Hotel loyalty programmes are no longer limited to earning points during a stay. Industry experts say travellers, and even non-travellers, can now accumulate and redeem benefits through dining, wellness, retail partnerships and co-branded credit cards, extending rewards into everyday spending.
With hotel groups integrating loyalty into digital payments, dining bills and lifestyle experiences, these programmes are positioned as year-round value platforms rather than stay-only perks, a shift that brings them closer to routine financial decisions.
Loyalty moves beyond stays
Khushnooma Kapadia, Vice President, Marketing – South Asia at Marriott International, said hospitality-led loyalty has moved beyond point accrual on stays to integrate dining, wellness, retail and entertainment.
The company’s programme, Marriott Bonvoy, enables members to earn and redeem points across hotel stays, food and beverage, curated culinary showcases and select partnerships.
At Radisson Hotel Group, Managing Director & COO, South Asia, Nikhil Sharma, said its Radisson Rewards had about 3.8 million members in India as of 2025.
He said the programme now extends into dining and curated experiences, in addition to traditional benefits such as member-only rates, tier progression, upgrades and priority services.
Ravi Rai, General Manager of The Orchid Hotel Mumbai, said hospitality brands are allowing members to earn and redeem across dining, spa and wellness services, local experiences and lifestyle collaborations.
Vinesh Gupta, General Manager at The Den Bengaluru, said programmes are being structured to function as broader lifestyle platforms, with earning and redemption available across restaurants, events and wellness offerings.
Udit Kumar, Co-Founder of Brij Hotels, said loyalty in luxury hospitality is evolving into an experiential ecosystem, with rewards linked to curated dining, cultural immersion and wellness journeys.
Integration with everyday spending
Experts also highlight the growing integration between loyalty and financial products.
Marriott has partnered with Flipkart and also introduced the co-branded Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit Card, allowing members to earn points on general purchases, travel and dining, along with structured benefits such as elite status credits and lounge access.
Dhruv Verma, CEO of Thriwe, said loyalty in India is influenced by transaction behaviour shaped by UPI, digital wallets and co-branded cards. He noted that rewards are moving closer to the point of payment, with contextual benefits such as upgrades or experiential privileges.
Focus on segmented engagement
Hospitality experts said engagement strategies vary by guest segment.
Radisson said loyalty members contribute significantly to direct bookings and guest mix, with targeted offers and personalisation supporting repeat stays.
Property-level operators said they tailor benefits for business travellers, families, social hosts and dining-led guests to keep programmes relevant beyond accommodation.
Across brands, experts indicate that loyalty structures now combine traditional stay-based incentives with dining access, experiential privileges and payment-linked earning mechanisms.
