In a recent global syndicated study among nearly 10,000 individuals, Hilton HHonors was rated the “most preferred” hotel frequent guest program in the world, with 17 percent of all global travelers selecting HHonors as their preferred program.
The study, Hotel SCORES, was conducted by Phoenix Marketing International. Travelers were interviewed in seven countries — the United States, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, Australia, The People’s Republic of China, and Japan. In order to be included in the study, respondents must have spent at least one night in paid accommodations in 2005 and been an active member in at least one hotel frequent guest program.
On a global basis, travelers stated that they are members of 2.8 frequent guest programs and are active in 1.9 programs. The typical respondent spends an average of 32.7 nights in hotels in a year.
While Hilton HHonors is the “most preferred” program across the globe, there are significant differences by geographic region.
In the U.S., Hilton HHonors and Marriott Rewards are equally preferred (25 percent, respectively).
In Europe, Germany has two co-leaders: Hilton HHonors and Best Western Gold Crown Club (18 percent each).
In the U.K., Priority Club Rewards is the most preferred program (38 percent). The Accor Mouvango program is the most preferred frequent guest program in France (56 percent).
In the Asia-Pacific region, Priority Club Rewards and Best Western Gold Crown Club are the most preferred programs in Australia (20 percent each); Hilton HHonors is preferred in China (16 percent); and in Japan, ANA Hotel Members is the most preferred frequent guest program (38 percent).
According to Greg Diaz, Vice President, Phoenix Travel, Leisure & Entertainment Group, “It is interesting to note that while hotel distribution, quality of service and quality of the product have an impact on frequent guest program preference, not to mention the programs themselves, there is nonetheless an element of national pride in individual programs. The French are extremely loyal to the Accor Mouvango program as well as Sofitel Privileges. The Japanese have a profound sense of loyalty to the ANA Hotel Members program.”
Hotel SCORES is a syndicated annual tracking study which measures awareness, membership, usage, and preference of 14 domestic U.S. hotel frequent guest programs and 17 European and Asia-Pacific based hotel frequent guest programs. In its third year, the study annually surveys 3,500 past-year U.S. travelers and 1,000 past-year travelers in each of six countries.
Note: This survey is quite different than the annual Freddie Awards in that the Freddie Awards don’t ask members to choose one program from the other, it just asks them to rate the value of the program they use the most.
