June 24, 2026 • 48 mins
Points and miles may dominate the loyalty conversation, but they’re far from the only way to build lasting customer relationships. In the final episode of our Loyalty Series, Dan sits down with Nicolas Friend, Head of Brand, Marketing and Customer Experience at Unlimited Vacation Club, to explore a different model, one built around membership, belonging, and exclusive access across Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection resorts.
Nicolas explains what members actually receive when they join, from preferred rates and room upgrades to VIP experiences and personalized service that begins long before check-in. But beyond the perks, the conversation explores something deeper: how a membership program can foster a genuine sense of community. From members who return year after year and form friendships at events to the excitement of being among the first guests to experience a new resort, loyalty becomes about connection as much as benefits.
We also explore the customer experience journey, discussing how brands can create meaningful moments before, during, and after a stay. Nicolas shares his perspective on personalization, what travelers really expect from hospitality brands today, and why recognition often matters more than rewards. Finally, we look at the role of AI in hospitality and loyalty, where it's already helping guests discover travel options and where its greatest potential may lie: connecting fragmented systems behind the scenes so teams can deliver more seamless, personalized experiences at scale.
Thanks to Loyalty Status Co for sponsoring this series!
👉 Listen to Building Loyalty Through Membership Now
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SPEAKER_02 (00:05):
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the Travel
Trends Podcast.
This is your host, DanChristian, and we're about to
begin our third episode in ourloyalty series.
This has been fantastic for meto bring such uh amazing
executives together.
Starting off, as you heard, weactually brought the team from
Loyalty Status Quo to the firstepisode.
We had the CEO, Mark Ross Smith,and the CFO, Stuart Malem, join
(00:29):
us.
And that was a great startbecause we talked about status.
And then last week we had uhGilbert Ott, the director of
loyalty at One World Alliance,join us to talk about points and
miles as well as status.
And so we've focused a lot onairlines.
But the other big category thatI alluded to throughout these
conversations that we wanted tofocus on is accommodation,
hotels.
(00:49):
And we have the perfect guest toround that out.
But before I introduce him, Ijust wanted to acknowledge the
sponsor for our series, which isLoyalty Status Co.
And if you haven't heard alreadyin the last three episodes, they
are an award-winning traveltechnology company that helps
travel loyalty programs drivecustomer acquisition, growth,
and ancillary revenue throughtheir elite status programs.
(01:10):
Loyalty Status Co.
owns and operatesstatusmatch.com.
And you can find out moreinformation about them at
loyaltystatus.com.
Now, let's bring in our guesttoday, who is the head of
marketing brand and CX atHyatt's Unlimited Vacation Club.
He is Nick Friend.
Nick, welcome.
Thanks for joining us on TravelTrends.
SPEAKER_00 (01:29):
Thank you, Dan.
I'm excited to be here.
Appreciate you having me ontoday.
For sure.
SPEAKER_02 (01:32):
And I understand you're usually based in Atlanta,
but today you're in Cancun, isthat right?
SPEAKER_00 (01:36):
That's correct.
Um, one of the benefits of thisindustry is we obviously get to
be on the road quite a bit.
So um, yeah, Atlanta's home forme.
It's been home for about 10years.
Um, fortunately, we get theworld's busiest airport, so I
can get anywhere pretty quickly.
Including today, I flew on downto Cancun, which is where the
office is based for the HyattInclusive Collection and
Unlimited Vacation Club.
Um, so I do come down here quiteoften and have a lot of
(01:57):
colleagues down here.
But yeah, there are certainlyworse places to go.
Cancun is um is uh a beautifulwork destination just as much as
for vacation.
SPEAKER_02 (02:04):
Sure.
Yeah, I was in Cancun a littlebit earlier this year with my
family and for spring break andhad the most incredible uh
vacation.
It was our first time in Cancun.
And so I I can't wait to getback.
So yeah, for sure, a privilegeto be able to be down there and
work from there, I'm sure.
Uh now let's give everyone a bitof an overview of Unlimited
Vacation Club to start.
I think that would be reallyhelpful.
And as you know, I'm thrilledthat we're gonna be able to talk
(02:25):
about accommodation and hotelsand loyalty, and I'm keen to get
your overall take on membershipprograms compared to some of
these traditional loyaltyprograms.
But first and foremost, wouldyou mind sharing with all of our
listeners a little bit moreabout unlimited vacation?
SPEAKER_00 (02:38):
Yeah, Unlimited Vacation Club is a vacation club
within the uh World of Hyattecosystem.
Um, basically, members pay formembership access to the Hyatt
Inclusive Collection hotels,which are namely through Mexico,
Caribbean, some in LatinAmerica, and uh within Europe as
well.
We have over 100 properties.
Um, members in the UnlimitedVacation Club get access to
these hotels, so um, they getspecial discounts, um, special
(03:00):
rates, special access toexperiences for members only,
um, and then elevated benefitswell on property, including
upgrades based on availability,discounts on spa services, et
cetera.
Um, so it is the type ofmembership that if you like all
inclusive vacations, it's gonnabe um the product for you.
Uh I'm not sure if you knowthis, but Hyatt has become one
of the leaders in theall-inclusive category just over
(03:22):
the past six to seven years, um,and now has uh uh, like I said,
well over a hundred propertiesin this space.
So if that's a kind of travelthat you enjoy, then uh
Unlimited Vacation Club is ano-brainer investment for you.
SPEAKER_02 (03:33):
I know I appreciate sharing that context because we
did a three-part series withArda recently out of Las Vegas
in the Bellagio, which wasfantastic, very well received by
our listeners.
And I learned so much uh fromthat series and specifically uh
about loyalty and loyaltyprograms and how loyalty members
become owners of uh timesharesand how important that is.
(03:53):
So there's lots I want to getinto today, and and we'll
definitely touch on that.
But just for our listeners too,to understand your background.
You were with Intercontinentalfor a number of years.
You've got a very stronghospitality background, you were
the director of marketing umbefore you took over as head of
brand.
Um, but tell us a little bitmore about your role.
When I say head of brandmarketing and CX, tell everyone
(04:14):
a bit more about what you do andyour role.
SPEAKER_00 (04:15):
Yeah, great question.
So I have been in marketing myentire career, but the last 10
years specifically have beenwithin hospitality, within brand
and marketing and guestexperience.
Um, I am a travel nerd.
Um, I love travel and um amthrilled to be able to work in
it and have been able to servicetravel bands from a few
different angles.
So I started my hospitalitycareer at IHG, which is based in
(04:37):
Atlanta, um, and there did brandmanagement for the global luxury
brands, um, doing work for brandmarketing, managed with
intercontinental hotels andresorts globally.
Um, also worked on a new brandlaunch for Regent Hotels and
Resorts when IHG acquired thatin 2018.
Um, so a lot of great brandstrategy and marketing work
there.
Um, then I worked as a uh aconsultant for a couple of
(04:58):
years, worked with uh severalother brands that um would be
household names in the industryfor luxury hospitality.
Uh and then I joined Hyattfull-time in 2023 as director of
marketing for global well-being,leading strategic partnerships
and marketing uh within thewell-being space specifically.
So I launched the PelotonPartnership for World of Hyatt
um and as well as masterclassand uh renewed the Headspace
(05:21):
partnership with World of Hyattas well, and uh did a campaign
around that uh about two yearsago.
Um, and then I came to UVC abouta year ago, um, which is an
interesting growth space forHyatt.
As I mentioned earlier, Hyatthas become uh one of the biggest
leaders in the all-inclusivesegment.
And the Unlimited Vacation Clubis a super interesting offering
within hotel, larger hotelcompanies because it's not uh
(05:44):
your typical timeshare.
And I I use that word to give ita bit of context because that's
how the product is sold andthat's its easiest comparison.
But the product is muchdifferent than a traditional
timeshare because you're notbuying a set amount of time or
access uh uh as you typically dowith uh with a timeshare
ownership deed.
Um you're buying uh a membershipthat gives you access,
(06:08):
discounts, perks, et cetera, umspecifically within Hyatt's
All-Iclusive Collection.
So um there aren't propertiesthat are uh unlimited vacation
club properties.
It is the Hyatt InclusiveCollection Estate, which is an
amazing estate.
It's over on our propertiesbetween Mexico, Latin America,
Caribbean, and Europe andexpanding by the day.
So for like people that enjoyall-inclusive vacations, it's a
(06:31):
very unique segment.
So for me, seeing the growth inthis area, I was keen to dive in
and apply my brand hospitalitymarketing skills to this new
sort of segment within that Ihadn't worked in before.
So for me, it's been a greatgrowth opportunity to get to
know the all-inclusive segmentbetter and get to know vacation
clubs.
And even though I've been inthis sector now for about a
year, um I'm still learning alot every day.
(06:51):
It's it's a really interestingoperating model because you've
got the membership club, we'vegot the World of High Loyalty
Program, you've got the resortsthemselves, there's a lot of
different players, and we haveto work across that ecosystem.
SPEAKER_02 (07:01):
Well, one of the things I was keen to ask you,
knowing your background and thefact that you've you know made
this transition is whatattracted you to it?
Because clearly it's a um,there's obviously a lot of data,
there's a lot of uh and you whenI looked at your you know your
profile and your your role, umkeen to know from your
perspective, why you chose to,you know, what attracted you to
(07:22):
you Unlimited Vacation Club andthe kind of the membership-based
approach to to customer loyalty.
SPEAKER_00 (07:27):
Yeah, that's a great question.
Um, I wanted to go deeper withloyalty in my career, so
especially if I look at it frommore of a business and
commercial standpoint.
So my previous touch points withloyalty um were from the brand
side and then from a partnershipside.
But uh in my role now, it's moreowning the holistic ecosystem
for Unlimited Vacation Club.
And and being in a leadershiprole for the organization has
(07:48):
put me in a good position to bethe um the commercial partner to
the rest of the business ofbeing the voice of the member,
understanding the member's needsand wants, uh, really the voice
of the customer and bringingthat to the business and
creating business cases tostrengthen the membership value
proposition.
Um so for me, it's kind of um anamalgamation of a lot of the
brand uh marketing CX work I didon the hotel side, but now sort
(08:11):
of in a full-stop ownershipsystem um for the Unlimited
Vacation Club, albeit stillwithin the hotel loyalty space.
It's an interesting spot withinthe industry for sure.
SPEAKER_02 (08:21):
Well, and you started to break this down a
little bit for our listeners,and I want to dive into that a
little bit more about thedifference between membership
versus traditional loyaltyprograms, because that was
what's unique about UnlimitedVacation Club.
And one of the key reasons Iwanted to have you a part of the
podcast in this series, becauseit is really a unique angle that
you have that I in thesubscription model.
So tell us uh for our listenersthat are familiar with
(08:42):
traditional airline or loyaltyprograms, how would you describe
this model that someone that tosomeone who's not familiar with
it?
SPEAKER_00 (08:48):
Yeah.
So for traditional travelloyalty programs, it's uh earn
and burn kind of system, right?
You you stay at hotels, you earnpoints, you fly with an airline,
you earn points, and then youredeem those for free flights or
hotel stays.
