Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s loyalty programme, is continuing to build membership and loyalty by focusing on what matters most to travellers.
Evolving from a traditional earn-and-redeem model, the programme has become more experience-led and lifestyle-focused, said John Toomey, chief commercial officer, Marriott International, APEC, in an interview with TTG Asia.
This approach aligns with findings from the recently released Loyalty Trends Report 2026 for the Asia-Pacific region excluding China (APEC).
“The transformation of the programme is in part due to us identifying that it’s not one-size-fits-all for all travellers. So we have different passion points we create for our members by focusing on entertainment, sports and culinary. And I think that’s the exciting piece of it,” he said.
The report found that travellers engage with loyalty programmes based on a mix of travel priorities, expectations around everyday value, and local market dynamics.
The top five travel priorities identified across APEC were food and dining, nature and sightseeing, shopping, cultural immersion, and recharge and disconnect, with food and dining emerging as the leading driver of travel and hotel loyalty.
The report also found that travellers value the ability to earn loyalty points through everyday spending.
Toomey highlighted Marriott Bonvoy’s partnerships with local companies such as Flipkart and Swiggy in India, and Rakuten in Japan, which allow members to earn points through daily transactions. He added that co-branded credit cards and airline partnerships have also performed well.
Marriott Bonvoy currently offers the Marriott Bonvoy American Express credit card for residents in Japan and recently launched the Marriott Bonvoy Mandiri Credit Card in Indonesia. The programme also partners with Japanese airlines All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, allowing members to transfer points into air miles.
“We need to have key strategic hyperlocalised partners in all countries where we do business,” said Toomey, adding that Marriott hopes to establish another strategic airline partnership in Japan and additional partnerships in Singapore and Vietnam.
“We can be a part of our members’ journey from the moment they make their hotel reservation, getting on the flight and transportation of the hotel and so forth.”
Experiences remain another major focus of the programme, which Toomey described as Marriott Bonvoy’s “secret sauce”.
Local teams work with brands and event organisers to create Marriott Bonvoy Moments, offering members access to curated experiences.
“To give you a good example, we’ve got our team on the ground in Bangkok. They know what the members in Bangkok, our Thai members are looking for. They will do special tie ups and member Marriott Bonvoy moments for the Bangkok Jazz Fest or Music Festival,” Toomey shared.
With more hotels opening over the next few years in destinations such as Laos and Mongolia, catering to travellers seeking new experiences, Toomey said he remains confident that programme membership will continue to grow.
