For years, travel loyalty programs have largely revolved around the same formula: stay more, earn more points, unlock a few perks, repeat. But according to a new report from Marriott Bonvoy, that model is rapidly evolving across Asia-Pacific and travel loyalty trends are changing.
The brand’s new Loyalty Trends Report 2026 suggests that loyalty is no longer being shaped primarily by demographics or even spending power. Instead, travellers are increasingly engaging with hotel loyalty programs based on why they travel in the first place.
The findings reveal a major shift in the travel industry, with loyalty programs becoming less about transactions and more about passions, lifestyle, and everyday relevance. And for hotels, tourism brands and travel operators, that could have significant implications.
Loyalty programs are nearly universal, but expectations have changed
According to the report, 89% of travellers across Asia-Pacific excluding China (APEC) now participate in at least one loyalty program, with hotel loyalty programs proving the most popular category overall.
However, the report argues that simply having a loyalty program is no longer enough.
Travellers increasingly expect loyalty ecosystems that integrate seamlessly into daily life, reward personal interests and offer tangible value beyond free nights.
In fact, the single most important feature of a good loyalty program across the region was not luxury upgrades or VIP experiences; it was the ability to earn rewards through everyday spending.
The data also showed:
- 77% of travellers redeem points for small rewards they can use immediately
- 61% redeem for larger ticket items
- 37% redeem for exclusive experiences
That combination of practical value and aspirational experiences is becoming central to modern loyalty design.
Food has become one of travel’s biggest loyalty drivers
One of the report’s clearest findings is the growing influence of culinary travel.
Across APEC, 63% of travellers said Food & Dining is one of their main travel priorities, making it the region’s strongest travel motivator overall.
More importantly for the industry, these travellers also display highly specific loyalty behaviours.
Food-focused travellers are more likely to:
- earn points through dining-related activity
- engage with hotel F&B offerings
- redeem rewards for food and beverage experiences
The implication is significant. Hotels are no longer competing solely on rooms or location. Restaurants, bars, chef partnerships and culinary experiences are increasingly becoming loyalty acquisition and retention tools in their own right.
This also aligns with wider tourism trends across family and experiential travel, where food has become a major part of destination decision-making.
Wellness travellers could be hospitality’s biggest untapped opportunity
Another standout insight from the report revolves around what Marriott labels “Recharge & Disconnect” travellers.
These are travellers motivated by wellness, restoration, and escaping everyday stress through experiences such as spa retreats, resorts, and wellness-focused stays.
Interestingly, this group is currently less likely than others to be enrolled in hotel loyalty programs. Yet once they are on-property, they become highly engaged guests.
The report found these travellers are more likely to:
- stay at hotels, resorts and villas
- travel with partners
- spend on spas and on-property dining
- engage heavily with hotel-based experiences
For hotels, that creates a clear opportunity. Rather than focusing purely on discounts or points accumulation, wellness-oriented loyalty programs may need to lean more heavily into experiential design, such as spa access, wellness packages, retreat upgrades and personalised stay experiences.
As wellness travel continues to grow globally, this segment could become one of the industry’s most valuable loyalty audiences.
Australian travellers are “Value Optimisers”
The report also highlights that loyalty behaviour varies significantly between markets.
Australia, alongside Singapore and Thailand, was categorised as part of a “Value Optimiser” loyalty mindset.
According to the findings, Australian travellers tend to engage with loyalty programs pragmatically. They are highly responsive to:
- direct booking incentives
- upgrades
- milestone bonuses
- practical travel perks
- visible savings and value-adds
That insight may help explain why everyday earn, flexibility and practical redemption options continue outperforming purely aspirational rewards in the Australian market.
For tourism brands targeting Australian families, this reinforces the importance of tangible value over mere exclusivity.
Partnerships are becoming essential
One of the strongest themes running throughout the report is the growing importance of partnership ecosystems. Travellers increasingly expect loyalty programs to extend beyond hotel stays into daily life through:
- retail partnerships
- dining programs
- e-commerce
- mobility providers
- co-branded credit cards
The report found:
- 57% of hotel loyalty earnings come through hotel stays
- 53% through co-branded credit cards
- 48% through food delivery and dining
- 45% through retail and e-commerce partnerships
That suggests modern loyalty ecosystems are becoming increasingly interconnected with everyday consumer behaviour – not just travel itself.
For hotels and travel brands, loyalty is evolving into an ongoing lifestyle relationship rather than an occasional booking incentive.
The bigger shift behind travel loyalty trends
Perhaps the report’s most important takeaway is that loyalty is becoming increasingly emotion-led.
Travellers are no longer engaging with loyalty programs purely because they exist. They are engaging because the rewards, experiences and partnerships align with their personal travel identity.
Whether that identity is built around food, wellness, culture, shopping or nature, travellers now expect loyalty programs to reflect the reasons they travel – not just the fact that they travel.
For the industry, that likely means the era of generic loyalty models is ending. And the brands that understand traveller passions, local market behaviours, and everyday relevance may be the ones that build the strongest loyalty in the years ahead.
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