So that's a traditional loyaltyprogram.
Um, and we do plug into that,but that's not the core
offering.
Um, the core offering for thevacation club or any
pay-for-membership club is youare paying for special access
(09:10):
above and beyond.
So you can almost look like ituh similar to fast tracking
status.
So if you look at the top statustier members for airlines and
hotels, you often have to stay alot with that with those brands
to earn the top tier status.
In a way, buying membership is abit of a shortcut to that in the
sense of you come in with animmediately higher status and
then you get access to thosehigher perks.
(09:30):
So things like upgrades, umspecial access and things like
that.
And then from a pure economicvalue proposition standpoint,
you're essentially paying for umfor discounted future travel.
You're almost hedging your uhbets on the future travel that
you will buy.
So by becoming a member, you getthe best rates guaranteed on any
future stays you book.
(09:51):
So you get a certain number ofnights included in your
membership, but then above andbeyond that, we have what we
call unlimited nights wheremembers can book uh as many
nights as they want for even fortheir groups uh using that
special discount that they haveaccess to.
Um that's something onlyavailable to members through
this.
Loyalty members don't get thatkind of access through the
traditional program.
SPEAKER_02 (10:09):
Okay, so obviously there's a few big differences
there.
For people who are familiar, asyou say, with earning points and
that earn and burn.
Um, what are the main advantagesof creating loyalty through
membership?
SPEAKER_00 (10:20):
Um the main advantages for us have been
you've got a dedicated memberbase who can be a strong fandom
for new products, events, andwhatnot.
So when the Hyatt InclusiveCollection opens a new property,
it's often the UVC or unlimitedvacation club members are the
first to fill that hotel becausethey are big fans of the Hyatt
(10:40):
Inclusive Collection estate.
So for Hyatt and the InclusiveCollection overall, you have
this built-in base that ispassionate about the product,
loves to talk about the product,experience a product.
So again, they're first to go toa new property.
Um when it comes to events, wehost uh VIP member events
throughout the year.
We have about 15 on the calendarfor 2026.
Um, for them to come to theseevents, uh it's it's a great
(11:03):
opportunity for them to engagewith the brands they love, but
also with each other.
And it really creates a sense ofcommunity that a lot of them
like to tap into.
It's part of the reason theybought into a vacation club.
So they connect with each otherand connect with our staff as
well, and then form reallystrong bonds that keep them
coming back time and time again.
So there are people that willform individual relations
relationships with hotel staffand keep in touch with them via
(11:26):
WhatsApp even when they returnhome.
And then when it comes to uh thecommunity within with each
other, um, there are meetupgroups that happen even in the
US where there isn't a high atall inclusive collection
property anywhere near them.
But the limited vacation club iswhat brings them together.
It's a tie that binds.
So it creates this um communitythat allows them to tap into
other luck, like-mindedtravelers when they're looking
(11:48):
to you know expand their socialcircle.
SPEAKER_02 (11:50):
Thank you for sharing.
I mean, one of the things thatstood out to me from uh the
series we did with Arda aboutthe um timeshare model.
We did an episode on how thetimeshare model has evolved and
kind of the modern timeshare.
And then the second episode wason experiences.
And the thing that stood out tome was the number of uh
experiences that are now offereduh by various timeshare
properties.
(12:11):
And it's the main reason thatpeople are choosing to become
part of those programs is thatthey have access to your point
about access and then alsoexperiences and things that are
more exclusive, which is verydifferent than people that are
accumulating points.
What would be some some goodexamples of those that you guys
particularly offer with theunlimited vacation club model
that is most appealing to youruh to your members?
SPEAKER_00 (12:34):
Yeah, I mean, to your point, the experiential
economy has just continued togrow, especially since uh COVID.
Um and hotels in particular arewell poised to offer um unique
experiences because travel,travel is exciting, and people
buy into this program um to havemore of those experiences.
It's all about enriching yourlife.
Um, some examples ofexperiences.
(12:55):
So we have uh, as I mentioned,these 15 uh VIP member events at
our properties, and we'll dorobust programming over a few
days, and we'll have somethingum specific for our members,
like maybe it's a ceviche makingclass with a chef, or maybe it's
a top-shelf tequila tasting, ormaybe it's a catamaran ride just
with members to watch a sunsetin Los Cabos, as was done about
a month ago.
Um, these experiences, you someof them you could do on your
(13:17):
own, but doing them withlike-minded travelers in an
exclusive setting that gives youmore behind-the-scenes access,
is what our members reallyenjoy.
So having the chef come to youand tell you about the fish that
was caught down the road bylocal fishermen and um using
local limes to create thiswonderful ceviche dish.
Like that's just an experienceabove and beyond, obviously,
going to a restaurant or evendoing a traditional cooking
(13:39):
class.
Um, it's uh those kind ofexperiences, interactive,
immersive, are what our membersreally crave.
So we we build that programminginto these events that we do.
Beyond that, and this is againwhere I come to our unique
position is you have the worldof Hyatt, which also has its own
ecosystem of experiences thatour members can tap into.
So when a member buys intoUnlimited Vacation Club, they
(14:00):
they get World of Hyatt statusas well as part of their
membership.
Um, and through that, we havethe World of Hyatt Find
Experiences platform, whichmembers can use points to to buy
experiences.
Um, and then there's limitedtime events, um, which could be
access to like the Sundance FilmFestival, for example, or
Formula One.
Um, these are things that theWorld of Hyatt has special
(14:20):
activations at that our memberscan then get access to through
the World of Hyatt.
So um getting creatingopportunities for connection,
immersion, going deeper um iswhere the vacation club sort of
uh has its unique valueproposition above what a a
standard guest could do.
And because you're buying intothe Hyatt ecosystem, you get
that even greater by tappinginto the World of Hyatt.
(14:41):
So uh for our members, they kindof have a lot of different ways
that they could tap into theseexperiences.
We'll be right back.
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SPEAKER_02 (16:34):
And now, back to the show.
Just for our listeners too,UnlimitedVacationClub.com is the
domain I was preparing for myconversation with Nick.
I was checking out not only someof the resorts, but the overview
of some of the different clubsand the VIP events.
And the one thing that stood outto me was certainly um the
gastronomy.
So like I've clearly that is abig trend that people are
looking for elevated culinaryexperiences and then music as
(16:58):
well, like that you have thesesignature experiences with
entertainment, that people wantto be able to have exclusive uh
concerts and entertainment.
And so I'm intrigued by whatmakes the uh membership model
and also the uh compared to thepoints and miles, like the idea
that you have this exclusivityand access.
One of the things that's come upon this series is the idea that
(17:19):
it's a much more emotionalconnection than you have with
the guest rather than somethingthat's transactional when
people, as you say, earning andburning and people are just
trying to see they get enoughvalue.
Would you agree with that?
Do you think that like theemotion is really kind of the
key to the marketing and thesuccess of building loyalty?
SPEAKER_00 (17:34):
I I do think it's both.
Um, I think when you look atloyalty programs, uh, all
travelers are not a monolith,right?
People like different things andare motivated by motivated by
different things.
I think regardless, an emotionalconnection is a huge um unique
selling point and reallyimportant for creating a
lifestyle brand, which is whatmore and more the programs are
(17:55):
becoming.
So even if you look outside oftravel, um, for example,
Equinox, which is very muchabout performance-driven
lifestyle, they've created aprogram, I believe it's called
Equinox Inner Circle, um, whereyou get access to other things
that would make sense for thatlifestyle, like it's maybe it's
a travel benefit or a shoppingretail benefit that fits that
(18:15):
personal profile.
Um my point is, I guess there'stwo things.
One is the ecosystem, anenvironment that you can operate
in that yes, touches travel, butalso touches other related
areas.
But then two, understanding thelifestyle of the member and who
they are and what they value.
And that's what can help createthat emotional connection
because you're basicallyformulating connections,
(18:35):
partnerships, experiences thatare designed for them and for
their lifestyle.
So that that goes beyond justpoints, earning and burning,
right?
I think the points earning andburning is still the foundation
and you have to have that.
But what's going to keep peoplecoming back time and time again
is that emotional connection.
And ultimately that's howpreference is formed.
Um, it's it's uh not a um it'swell known that travelers have
(18:58):
myriad choices for any type oftravel they do.
Um, and travel brands have anopportunity to form bonds on a
number of ways, but if it'spurely transactional, just earn
and burn, you're not gonna gettrue loyalty.
This is where the emotionalconnection comes in.
You've got to create somethingmore um and have it fit into the
traveler's lifestyle for them toreally want to participate in
(19:19):
that program time and timeagain.
SPEAKER_02 (19:20):
Well, one of the things from my background is
that uh there's certainly travelbrands that don't have loyalty
programs or any type of umpoints or miles, they're really
relying on the guest experienceto be so uh amazing that
customers will keep coming back,right?
It's not nice with a restaurant,but certainly with the case with
certain travel brands.
And I you know, I was workingwith a large global travel
(19:41):
corporation across multiplebrands, and there was no loyalty
program aside from a 5% pastguest repeat booking discount.
That was sort of the main thingthat brought people uh the
incentive that they had.
But the answer every time aboutwhether we had a loyalty program
was the guest experience, isthat you know you can
consistently rely on having anamazing experience with any of
the brands within the travelcorporation group.
(20:02):
And given that one of your uhparts of your title is customer
experience, I'm keen to ask youa question along the same lines
is that when you think aboutloyalty and customer experience,
how connected are they?
Because I'm sure that you, youknow, you just want to make sure
that everyone has a greatexperience every time at any of
the resorts that they stay at.
Um, but how do you kind ofbalance the two of having a
great experience, but then alsodriving loyalty through a
(20:25):
membership program?
SPEAKER_00 (20:26):
Yeah.
Um, yeah, it's interesting.
I have observed, especially inthe upper luxury segment, that
there are brands that don't havea loyalty program, but certainly
have loyal travelers.
Um, and I think there arebusiness and economic reasons
that they're able to do that.
For bigger global hotelcompanies, um, they uh appeal to
a wide array of people.
Um when it comes to the memberexperience, I mean, the holy
(20:48):
grail is that the memberexperience is so good they come
back time and time again withoutthe need for rewards or points,
right?
That that would be an idealstandpoint from a business.
However, um, it still is justone part of the travel equation
and travel ecosystem.
So um if you look at thelandscape of travel companies,
um, credit cards, uh,third-party partners that are
(21:11):
across industry, there's such abigger ecosystem when you look
at the share of wallet for thetraveler.
And if you do a bang out job onguest experience and you deliver
that and that's all you do,that's fine.
Um, but I think it makes itharder to um be the go-to source
for the traveler for othertravel needs as well as this
larger lifestyle ecosystem.
So I think the opportunity thatloyalty programs provide um is
(21:35):
twofold.
One, more options for thetraveler, but two, ideally more
personal experience for thetraveler.
So the expectation for travelersum has evolved rightfully so
that uh they expect the hotelbrands or airlines to know them
and who they are and what theyvalue and what they prefer.
Um, and that's a fairexpectation given the amount of
data that the company now havethat companies have on these
(21:56):
travelers.
