare and distinctive redemption options for its members — encouraging participation in World of Hyatt.

The "exclusive" marketing and distribution deal is part of Hyatt's integration since April with Mr & Mrs Smith, a platform for boutique and luxury hotels, which Hyatt acquired a year ago for a final price of about $66 million.

That said, long-time loyalty expert Gary Leff couldn't find reward night availability on a random set of test dates on Thursday. UPDATE: On Friday, Skift found dates for reward bookings at multiple properties for multiple dates.

Hyatt isn't alone in its interest in the outdoors. In February, Hilton announced a similar licensing tie-up with AutoCamp, which runs multiple upscale campsites that feature amenity-filled tents, cabins, and Airstream trailers.

Hilton also launched a marketing partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World in February, making these properties bookable via its channels. Last December, Under Canvas joined Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and as of Thursday, its properties were bookable via the Small Luxury Hotels of the World site but not on Hilton's site.

In June, Ennismore, the lifestyle hospitality company that's an Accor joint venture, said it would buy and run the luxury outdoor resort brand Our Habitas, which also runs some tented properties in remote locations.

Under Canvas stands somewhat apart in that its five "Grand Circle" camps across Utah and Arizona are the world's first DarkSky-certified resorts — which have benefited from a rising trend in "celestial tourism."

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