Live Events Could Be the Key to Reviving Loyalty Programs
By: Daniel Held
Loyalty programs have become common offerings in the airline, hotel and retail industries as brands look to retain customers in an environment where technology allows real-time comparison.
However, what was once an innovative way to thank customers has lost some of its value; loyalty programs are beginning to show fatigue as their members expect more – especially when rewards like seat or room upgrades, lounges, etc. aren’t as exclusive as they once were.
This fatigue has brought forward a need for personalization within these programs to stand out and give customers the same feeling loyalty programs once offered.
To understand what travelers want, airlines and hotels need to take an overhead view of how people travel; it’s not just for wealthy people like it was decades ago. It’s much easier for people to travel to popular vacation spots or see their favorite artist or sporting event than it used to be, and since it’s easier, people want to do it more.
Take the generation that has grown up in the age of social media – some travelers might plan or seek to travel more often to show off their latest adventure to their friends and acquaintances. To appear “cool” or give off a certain image, they might want to be rewarded with deals and options to travel more frequently for less.
This is where loyalty programs can step in. If a company gives members points for travel – whether that’s flying or staying at a hotel – they might be interested in using the points earned for a different part of their trip.
While traditional rewards are still of some interest to frequent travelers, more modern rewards allow travelers to strengthen their emotional connection to a brand.
Imagine traveling to a concert or sports event, and all you pay for is a flight because the airline points cover the show or game. While the traveler won’t remember the flight or room they slept in, they will remember the airline or hotel that made it possible to see their favorite artist or team.
Offering live experiences deepens emotional loyalty and provides real-time engagement, fostering a sense of belonging that transcends transactions. The live event creates shareable moments, too, reaching the traveler’s goal of sharing or showing off their latest adventure.
For loyalty programs to avoid stagnation, they need to embrace a shift toward personalization. Innovative rewards like live events help keep travel brands relevant and emotionally present in a world where loyal customers expect more.
About TFL
Founded in 2004, TFL is one of the fastest-growing event distribution companies in North America and the leading Midwest ticket marketplace for sports and entertainment. TFL’s success is rooted in its ability to provide an easy ticket-buying experience to its customers with no service fees at checkout (www.ticketsforless.com). TFL also offers technology solutions to employee and customer loyalty platforms and partners with rightsholders throughout the industry to maximize revenue (www.tflgroupcomdev.wpengine.com).