So I think by um participatingin a loyalty program.
It's sort of a beneficialsymbiotic relationship in the
sense of the hotel and staff canknow more about that traveler
and what they prefer, wherethey've been, where we could
recommend they go next.
And then also the traveler getsa benefit of hopefully a more
personalized stay, which thenencourages them to stay within
(22:16):
the ecosystem.
SPEAKER_02 (22:17):
Well, since you have a good uh view of the whole
customer journey, uh one of thethings I was also keen to ask
you that I think would be reallyinteresting for our listeners is
that, you know, whether theyhave loyalty programs or not,
many of them are obviously uhconsidering it and listening to
this series to understand theopportunity around loyalty.
And but one of the things thateveryone's focusing on is trying
to improve the customer journeyand the guest experience.
(22:38):
Yeah.
And for your vantage point, whatdo you think has the biggest
impact on retention and repeatbookings?
SPEAKER_00 (22:45):
Um I forget who to attribute this quote to, but uh
something along the lines ofpeople don't remember what you
said, but they remember how youmade them feel.
And hospitality.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Um Yeah, I I think about that alot because hospitality is
unique in the productexperience.
I mean, first of all, it can'tbe replaced by AI, it can be
supplemented by AI, but uh it'sreally about human-to-human
(23:07):
interaction and how we make aguest feel or a member feel when
they're on property.
Um, so I think whatever you cando to make them feel that their
stay is above and beyond normalwill go, will go further.
So for us within the UnlimitedVacation Club, these members
will be staying at a propertythat will have non-club members
as well.
The majority of the guests willbe non-club members.
(23:28):
Um, so we try to differentiatepoints along the guest journey
to make them see the value ofthe program and feel either
recognized and/or valued aboveand beyond.
One specific example is that oneof our properties within Riviera
Maya, there's a dedicated pooljust for members.
So that's something that otherguests cannot access, but just
our members can.
Um, we try to offer otheramenities uh andor experiences
(23:49):
too, just for members that uhall guests can't experience.
Again, reinval reinforcing thevalue proposition to them.
So if we think about craftingthe experience, um well, taking
a pause there, it's actually itbegins before they're even on
property.
So if you look at the guestjourney, A to Z, you've got
pre-arrival.
Uh, what can we do to help themanticipate their stay?
(24:10):
But also, where can we setrealistic expectations as we
need to?
For example, is the propertyunder renovation?
We should make sure that they'reaware of that.
Um, if the property isexperiencing high occupancy,
there's a chance they may notget an upgrade that they may
expect.
So, how can we communicate thatin advance?
So, pre-arrival, um, we makesure that we set the guest guest
expectations accordingly, butalso increasing their
anticipation before arrival.
(24:31):
Then once they're on property,it's about making sure they feel
recognized and valued upongreeting through check-in when
they're at their room, havingthe right welcome amenity.
Um, again, should bepersonalized.
So if the member prefers red orwhite, wine or sparkling, we
should know that and deliverupon that.
That's part of what they'repaying for for this membership
program.
Um, obviously throughout thestay, the experience should be
(24:52):
just a little bit special,whether that's getting special
access to dining reservations oraccess to a special pool area.
We try to see where we canoperate to have something a
little bit extra for membersalong the journey.
And then at the end of theirjourney, and once they're home,
how can we sort of keep thatwarm vacation feeling going?
Um, is it that one of ourconcierges will send a photo uh
of them at a special event, forexample, and say, you know, we
(25:15):
can't wait till the next time wesee you.
What can create that emotionalconnection above and beyond what
you would typically get with anormal hotel stay?
Um, so looking at the guestjourney holistically,
pre-arrival, um, once they're inthe property and then once
they've left the property, we'reevaluating how can we
differentiate the experiencealong the way to reinforce the
members of value for ourmembers.
SPEAKER_02 (25:34):
Yeah.
And so the one of the things youmentioned there, like especially
when you've got like um anexclusive pool, that obviously
creates a sense of belonging andcommunity amongst your members.
One of the things that I'm alsokeen to ask you about is
personalization.
So obviously there's the thingsthat what brings people
together, and then there's thatwhat stands out for that's
unique for them.
And so I'd love to ask you thisquestion around personalization
(25:55):
as it relates to loyalty.
What are some of the uh elementsof personalization that you see
are really important that helpdrive loyalty and and and how
important are they?
SPEAKER_00 (26:04):
Yeah, um, I think it's hugely important because
members and guests in general,if they're part of a loyalty
program, expect the hotel or theairline to know a lot about them
because uh people voluntarilygive up this information and
they travel a lot.
So um if I'm on Delta, forexample, I've been a medallion
member for many, many years.
Um, I have a preferred, youknow, window seat um on certain
(26:27):
flights.
And when I request uh anupgrade, I anticipate that that
will be met uh more seamlessly.
So that's a small but tangibleexample of personalization that
they know kind of where I liketo sit.
When it comes to the hotelspace, I think we have the
benefit of people on the groundto read through the situation of
the arriving member and thenalso see what state they're in
(26:47):
when they arrive.
So are they arriving refreshedand ready to dive into vacation
head first?
Yes, okay, we'll say head to thepool area, there's a barbecue,
you don't want to miss out onright now.
Um, or is it that they'reexhausted and want to just go to
their room and they aren'tfeeling so well?
It could be a matter of takingthe next step to say, actually,
um, you know, uh go to yourroom, that's fine, we'll send
some chicken soup your way, hopeyou feel better.
Um, sort of reading, reading themoment and how they feel and
(27:10):
then catering the serviceexperience based on that is just
one sort of dynamic way we cando it in hospitality.
But um, as I mentioned, becausemembers do give us so much data,
they do expect us to know it.
Um, and I read a funny thing umrecently.
Are you familiar with the bookUnreasonable Hospitality by
Wilgadin?
SPEAKER_02 (27:26):
If you've not read it, I'm familiar with it, but I
have not read it.
SPEAKER_00 (27:28):
So tell me.
It's great.
It's mandatory reading foranyone in this space.
Um, so basically, he tells thestory of a live in Madison Park
and they became the world's bestrestaurant.
And um, above and beyond, theythey create magical experiences
for guests that they talk aboutand really stay with in their
sort of once-in-a-lifetimemoments.
I was reading recently about uma couple of restaurateurs that
were saying now guests expectthis level of experience, even
(27:50):
when they're going to theirlocal diner or somewhere else,
they're expecting to be wowed byevery service experience because
the bar is being set high andpeople are talking about it.
Shows like the bear, forexample, popularize that sort of
service culture.
Um, all to say, when a membercomes on property, they've paid
for this loyalty program,they've stayed with us before.
We have a lot of information onthis.
They really expect that we'regonna know how to cater this day
(28:12):
to them.
So, as I mentioned before, thatcould be knowing their wine
preference, knowing that they'rea fan of golf.
So maybe it's helping to set upa tea time uh reservation for
them the next day.
Um, it's about reading themember, the occasion, and then
catering the stay to their sortof need state, if you will.
Um, and part of our benefit thatwe see of being a vacation club
(28:32):
within the Hyatt InclusiveCollection is we can guide
members through the stay a bitmore than you typically would a
guest that you don't know aswell.
So it could be a matter ofrecommending, you know, you like
sunrise yoga, so be sure to goto our sunrise yoga on the
beach, and then hey, you shouldgo up here for breakfast uh
because they have the bestsunrise view from this balcony
over here.
That's sort of insiderinformation, is what our uh
(28:53):
member services teams are provare are equipped to provide.
But again, it's about knowingthe guests and how they've
traveled before and sort ofcatering those recommendations
to them.
I think that there's anexpectation of curation,
increasingly more so frommembers uh and and travelers in
general.
SPEAKER_02 (29:08):
And something else obviously along those lines with
the personalization now withtechnology and data and
specifically AI, yeah.
There's a lot more you can do totry and uh personalize the guest
experience.
It was interesting when westarted this three-part series
in the very first episode, um uhMark in particular was kind of
calling out the fact that wehaven't gotten as an industry
where we thought we would bewith personalization, that's
(29:30):
probably the most overhypedarea.
Um, and it's the part I'm alwayskeen to ask about, especially
relates to AI because there's somuch potential there.
I'd love to get your take onthis.
So, like given you do haveaccess now to um utilizing AI
and you've got all this richdata, is there do you actually
see a way that AI is uhimproving the or impacting the
loyalty and customer experience?
(29:52):
Is there some tangible examplesof that?
Or do you think we're still uhvery early?
SPEAKER_00 (29:56):
No, I think there are some tangible examples.
So I will say Hyatt has done agood job of integrating AI in a
meaningful way into the guestexperience, even starting with
the discovery and booking stage.
So um on Hyatt.com, there's anAI uh tool that you can use to
search.
And you don't have to be superspecific, but you can say, uh,
I'm looking for ski uh resortsto redeem points at what are the
(30:16):
best options?
And it'll give you, you know,globally resorts that would fit
that profile.
Um, so that's a natural way todo it from the start.
When it comes to members andloyalty, uh, as I mentioned
earlier, the expectation is highthat uh that we will know who
they are, what they value, andwhat they prefer.
The challenge often inhospitality is you've got
different systems that uh needto integrate and speak to each
(30:38):
other.
So you've got like the hotelmanagement system, you've got a
CRM, um, you've got othercommunication channels, perhaps
a booking call center.
Like there's a number of systemsthat have to work together
effectively.
And that's where AI, I think,can play the biggest role of
sort of aggregating that data.
So we have seen hotels um beable to use AI seamlessly to
optimize things.
Um, and it could be somethingsmall like um like a dining menu
(31:02):
or even a spa service menu.
Um, I've heard from hotel teamsgive good examples of how
they're integrating the datafrom those di disparate parts
into their operational umoptimization, if you will, using
AI to offer the right service atthe right time to the right type
of guest.
Um that's one specific way.
I think honestly, that there'sstill a long way to go in
(31:22):
hospitality just because um ofthe amount of data and the
number of systems and making itwork together in a seamless,
intuitive way um continues to bewhere we have the opportunity in
front of us.
And this is a um an opportunity,I think, across the industry.
Um because Hyatt, I think, is abit more nimble, we've been able
to dive into it quickly as Imentioned with the search
example, but um, I do think thatthere's there's more opportunity
(31:46):
um for better integration in thenear term.
SPEAKER_02 (31:48):
I'm yeah, I'm actually pleased to hear that,
Nick.
That's actually encouraging forme.
So I I I didn't want to assumethat you guys were already far
down that path.
And the what I've got afollow-up question given that's
the case, which is that youknow, given that there is uh so
much potential to be able tobetter personalize and even kind
of predictive personalizationand and how you can make sure
someone retains membership byvirtue of communicating with
(32:09):
them at the right time to keepthem active.
What how important do you thinkthat is going to be going
forward?
That you know you actually canbe much more intentional about
your personalization.
And is there anything alongthose lines you can share with
us about where you guys areheaded?
SPEAKER_00 (32:22):
Um I not for us specifically, but I think it
will become table stakes interms of expectations for
members and loyalty members theworld over.
I think as everyone gets up tospeed on their AI adoption
utilization, um, that sort ofdelivery on such a personal
level will start to become thenorm.
And if you're not doing it, youwill stand out incredibly
poorly.
(32:42):
So I I think um it it's a bit ofan arms race at the moment of
who can practice the fastest todeliver that experience.
But once once someone does, thenI think um those that don't will
will stand out for the wrongreasons.
So um coming back to Hyatt'sadoption of AI, I'm I'm
(33:02):
fortunate that we fully embracedit and all team members now have
access to an LLM.
Um we're given a couple ofoptions.
Um and as we work to integratethose with back-end systems,
like we're encouraged daily tosee how we could use it to
better our operations or oursystems, our marketing.
Um, and in our large meetingsand town halls, uh, we always
have examples of people whoshowcase how they're using it to
(33:24):
do their job better and run thebusiness better and drive member
satisfaction.
So um I think it's a reallyexciting time to be in
hospitality and see how thisexperience evolves.
As I mentioned, AI will notreplace hospitality.
That is one benefit we have ofbeing in this industry because
it is a very tangible experiencethat um a machine cannot
replace, but it can help us doour job so much better in terms
(33:45):
of just anticipating guest needsuh and delivering that
personalized experience.
SPEAKER_02 (33:49):
Yeah, I agree that people obviously love dealing
with people, and and you know,so much of travel is human
connection, and so I couldn'tagree with you more.
You know, I'm very bullish ontravel in the face of AI.
I think there's a lot ofbenefits that we can we can
leverage for systems and uhbecoming more efficient.
We'll be right back.
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SPEAKER_02 (36:34):
And now back to the show.
The other thing I wanted to askyou as it relates to an
extension of personalization andwhere this entire series started
was status and recognition.
And so one of the things I waskeen to ask you is how important
recognition is compared to otherbenefits.
Because in our very firstconversation, it was like, you
know, very much status uh iseverything.
(36:55):
And then our secondconversation, it is, you know,
it's a combination of status anduh points and miles.
And I sounds like you're of asimilar mindset when you talk
about, you know, there'smultiple different uh
motivations for people to beloyal.
Um does where where doesrecognition stand in for you?
And the reason I'm asking youthat as it relates to
personalization is that is theresomething in terms of your
(37:15):
membership being a certain tieror are people that you recognize
are, you know, they've been withthe program 10 years, that
there's any sort of recognitionthat you apply, like a
recognition layer, like a statusthat you think is valuable
beyond other tangible benefits.
SPEAKER_00 (37:31):
Yeah, so uh a couple of things to that.
So one, recognition isappreciated across the board,
but for some customer segmentsit matters more than others.
Um, we did a great deal ofconsumer research last year on
our membership base um just tobetter understand psychographics
and and motivations across coredifferent audiences.
And there is one specific groupwhere recognition and status
seeking is really important tothem.
(37:53):
Um so how we can deliver on thatis making sure that they uh
again feel recognized andspecial when they check in.
So it's a matter of recognizingthem for their UVC membership.
For the premium tier members,because our membership does have
several tiers, and those thatare higher tier, have been with
the program longer and are heavyusers of the program, of course,
we have more data andinformation about them.
(38:14):
So certainly it's aboutacknowledging and appreciation,
appreciating with gratitudetheir membership, but also um
ensuring that that stay we goabove and beyond to deliver a
heightened experience and thatbeyond our team, that the the
rest of the hotel staff knowsthat, hey, this is an
impressions level member,they're highly valuable to us,
but highly valuable to the HyattInclusive Collection.
Let's make sure we make theirstay extra special.
(38:35):
So um, beyond the unlimitedvacation club team, there's
opportunity for the hotel staffto recognize that member as
well.
And we're fortunate that in ourpartnership working alongside
the resort teams, high valuemembers like that do get extra
uh treatment, special treatmentand recognition.
I mean, that's the again, backto the value proposition of what
they're buying into by buying amembership and certainly at a
higher tier, they're sort ofgetting that fast-tracked elite
(38:58):
status um sort of immediatelywith entry.
SPEAKER_02 (39:00):
I appreciate your yeah, that's valuable to get
your insight on that as well.
And and I think, you know, interms of where things are headed
now, given the overwhelminglypeople are embracing loyalty as
much uh as ever, and a lot ofcompanies are getting more
sophisticated about theirloyalty or their membership
programs.
I'd love to get your take, Nick,on where to from here.
I go both obviously with youryou know uh unlimited vacation
(39:22):
club model and and also with theindustry at large.
So maybe let's talk about uh uhyour program first.
So tell us a little bit moreabout what you guys have in
store, what the rest of 2026looks like, and even going into
2027, about how your programscontinue to evolve.
SPEAKER_00 (39:36):
Yeah, it's a fair question.
I will say UVC has been verysuccessful in its 15 years of
existence.
Um, last year we celebrated our15th anniversary in October.
Um that being said, on theMotive Vacation Club, UVC and
the ecosystem of the HighInclusive Collection has
undergone a tremendous amount ofchange over the past five to six
years through different businessacquisitions and is still
(39:57):
growing.
So as we evolve the program, wehave to make sure that we're um
doing so in a strategic way, butalso in a way that keeps us
relevant for future generations.
So um, if we look at the needsof a millennial and Gen Z
traveler, um, they're obviouslylooking for something different
than uh a boomer generationtraveler, for example.
(40:18):
So for us, it's about makingsure that we evolve in a
relevant way to meet changingconsumer tastes.
Um, fortunately, theall-inclusive segment has
continued to grow significantlyover the past several years.
So um there's a built-in fanbase there and audience there,
but um we can't rest on ourlaurels because the things that
appeal to one demographic maynot appeal to another
(40:40):
demographic.
So um, for example, you heard memention um like lifestyle
ecosystem experiences.
I I see us continuing to growmore in that realm.
Unlimited Vacation Club has justbarely scratched the surface of
that area.
And fortunately, we get to tapinto a lot of it through the
world of Hyatt, but I thinkthere's opportunity to go even
deeper in that space for usspecifically.
(41:00):
So um for the next you knowthree to five years, I would see
growth for us in that sort ofcurated special access area
above and beyond um what we'redoing today.
SPEAKER_02 (41:11):
And one area specifically, obviously, with
the subscription ormembership-based model, do you
think more of those will emergeacross the industry in the next
few years?
Do you see the model that youhave more people emulating?
SPEAKER_00 (41:20):
Yeah, I do think as subscription model businesses
proliferate across the board,it's become an accepted and
adopted model that people areused to.
Um, we do see other hospitalitycompanies experimenting in this
space a bit more with sort ofdifferent product offerings.
So um as we look to evolve ourproduct for future generations,
we're also exploring other waysto offer the membership.
(41:44):
Um so I think subscription tierprograms will continue to grow
based on what I'm seeing in thecompetitive landscape right now.
I think it's an area where um uhwe were one of the first movers,
but um it will continue to grow.
So therefore, for us, we have tocontinue to evolve in a
meaningful way.
SPEAKER_02 (41:59):
And then just in terms of the overall loyalty
space in travel, are there anyuh larger trends that you're
paying attention to that mightbe worth our listeners uh
focusing on?
Clearly, obviously you uh youknow your stuff and you're
staying close to this.
But is there anything else thatyou would call out that would be
worthwhile for uh for people topay attention to?
SPEAKER_00 (42:16):
Um Yeah, I mean, the the same trends have held the
last few years since COVID.
I mean, if you look atwell-being, that has continued
to be a major focus for peopleacross the board.
Um, multi-generational traveltoo has continued to grow by
leaps and bounds.
So um these are areasfortunately where we are well
poised to play.
Um, because all inclusive, muchlike a cruise ship, you can
(42:37):
cater to different tastes andneeds, and there's different
programming for different agegroups.
When it comes to well-being,that's inherently built into the
guest experience as well.
Properties have awesome spas umand staff to operate well-being
experiences.
Um those are two continuingtrends that I think have
continued to grow exponentiallyand will more so in the future.
One trend that I think allinclusive is starting to take
(42:59):
more advantage of um in recentyears is just localization and
bringing the local culture intothe resort experience.
Um, I would say in the pastthere was probably more
opportunity to do that, but nowguests and members are are
specifically requesting anddemanding more of that.
So the resorts are doing a greatjob of bringing in local
programming for whether it'slike a cultural dance or a
(43:21):
culinary experience, sort ofbringing that location into the
property in a more intentionalway um is definitely a trend
that that our properties are areleaning more into.
Okay, perfect.
SPEAKER_02 (43:32):
All right, so here we go.
So a few fun and kind ofpersonal questions to uh to wrap
up.
Uh, what's the best loyaltybenefit you have personally
received as a traveler?
SPEAKER_00 (43:42):
That's a great question.
Um I am more old school when itcomes to points.
So I've been a Delta medallionmember for many years, and the
perk that I strive for everyyear is to reach my medallion
status, so I get the globalupgrade certificates.
Because if I'm flying to SydneyAustralia, Like I am later this
year, it's incredible to be ableto use that Delta One upgrade
(44:04):
certificate and get thatexperience for what will be a
16-hour flight from LAX, forexample.
Um so it's um despite everythingI said about ecosystem and
lifestyle, when it comes to meand my own travel consumption,
um I'm I'm pragmatic.
So I really appreciate uh thethat benefit.
SPEAKER_02 (44:22):
Yeah.
You and me are very similar.
And whenever I go for my uh youknow, my choice of upgrades in
the program, I'm always gettingI'm always choosing the upgrade
points rather than, you know,that's my focus is making sure
that I have business class evenwhen I'm traveling.
Um what what whenever I'mtraveling, especially long haul.
Okay, so that's no questionnumber one.
Now, you guys have a lot ofbuilt-in opportunities and
(44:43):
experiences within the UnlimitedVacation Club already.
But if there was one that youcould add, kind of a money can't
buy experience, um, that if youcould just like if I could snap
my fingers and make it part ofthe program, or you or may
already know what you'd love tobe able to add that currently
isn't part of it, but what wouldthat be?
SPEAKER_00 (44:58):
Um I would offer super exclusive, super
exclusive, super coolexperiences anywhere in the
world that could be done like atthe last minute.
Um, which sounds weird, but italso sounds thrilling.
Because if you can imagine thatum we do a drop to say, hey, you
know, in two weeks we're gonnabe doing this amazing activation
in Paris with this French chef.
(45:19):
Um, even though it has nothingto do with the Hyatt Inclusive
Collection, but we know that youvalue this kind of experience
and we put it together for youbased on the um the
relationships and resources wehave.
Like that to me is tremendousvalue that money can't buy that
a membership club could give youspecial access to.
So um that for me as a traveler,something I would be incredibly
excited about, but I think uhknowing our member base, that's
(45:40):
some the kind of experiencesthey would crave as well.
Nice.
SPEAKER_02 (45:42):
Okay, and here we go.
Last one is which brand doesn'thave to be travel.
If anything, sometimes it's niceto get perspectives, uh fresh
perspectives outside of travel.
Which brand in or outside of ourindustry do you think the uh
does the best job of creatingcustomer loyalty?
SPEAKER_00 (45:57):
Um the uh it may sound trite, but um I am a
consumer of this.
Uh, if I look at Apple, whodoesn't have a loyalty program,
they create that ecosystem thatI referenced earlier where
everything is seamless andintegrated.
And whether I'm on my laptop, myiPhone, my Apple Watch, my iPad,
all of the things, um, I canseamlessly move from one to the
(46:20):
other.
And that sort of lack offriction will keep me in the
ecosystem and keep me loyal aslong as they keep operating that
way.
Um, so I don't need to berewarded with points or bonuses
to do that.
I just need uh an exceptionalexperience and that keeps me
coming back.
Fantastic.
SPEAKER_02 (46:34):
Well, I've thoroughly enjoyed our
conversation.
I'm sure our listeners benefitedfrom this discussion as well.
I just got one last thing beforeI close off, which is if our
listeners want to connect withyou or the team, what would be
the best way?
I've obviously mentioned thewebsite.
I'm sure people will find you onLinkedIn as well.
But if uh people want to connectwith you for opportunities for
partnerships or to collaborate,what would be the best way to do
that, Nick?
SPEAKER_00 (46:54):
Yeah, um, the best way to reach me would be through
LinkedIn.
So if you search Nick Friend andHyatt, I should pop up.
There, word of warning, thereare other Nick Friends out
there, most of them in the UK,but if you put in Hyatt, then I
should pop up fantastic.
SPEAKER_02 (47:04):
Well, thanks uh very much for joining us for the
Loyalty Series, Nick.
Great to have you on and wishyou and the team continuous
success over the course of theyear.
Thanks for having me, Dan.
Much appreciated.
And thanks to all of ourlisteners for joining us for
episode three of our loyaltyseries.
I hope you enjoyed this secondpart.
It was one of our most popularseries last year.
So we decided to bring it backin partnership with our friends
over at Loyalty Status Co.
(47:25):
And I'm gonna mention them onemore time because if you haven't
already checked them out, Idefinitely encourage you to
check out loyaltystatus.com formore information.
And they are, of course, theaward-winning Taravel Technology
Company that helps travelprograms drive customer
acquisition, growth, andancillary revenue through their
elite status programs.
And Loyalty Status Co.
also owns and operatesstatusmatch.com.
(47:47):
Thanks again to all of ourlisteners for joining us.
Don't forget we do post clipsand highlights on all our social
channels.
You can find those on Instagram,LinkedIn, and YouTube.
And we have our next uh seriescoming up very shortly on
experiences.
So we'll look forward to joiningyou next week.
And until then, safe travels.
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the Travel
Trends Podcast.
This is your host, DanChristian, and we're about to
begin our third episode in ourloyalty series.
This has been fantastic for meto bring such uh amazing
executives together.
Starting off, as you heard, weactually brought the team from
Loyalty Status Quo to the firstepisode.
We had the CEO, Mark Ross Smith,and the CFO, Stuart Malem, join
(00:29):
us.
And that was a great startbecause we talked about status.
And then last week we had uhGilbert Ott, the director of
loyalty at One World Alliance,join us to talk about points and
miles as well as status.
And so we've focused a lot onairlines.
But the other big category thatI alluded to throughout these
conversations that we wanted tofocus on is accommodation,
hotels.
(00:49):
And we have the perfect guest toround that out.
But before I introduce him, Ijust wanted to acknowledge the
sponsor for our series, which isLoyalty Status Co.
And if you haven't heard alreadyin the last three episodes, they
are an award-winning traveltechnology company that helps
travel loyalty programs drivecustomer acquisition, growth,
and ancillary revenue throughtheir elite status programs.
(01:10):
Loyalty Status Co.
owns and operatesstatusmatch.com.
And you can find out moreinformation about them at
loyaltystatus.com.
Now, let's bring in our guesttoday, who is the head of
marketing brand and CX atHyatt's Unlimited Vacation Club.
He is Nick Friend.
Nick, welcome.
Thanks for joining us on TravelTrends.
SPEAKER_00 (01:29):
Thank you, Dan.
I'm excited to be here.
Appreciate you having me ontoday.
For sure.
SPEAKER_02 (01:32):
And I understand you're usually based in Atlanta,
but today you're in Cancun, isthat right?
SPEAKER_00 (01:36):
That's correct.
Um, one of the benefits of thisindustry is we obviously get to
be on the road quite a bit.
So um, yeah, Atlanta's home forme.
It's been home for about 10years.
Um, fortunately, we get theworld's busiest airport, so I
can get anywhere pretty quickly.
Including today, I flew on downto Cancun, which is where the
office is based for the HyattInclusive Collection and
Unlimited Vacation Club.
Um, so I do come down here quiteoften and have a lot of
(01:57):
colleagues down here.
But yeah, there are certainlyworse places to go.
Cancun is um is uh a beautifulwork destination just as much as
for vacation.
SPEAKER_02 (02:04):
Sure.
Yeah, I was in Cancun a littlebit earlier this year with my
family and for spring break andhad the most incredible uh
vacation.
It was our first time in Cancun.
And so I I can't wait to getback.
So yeah, for sure, a privilegeto be able to be down there and
work from there, I'm sure.
Uh now let's give everyone a bitof an overview of Unlimited
Vacation Club to start.
I think that would be reallyhelpful.
And as you know, I'm thrilledthat we're gonna be able to talk
(02:25):
about accommodation and hotelsand loyalty, and I'm keen to get
your overall take on membershipprograms compared to some of
these traditional loyaltyprograms.
But first and foremost, wouldyou mind sharing with all of our
listeners a little bit moreabout unlimited vacation?
SPEAKER_00 (02:38):
Yeah, Unlimited Vacation Club is a vacation club
within the uh World of Hyattecosystem.
Um, basically, members pay formembership access to the Hyatt
Inclusive Collection hotels,which are namely through Mexico,
Caribbean, some in LatinAmerica, and uh within Europe as
well.
We have over 100 properties.
Um, members in the UnlimitedVacation Club get access to
these hotels, so um, they getspecial discounts, um, special
(03:00):
rates, special access toexperiences for members only,
um, and then elevated benefitswell on property, including
upgrades based on availability,discounts on spa services, et
cetera.
Um, so it is the type ofmembership that if you like all
inclusive vacations, it's gonnabe um the product for you.
Uh I'm not sure if you knowthis, but Hyatt has become one
of the leaders in theall-inclusive category just over
(03:22):
the past six to seven years, um,and now has uh uh, like I said,
well over a hundred propertiesin this space.
So if that's a kind of travelthat you enjoy, then uh
Unlimited Vacation Club is ano-brainer investment for you.
SPEAKER_02 (03:33):
I know I appreciate sharing that context because we
did a three-part series withArda recently out of Las Vegas
in the Bellagio, which wasfantastic, very well received by
our listeners.
And I learned so much uh fromthat series and specifically uh
about loyalty and loyaltyprograms and how loyalty members
become owners of uh timesharesand how important that is.
(03:53):
So there's lots I want to getinto today, and and we'll
definitely touch on that.
But just for our listeners too,to understand your background.
You were with Intercontinentalfor a number of years.
You've got a very stronghospitality background, you were
the director of marketing umbefore you took over as head of
brand.
Um, but tell us a little bitmore about your role.
When I say head of brandmarketing and CX, tell everyone
(04:14):
a bit more about what you do andyour role.
SPEAKER_00 (04:15):
Yeah, great question.
So I have been in marketing myentire career, but the last 10
years specifically have beenwithin hospitality, within brand
and marketing and guestexperience.
Um, I am a travel nerd.
Um, I love travel and um amthrilled to be able to work in
it and have been able to servicetravel bands from a few
different angles.
So I started my hospitalitycareer at IHG, which is based in
(04:37):
Atlanta, um, and there did brandmanagement for the global luxury
brands, um, doing work for brandmarketing, managed with
intercontinental hotels andresorts globally.
Um, also worked on a new brandlaunch for Regent Hotels and
Resorts when IHG acquired thatin 2018.
Um, so a lot of great brandstrategy and marketing work
there.
Um, then I worked as a uh aconsultant for a couple of
(04:58):
years, worked with uh severalother brands that um would be
household names in the industryfor luxury hospitality.
Uh and then I joined Hyattfull-time in 2023 as director of
marketing for global well-being,leading strategic partnerships
and marketing uh within thewell-being space specifically.
So I launched the PelotonPartnership for World of Hyatt
um and as well as masterclassand uh renewed the Headspace
(05:21):
partnership with World of Hyattas well, and uh did a campaign
around that uh about two yearsago.
Um, and then I came to UVC abouta year ago, um, which is an
interesting growth space forHyatt.
As I mentioned earlier, Hyatthas become uh one of the biggest
leaders in the all-inclusivesegment.
And the Unlimited Vacation Clubis a super interesting offering
within hotel, larger hotelcompanies because it's not uh
(05:44):
your typical timeshare.
And I I use that word to give ita bit of context because that's
how the product is sold andthat's its easiest comparison.
But the product is muchdifferent than a traditional
timeshare because you're notbuying a set amount of time or
access uh uh as you typically dowith uh with a timeshare
ownership deed.
Um you're buying uh a membershipthat gives you access,
(06:08):
discounts, perks, et cetera, umspecifically within Hyatt's
All-Iclusive Collection.
So um there aren't propertiesthat are uh unlimited vacation
club properties.
It is the Hyatt InclusiveCollection Estate, which is an
amazing estate.
It's over on our propertiesbetween Mexico, Latin America,
Caribbean, and Europe andexpanding by the day.
So for like people that enjoyall-inclusive vacations, it's a
(06:31):
very unique segment.
So for me, seeing the growth inthis area, I was keen to dive in
and apply my brand hospitalitymarketing skills to this new
sort of segment within that Ihadn't worked in before.
So for me, it's been a greatgrowth opportunity to get to
know the all-inclusive segmentbetter and get to know vacation
clubs.
And even though I've been inthis sector now for about a
year, um I'm still learning alot every day.
(06:51):
It's it's a really interestingoperating model because you've
got the membership club, we'vegot the World of High Loyalty
Program, you've got the resortsthemselves, there's a lot of
different players, and we haveto work across that ecosystem.
SPEAKER_02 (07:01):
Well, one of the things I was keen to ask you,
knowing your background and thefact that you've you know made
this transition is whatattracted you to it?
Because clearly it's a um,there's obviously a lot of data,
there's a lot of uh and you whenI looked at your you know your
profile and your your role, umkeen to know from your
perspective, why you chose to,you know, what attracted you to
(07:22):
you Unlimited Vacation Club andthe kind of the membership-based
approach to to customer loyalty.
SPEAKER_00 (07:27):
Yeah, that's a great question.
Um, I wanted to go deeper withloyalty in my career, so
especially if I look at it frommore of a business and
commercial standpoint.
So my previous touch points withloyalty um were from the brand
side and then from a partnershipside.
But uh in my role now, it's moreowning the holistic ecosystem
for Unlimited Vacation Club.
And and being in a leadershiprole for the organization has
(07:48):
put me in a good position to bethe um the commercial partner to
the rest of the business ofbeing the voice of the member,
understanding the member's needsand wants, uh, really the voice
of the customer and bringingthat to the business and
creating business cases tostrengthen the membership value
proposition.
Um so for me, it's kind of um anamalgamation of a lot of the
brand uh marketing CX work I didon the hotel side, but now sort
(08:11):
of in a full-stop ownershipsystem um for the Unlimited
Vacation Club, albeit stillwithin the hotel loyalty space.
It's an interesting spot withinthe industry for sure.
SPEAKER_02 (08:21):
Well, and you started to break this down a
little bit for our listeners,and I want to dive into that a
little bit more about thedifference between membership
versus traditional loyaltyprograms, because that was
what's unique about UnlimitedVacation Club.
And one of the key reasons Iwanted to have you a part of the
podcast in this series, becauseit is really a unique angle that
you have that I in thesubscription model.
So tell us uh for our listenersthat are familiar with
(08:42):
traditional airline or loyaltyprograms, how would you describe
this model that someone that tosomeone who's not familiar with
it?
SPEAKER_00 (08:48):
Yeah.
So for traditional travelloyalty programs, it's uh earn
and burn kind of system, right?
You you stay at hotels, you earnpoints, you fly with an airline,
you earn points, and then youredeem those for free flights or
hotel stays.
So that's a traditional loyaltyprogram.
Um, and we do plug into that,but that's not the core
offering.
Um, the core offering for thevacation club or any
pay-for-membership club is youare paying for special access
(09:10):
above and beyond.
So you can almost look like ituh similar to fast tracking
status.
So if you look at the top statustier members for airlines and
hotels, you often have to stay alot with that with those brands
to earn the top tier status.
In a way, buying membership is abit of a shortcut to that in the
sense of you come in with animmediately higher status and
then you get access to thosehigher perks.
(09:30):
So things like upgrades, umspecial access and things like
that.
And then from a pure economicvalue proposition standpoint,
you're essentially paying for umfor discounted future travel.
You're almost hedging your uhbets on the future travel that
you will buy.
So by becoming a member, you getthe best rates guaranteed on any
future stays you book.
(09:51):
So you get a certain number ofnights included in your
membership, but then above andbeyond that, we have what we
call unlimited nights wheremembers can book uh as many
nights as they want for even fortheir groups uh using that
special discount that they haveaccess to.
Um that's something onlyavailable to members through
this.
Loyalty members don't get thatkind of access through the
traditional program.
SPEAKER_02 (10:09):
Okay, so obviously there's a few big differences
there.
For people who are familiar, asyou say, with earning points and
that earn and burn.
Um, what are the main advantagesof creating loyalty through
membership?
SPEAKER_00 (10:20):
Um the main advantages for us have been
you've got a dedicated memberbase who can be a strong fandom
for new products, events, andwhatnot.
So when the Hyatt InclusiveCollection opens a new property,
it's often the UVC or unlimitedvacation club members are the
first to fill that hotel becausethey are big fans of the Hyatt
(10:40):
Inclusive Collection estate.
So for Hyatt and the InclusiveCollection overall, you have
this built-in base that ispassionate about the product,
loves to talk about the product,experience a product.
So again, they're first to go toa new property.
Um when it comes to events, wehost uh VIP member events
throughout the year.
We have about 15 on the calendarfor 2026.
Um, for them to come to theseevents, uh it's it's a great
(11:03):
opportunity for them to engagewith the brands they love, but
also with each other.
And it really creates a sense ofcommunity that a lot of them
like to tap into.
It's part of the reason theybought into a vacation club.
So they connect with each otherand connect with our staff as
well, and then form reallystrong bonds that keep them
coming back time and time again.
So there are people that willform individual relations
relationships with hotel staffand keep in touch with them via
(11:26):
WhatsApp even when they returnhome.
And then when it comes to uh thecommunity within with each
other, um, there are meetupgroups that happen even in the
US where there isn't a high atall inclusive collection
property anywhere near them.
But the limited vacation club iswhat brings them together.
It's a tie that binds.
So it creates this um communitythat allows them to tap into
other luck, like-mindedtravelers when they're looking
(11:48):
to you know expand their socialcircle.
SPEAKER_02 (11:50):
Thank you for sharing.
I mean, one of the things thatstood out to me from uh the
series we did with Arda aboutthe um timeshare model.
We did an episode on how thetimeshare model has evolved and
kind of the modern timeshare.
And then the second episode wason experiences.
And the thing that stood out tome was the number of uh
experiences that are now offereduh by various timeshare
properties.
(12:11):
And it's the main reason thatpeople are choosing to become
part of those programs is thatthey have access to your point
about access and then alsoexperiences and things that are
more exclusive, which is verydifferent than people that are
accumulating points.
What would be some some goodexamples of those that you guys
particularly offer with theunlimited vacation club model
that is most appealing to youruh to your members?
SPEAKER_00 (12:34):
Yeah, I mean, to your point, the experiential
economy has just continued togrow, especially since uh COVID.
Um and hotels in particular arewell poised to offer um unique
experiences because travel,travel is exciting, and people
buy into this program um to havemore of those experiences.
It's all about enriching yourlife.
Um, some examples ofexperiences.
(12:55):
So we have uh, as I mentioned,these 15 uh VIP member events at
our properties, and we'll dorobust programming over a few
days, and we'll have somethingum specific for our members,
like maybe it's a ceviche makingclass with a chef, or maybe it's
a top-shelf tequila tasting, ormaybe it's a catamaran ride just
with members to watch a sunsetin Los Cabos, as was done about
a month ago.
Um, these experiences, you someof them you could do on your
(13:17):
own, but doing them withlike-minded travelers in an
exclusive setting that gives youmore behind-the-scenes access,
is what our members reallyenjoy.
So having the chef come to youand tell you about the fish that
was caught down the road bylocal fishermen and um using
local limes to create thiswonderful ceviche dish.
Like that's just an experienceabove and beyond, obviously,
going to a restaurant or evendoing a traditional cooking
(13:39):
class.
Um, it's uh those kind ofexperiences, interactive,
immersive, are what our membersreally crave.
So we we build that programminginto these events that we do.
Beyond that, and this is againwhere I come to our unique
position is you have the worldof Hyatt, which also has its own
ecosystem of experiences thatour members can tap into.
So when a member buys intoUnlimited Vacation Club, they
(14:00):
they get World of Hyatt statusas well as part of their
membership.
Um, and through that, we havethe World of Hyatt Find
Experiences platform, whichmembers can use points to to buy
experiences.
Um, and then there's limitedtime events, um, which could be
access to like the Sundance FilmFestival, for example, or
Formula One.
Um, these are things that theWorld of Hyatt has special
(14:20):
activations at that our memberscan then get access to through
the World of Hyatt.
So um getting creatingopportunities for connection,
immersion, going deeper um iswhere the vacation club sort of
uh has its unique valueproposition above what a a
standard guest could do.
And because you're buying intothe Hyatt ecosystem, you get
that even greater by tappinginto the World of Hyatt.
(14:41):
So uh for our members, they kindof have a lot of different ways
that they could tap into theseexperiences.
We'll be right back.
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SPEAKER_02 (16:34):
And now, back to the show.
Just for our listeners too,UnlimitedVacationClub.com is the
domain I was preparing for myconversation with Nick.
I was checking out not only someof the resorts, but the overview
of some of the different clubsand the VIP events.
And the one thing that stood outto me was certainly um the
gastronomy.
So like I've clearly that is abig trend that people are
looking for elevated culinaryexperiences and then music as
(16:58):
well, like that you have thesesignature experiences with
entertainment, that people wantto be able to have exclusive uh
concerts and entertainment.
And so I'm intrigued by whatmakes the uh membership model
and also the uh compared to thepoints and miles, like the idea
that you have this exclusivityand access.
One of the things that's come upon this series is the idea that
(17:19):
it's a much more emotionalconnection than you have with
the guest rather than somethingthat's transactional when
people, as you say, earning andburning and people are just
trying to see they get enoughvalue.
Would you agree with that?
Do you think that like theemotion is really kind of the
key to the marketing and thesuccess of building loyalty?
SPEAKER_00 (17:34):
I I do think it's both.
Um, I think when you look atloyalty programs, uh, all
travelers are not a monolith,right?
People like different things andare motivated by motivated by
different things.
I think regardless, an emotionalconnection is a huge um unique
selling point and reallyimportant for creating a
lifestyle brand, which is whatmore and more the programs are
(17:55):
becoming.
So even if you look outside oftravel, um, for example,
Equinox, which is very muchabout performance-driven
lifestyle, they've created aprogram, I believe it's called
Equinox Inner Circle, um, whereyou get access to other things
that would make sense for thatlifestyle, like it's maybe it's
a travel benefit or a shoppingretail benefit that fits that
(18:15):
personal profile.
Um my point is, I guess there'stwo things.
One is the ecosystem, anenvironment that you can operate
in that yes, touches travel, butalso touches other related
areas.
But then two, understanding thelifestyle of the member and who
they are and what they value.
And that's what can help createthat emotional connection
because you're basicallyformulating connections,
(18:35):
partnerships, experiences thatare designed for them and for
their lifestyle.
So that that goes beyond justpoints, earning and burning,
right?
I think the points earning andburning is still the foundation
and you have to have that.
But what's going to keep peoplecoming back time and time again
is that emotional connection.
And ultimately that's howpreference is formed.
Um, it's it's uh not a um it'swell known that travelers have
(18:58):
myriad choices for any type oftravel they do.
Um, and travel brands have anopportunity to form bonds on a
number of ways, but if it'spurely transactional, just earn
and burn, you're not gonna gettrue loyalty.
This is where the emotionalconnection comes in.
You've got to create somethingmore um and have it fit into the
traveler's lifestyle for them toreally want to participate in
(19:19):
that program time and timeagain.
SPEAKER_02 (19:20):
Well, one of the things from my background is
that uh there's certainly travelbrands that don't have loyalty
programs or any type of umpoints or miles, they're really
relying on the guest experienceto be so uh amazing that
customers will keep coming back,right?
It's not nice with a restaurant,but certainly with the case with
certain travel brands.
And I you know, I was workingwith a large global travel
(19:41):
corporation across multiplebrands, and there was no loyalty
program aside from a 5% pastguest repeat booking discount.
That was sort of the main thingthat brought people uh the
incentive that they had.
But the answer every time aboutwhether we had a loyalty program
was the guest experience, isthat you know you can
consistently rely on having anamazing experience with any of
the brands within the travelcorporation group.
(20:02):
And given that one of your uhparts of your title is customer
experience, I'm keen to ask youa question along the same lines
is that when you think aboutloyalty and customer experience,
how connected are they?
Because I'm sure that you, youknow, you just want to make sure
that everyone has a greatexperience every time at any of
the resorts that they stay at.
Um, but how do you kind ofbalance the two of having a
great experience, but then alsodriving loyalty through a
(20:25):
membership program?
SPEAKER_00 (20:26):
Yeah.
Um, yeah, it's interesting.
I have observed, especially inthe upper luxury segment, that
there are brands that don't havea loyalty program, but certainly
have loyal travelers.
Um, and I think there arebusiness and economic reasons
that they're able to do that.
For bigger global hotelcompanies, um, they uh appeal to
a wide array of people.
Um when it comes to the memberexperience, I mean, the holy
(20:48):
grail is that the memberexperience is so good they come
back time and time again withoutthe need for rewards or points,
right?
That that would be an idealstandpoint from a business.
However, um, it still is justone part of the travel equation
and travel ecosystem.
So um if you look at thelandscape of travel companies,
um, credit cards, uh,third-party partners that are
(21:11):
across industry, there's such abigger ecosystem when you look
at the share of wallet for thetraveler.
And if you do a bang out job onguest experience and you deliver
that and that's all you do,that's fine.
Um, but I think it makes itharder to um be the go-to source
for the traveler for othertravel needs as well as this
larger lifestyle ecosystem.
So I think the opportunity thatloyalty programs provide um is
(21:35):
twofold.
One, more options for thetraveler, but two, ideally more
personal experience for thetraveler.
So the expectation for travelersum has evolved rightfully so
that uh they expect the hotelbrands or airlines to know them
and who they are and what theyvalue and what they prefer.
Um, and that's a fairexpectation given the amount of
data that the company now havethat companies have on these
(21:56):
travelers.
So I think by um participatingin a loyalty program.
It's sort of a beneficialsymbiotic relationship in the
sense of the hotel and staff canknow more about that traveler
and what they prefer, wherethey've been, where we could
recommend they go next.
And then also the traveler getsa benefit of hopefully a more
personalized stay, which thenencourages them to stay within
(22:16):
the ecosystem.
SPEAKER_02 (22:17):
Well, since you have a good uh view of the whole
customer journey, uh one of thethings I was also keen to ask
you that I think would be reallyinteresting for our listeners is
that, you know, whether theyhave loyalty programs or not,
many of them are obviously uhconsidering it and listening to
this series to understand theopportunity around loyalty.
And but one of the things thateveryone's focusing on is trying
to improve the customer journeyand the guest experience.
(22:38):
Yeah.
And for your vantage point, whatdo you think has the biggest
impact on retention and repeatbookings?
SPEAKER_00 (22:45):
Um I forget who to attribute this quote to, but uh
something along the lines ofpeople don't remember what you
said, but they remember how youmade them feel.
And hospitality.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Um Yeah, I I think about that alot because hospitality is
unique in the productexperience.
I mean, first of all, it can'tbe replaced by AI, it can be
supplemented by AI, but uh it'sreally about human-to-human
(23:07):
interaction and how we make aguest feel or a member feel when
they're on property.
Um, so I think whatever you cando to make them feel that their
stay is above and beyond normalwill go, will go further.
So for us within the UnlimitedVacation Club, these members
will be staying at a propertythat will have non-club members
as well.
The majority of the guests willbe non-club members.
(23:28):
Um, so we try to differentiatepoints along the guest journey
to make them see the value ofthe program and feel either
recognized and/or valued aboveand beyond.
One specific example is that oneof our properties within Riviera
Maya, there's a dedicated pooljust for members.
So that's something that otherguests cannot access, but just
our members can.
Um, we try to offer otheramenities uh andor experiences
(23:49):
too, just for members that uhall guests can't experience.
Again, reinval reinforcing thevalue proposition to them.
So if we think about craftingthe experience, um well, taking
a pause there, it's actually itbegins before they're even on
property.
So if you look at the guestjourney, A to Z, you've got
pre-arrival.
Uh, what can we do to help themanticipate their stay?
(24:10):
But also, where can we setrealistic expectations as we
need to?
For example, is the propertyunder renovation?
We should make sure that they'reaware of that.
Um, if the property isexperiencing high occupancy,
there's a chance they may notget an upgrade that they may
expect.
So, how can we communicate thatin advance?
So, pre-arrival, um, we makesure that we set the guest guest
expectations accordingly, butalso increasing their
anticipation before arrival.
(24:31):
Then once they're on property,it's about making sure they feel
recognized and valued upongreeting through check-in when
they're at their room, havingthe right welcome amenity.
Um, again, should bepersonalized.
So if the member prefers red orwhite, wine or sparkling, we
should know that and deliverupon that.
That's part of what they'repaying for for this membership
program.
Um, obviously throughout thestay, the experience should be
(24:52):
just a little bit special,whether that's getting special
access to dining reservations oraccess to a special pool area.
We try to see where we canoperate to have something a
little bit extra for membersalong the journey.
And then at the end of theirjourney, and once they're home,
how can we sort of keep thatwarm vacation feeling going?
Um, is it that one of ourconcierges will send a photo uh
of them at a special event, forexample, and say, you know, we
(25:15):
can't wait till the next time wesee you.
What can create that emotionalconnection above and beyond what
you would typically get with anormal hotel stay?
Um, so looking at the guestjourney holistically,
pre-arrival, um, once they're inthe property and then once
they've left the property, we'reevaluating how can we
differentiate the experiencealong the way to reinforce the
members of value for ourmembers.
SPEAKER_02 (25:34):
Yeah.
And so the one of the things youmentioned there, like especially
when you've got like um anexclusive pool, that obviously
creates a sense of belonging andcommunity amongst your members.
One of the things that I'm alsokeen to ask you about is
personalization.
So obviously there's the thingsthat what brings people
together, and then there's thatwhat stands out for that's
unique for them.
And so I'd love to ask you thisquestion around personalization
(25:55):
as it relates to loyalty.
What are some of the uh elementsof personalization that you see
are really important that helpdrive loyalty and and and how
important are they?
SPEAKER_00 (26:04):
Yeah, um, I think it's hugely important because
members and guests in general,if they're part of a loyalty
program, expect the hotel or theairline to know a lot about them
because uh people voluntarilygive up this information and
they travel a lot.
So um if I'm on Delta, forexample, I've been a medallion
member for many, many years.
Um, I have a preferred, youknow, window seat um on certain
(26:27):
flights.
And when I request uh anupgrade, I anticipate that that
will be met uh more seamlessly.
So that's a small but tangibleexample of personalization that
they know kind of where I liketo sit.
When it comes to the hotelspace, I think we have the
benefit of people on the groundto read through the situation of
the arriving member and thenalso see what state they're in
(26:47):
when they arrive.
So are they arriving refreshedand ready to dive into vacation
head first?
Yes, okay, we'll say head to thepool area, there's a barbecue,
you don't want to miss out onright now.
Um, or is it that they'reexhausted and want to just go to
their room and they aren'tfeeling so well?
It could be a matter of takingthe next step to say, actually,
um, you know, uh go to yourroom, that's fine, we'll send
some chicken soup your way, hopeyou feel better.
Um, sort of reading, reading themoment and how they feel and
(27:10):
then catering the serviceexperience based on that is just
one sort of dynamic way we cando it in hospitality.
But um, as I mentioned, becausemembers do give us so much data,
they do expect us to know it.
Um, and I read a funny thing umrecently.
Are you familiar with the bookUnreasonable Hospitality by
Wilgadin?
SPEAKER_02 (27:26):
If you've not read it, I'm familiar with it, but I
have not read it.
SPEAKER_00 (27:28):
So tell me.
It's great.
It's mandatory reading foranyone in this space.
Um, so basically, he tells thestory of a live in Madison Park
and they became the world's bestrestaurant.
And um, above and beyond, theythey create magical experiences
for guests that they talk aboutand really stay with in their
sort of once-in-a-lifetimemoments.
I was reading recently about uma couple of restaurateurs that
were saying now guests expectthis level of experience, even
(27:50):
when they're going to theirlocal diner or somewhere else,
they're expecting to be wowed byevery service experience because
the bar is being set high andpeople are talking about it.
Shows like the bear, forexample, popularize that sort of
service culture.
Um, all to say, when a membercomes on property, they've paid
for this loyalty program,they've stayed with us before.
We have a lot of information onthis.
They really expect that we'regonna know how to cater this day
(28:12):
to them.
So, as I mentioned before, thatcould be knowing their wine
preference, knowing that they'rea fan of golf.
So maybe it's helping to set upa tea time uh reservation for
them the next day.
Um, it's about reading themember, the occasion, and then
catering the stay to their sortof need state, if you will.
Um, and part of our benefit thatwe see of being a vacation club
(28:32):
within the Hyatt InclusiveCollection is we can guide
members through the stay a bitmore than you typically would a
guest that you don't know aswell.
So it could be a matter ofrecommending, you know, you like
sunrise yoga, so be sure to goto our sunrise yoga on the
beach, and then hey, you shouldgo up here for breakfast uh
because they have the bestsunrise view from this balcony
over here.
That's sort of insiderinformation, is what our uh
(28:53):
member services teams are provare are equipped to provide.
But again, it's about knowingthe guests and how they've
traveled before and sort ofcatering those recommendations
to them.
I think that there's anexpectation of curation,
increasingly more so frommembers uh and and travelers in
general.
SPEAKER_02 (29:08):
And something else obviously along those lines with
the personalization now withtechnology and data and
specifically AI, yeah.
There's a lot more you can do totry and uh personalize the guest
experience.
It was interesting when westarted this three-part series
in the very first episode, um uhMark in particular was kind of
calling out the fact that wehaven't gotten as an industry
where we thought we would bewith personalization, that's
(29:30):
probably the most overhypedarea.
Um, and it's the part I'm alwayskeen to ask about, especially
relates to AI because there's somuch potential there.
I'd love to get your take onthis.
So, like given you do haveaccess now to um utilizing AI
and you've got all this richdata, is there do you actually
see a way that AI is uhimproving the or impacting the
loyalty and customer experience?
(29:52):
Is there some tangible examplesof that?
Or do you think we're still uhvery early?
SPEAKER_00 (29:56):
No, I think there are some tangible examples.
So I will say Hyatt has done agood job of integrating AI in a
meaningful way into the guestexperience, even starting with
the discovery and booking stage.
So um on Hyatt.com, there's anAI uh tool that you can use to
search.
And you don't have to be superspecific, but you can say, uh,
I'm looking for ski uh resortsto redeem points at what are the
(30:16):
best options?
And it'll give you, you know,globally resorts that would fit
that profile.
Um, so that's a natural way todo it from the start.
When it comes to members andloyalty, uh, as I mentioned
earlier, the expectation is highthat uh that we will know who
they are, what they value, andwhat they prefer.
The challenge often inhospitality is you've got
different systems that uh needto integrate and speak to each
(30:38):
other.
So you've got like the hotelmanagement system, you've got a
CRM, um, you've got othercommunication channels, perhaps
a booking call center.
Like there's a number of systemsthat have to work together
effectively.
And that's where AI, I think,can play the biggest role of
sort of aggregating that data.
So we have seen hotels um beable to use AI seamlessly to
optimize things.
Um, and it could be somethingsmall like um like a dining menu
(31:02):
or even a spa service menu.
Um, I've heard from hotel teamsgive good examples of how
they're integrating the datafrom those di disparate parts
into their operational umoptimization, if you will, using
AI to offer the right service atthe right time to the right type
of guest.
Um that's one specific way.
I think honestly, that there'sstill a long way to go in
(31:22):
hospitality just because um ofthe amount of data and the
number of systems and making itwork together in a seamless,
intuitive way um continues to bewhere we have the opportunity in
front of us.
And this is a um an opportunity,I think, across the industry.
Um because Hyatt, I think, is abit more nimble, we've been able
to dive into it quickly as Imentioned with the search
example, but um, I do think thatthere's there's more opportunity
(31:46):
um for better integration in thenear term.
SPEAKER_02 (31:48):
I'm yeah, I'm actually pleased to hear that,
Nick.
That's actually encouraging forme.
So I I I didn't want to assumethat you guys were already far
down that path.
And the what I've got afollow-up question given that's
the case, which is that youknow, given that there is uh so
much potential to be able tobetter personalize and even kind
of predictive personalizationand and how you can make sure
someone retains membership byvirtue of communicating with
(32:09):
them at the right time to keepthem active.
What how important do you thinkthat is going to be going
forward?
That you know you actually canbe much more intentional about
your personalization.
And is there anything alongthose lines you can share with
us about where you guys areheaded?
SPEAKER_00 (32:22):
Um I not for us specifically, but I think it
will become table stakes interms of expectations for
members and loyalty members theworld over.
I think as everyone gets up tospeed on their AI adoption
utilization, um, that sort ofdelivery on such a personal
level will start to become thenorm.
And if you're not doing it, youwill stand out incredibly
poorly.
(32:42):
So I I think um it it's a bit ofan arms race at the moment of
who can practice the fastest todeliver that experience.
But once once someone does, thenI think um those that don't will
will stand out for the wrongreasons.
So um coming back to Hyatt'sadoption of AI, I'm I'm
(33:02):
fortunate that we fully embracedit and all team members now have
access to an LLM.
Um we're given a couple ofoptions.
Um and as we work to integratethose with back-end systems,
like we're encouraged daily tosee how we could use it to
better our operations or oursystems, our marketing.
Um, and in our large meetingsand town halls, uh, we always
have examples of people whoshowcase how they're using it to
(33:24):
do their job better and run thebusiness better and drive member
satisfaction.
So um I think it's a reallyexciting time to be in
hospitality and see how thisexperience evolves.
As I mentioned, AI will notreplace hospitality.
That is one benefit we have ofbeing in this industry because
it is a very tangible experiencethat um a machine cannot
replace, but it can help us doour job so much better in terms
(33:45):
of just anticipating guest needsuh and delivering that
personalized experience.
SPEAKER_02 (33:49):
Yeah, I agree that people obviously love dealing
with people, and and you know,so much of travel is human
connection, and so I couldn'tagree with you more.
You know, I'm very bullish ontravel in the face of AI.
I think there's a lot ofbenefits that we can we can
leverage for systems and uhbecoming more efficient.
We'll be right back.
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SPEAKER_02 (36:34):
And now back to the show.
The other thing I wanted to askyou as it relates to an
extension of personalization andwhere this entire series started
was status and recognition.
And so one of the things I waskeen to ask you is how important
recognition is compared to otherbenefits.
Because in our very firstconversation, it was like, you
know, very much status uh iseverything.
(36:55):
And then our secondconversation, it is, you know,
it's a combination of status anduh points and miles.
And I sounds like you're of asimilar mindset when you talk
about, you know, there'smultiple different uh
motivations for people to beloyal.
Um does where where doesrecognition stand in for you?
And the reason I'm asking youthat as it relates to
personalization is that is theresomething in terms of your
(37:15):
membership being a certain tieror are people that you recognize
are, you know, they've been withthe program 10 years, that
there's any sort of recognitionthat you apply, like a
recognition layer, like a statusthat you think is valuable
beyond other tangible benefits.
SPEAKER_00 (37:31):
Yeah, so uh a couple of things to that.
So one, recognition isappreciated across the board,
but for some customer segmentsit matters more than others.
Um, we did a great deal ofconsumer research last year on
our membership base um just tobetter understand psychographics
and and motivations across coredifferent audiences.
And there is one specific groupwhere recognition and status
seeking is really important tothem.
(37:53):
Um so how we can deliver on thatis making sure that they uh
again feel recognized andspecial when they check in.
So it's a matter of recognizingthem for their UVC membership.
For the premium tier members,because our membership does have
several tiers, and those thatare higher tier, have been with
the program longer and are heavyusers of the program, of course,
we have more data andinformation about them.
(38:14):
So certainly it's aboutacknowledging and appreciation,
appreciating with gratitudetheir membership, but also um
ensuring that that stay we goabove and beyond to deliver a
heightened experience and thatbeyond our team, that the the
rest of the hotel staff knowsthat, hey, this is an
impressions level member,they're highly valuable to us,
but highly valuable to the HyattInclusive Collection.
Let's make sure we make theirstay extra special.
(38:35):
So um, beyond the unlimitedvacation club team, there's
opportunity for the hotel staffto recognize that member as
well.
And we're fortunate that in ourpartnership working alongside
the resort teams, high valuemembers like that do get extra
uh treatment, special treatmentand recognition.
I mean, that's the again, backto the value proposition of what
they're buying into by buying amembership and certainly at a
higher tier, they're sort ofgetting that fast-tracked elite
(38:58):
status um sort of immediatelywith entry.
SPEAKER_02 (39:00):
I appreciate your yeah, that's valuable to get
your insight on that as well.
And and I think, you know, interms of where things are headed
now, given the overwhelminglypeople are embracing loyalty as
much uh as ever, and a lot ofcompanies are getting more
sophisticated about theirloyalty or their membership
programs.
I'd love to get your take, Nick,on where to from here.
I go both obviously with youryou know uh unlimited vacation
(39:22):
club model and and also with theindustry at large.
So maybe let's talk about uh uhyour program first.
So tell us a little bit moreabout what you guys have in
store, what the rest of 2026looks like, and even going into
2027, about how your programscontinue to evolve.
SPEAKER_00 (39:36):
Yeah, it's a fair question.
I will say UVC has been verysuccessful in its 15 years of
existence.
Um, last year we celebrated our15th anniversary in October.
Um that being said, on theMotive Vacation Club, UVC and
the ecosystem of the HighInclusive Collection has
undergone a tremendous amount ofchange over the past five to six
years through different businessacquisitions and is still
(39:57):
growing.
So as we evolve the program, wehave to make sure that we're um
doing so in a strategic way, butalso in a way that keeps us
relevant for future generations.
So um, if we look at the needsof a millennial and Gen Z
traveler, um, they're obviouslylooking for something different
than uh a boomer generationtraveler, for example.
(40:18):
So for us, it's about makingsure that we evolve in a
relevant way to meet changingconsumer tastes.
Um, fortunately, theall-inclusive segment has
continued to grow significantlyover the past several years.
So um there's a built-in fanbase there and audience there,
but um we can't rest on ourlaurels because the things that
appeal to one demographic maynot appeal to another
(40:40):
demographic.
So um, for example, you heard memention um like lifestyle
ecosystem experiences.
I I see us continuing to growmore in that realm.
Unlimited Vacation Club has justbarely scratched the surface of
that area.
And fortunately, we get to tapinto a lot of it through the
world of Hyatt, but I thinkthere's opportunity to go even
deeper in that space for usspecifically.
(41:00):
So um for the next you knowthree to five years, I would see
growth for us in that sort ofcurated special access area
above and beyond um what we'redoing today.
SPEAKER_02 (41:11):
And one area specifically, obviously, with
the subscription ormembership-based model, do you
think more of those will emergeacross the industry in the next
few years?
Do you see the model that youhave more people emulating?
SPEAKER_00 (41:20):
Yeah, I do think as subscription model businesses
proliferate across the board,it's become an accepted and
adopted model that people areused to.
Um, we do see other hospitalitycompanies experimenting in this
space a bit more with sort ofdifferent product offerings.
So um as we look to evolve ourproduct for future generations,
we're also exploring other waysto offer the membership.
(41:44):
Um so I think subscription tierprograms will continue to grow
based on what I'm seeing in thecompetitive landscape right now.
I think it's an area where um uhwe were one of the first movers,
but um it will continue to grow.
So therefore, for us, we have tocontinue to evolve in a
meaningful way.
SPEAKER_02 (41:59):
And then just in terms of the overall loyalty
space in travel, are there anyuh larger trends that you're
paying attention to that mightbe worth our listeners uh
focusing on?
Clearly, obviously you uh youknow your stuff and you're
staying close to this.
But is there anything else thatyou would call out that would be
worthwhile for uh for people topay attention to?
SPEAKER_00 (42:16):
Um Yeah, I mean, the the same trends have held the
last few years since COVID.
I mean, if you look atwell-being, that has continued
to be a major focus for peopleacross the board.
Um, multi-generational traveltoo has continued to grow by
leaps and bounds.
So um these are areasfortunately where we are well
poised to play.
Um, because all inclusive, muchlike a cruise ship, you can
(42:37):
cater to different tastes andneeds, and there's different
programming for different agegroups.
When it comes to well-being,that's inherently built into the
guest experience as well.
Properties have awesome spas umand staff to operate well-being
experiences.
Um those are two continuingtrends that I think have
continued to grow exponentiallyand will more so in the future.
One trend that I think allinclusive is starting to take
(42:59):
more advantage of um in recentyears is just localization and
bringing the local culture intothe resort experience.
Um, I would say in the pastthere was probably more
opportunity to do that, but nowguests and members are are
specifically requesting anddemanding more of that.
So the resorts are doing a greatjob of bringing in local
programming for whether it'slike a cultural dance or a
(43:21):
culinary experience, sort ofbringing that location into the
property in a more intentionalway um is definitely a trend
that that our properties are areleaning more into.
Okay, perfect.
SPEAKER_02 (43:32):
All right, so here we go.
So a few fun and kind ofpersonal questions to uh to wrap
up.
Uh, what's the best loyaltybenefit you have personally
received as a traveler?
SPEAKER_00 (43:42):
That's a great question.
Um I am more old school when itcomes to points.
So I've been a Delta medallionmember for many years, and the
perk that I strive for everyyear is to reach my medallion
status, so I get the globalupgrade certificates.
Because if I'm flying to SydneyAustralia, Like I am later this
year, it's incredible to be ableto use that Delta One upgrade
(44:04):
certificate and get thatexperience for what will be a
16-hour flight from LAX, forexample.
Um so it's um despite everythingI said about ecosystem and
lifestyle, when it comes to meand my own travel consumption,
um I'm I'm pragmatic.
So I really appreciate uh thethat benefit.
SPEAKER_02 (44:22):
Yeah.
You and me are very similar.
And whenever I go for my uh youknow, my choice of upgrades in
the program, I'm always gettingI'm always choosing the upgrade
points rather than, you know,that's my focus is making sure
that I have business class evenwhen I'm traveling.
Um what what whenever I'mtraveling, especially long haul.
Okay, so that's no questionnumber one.
Now, you guys have a lot ofbuilt-in opportunities and
(44:43):
experiences within the UnlimitedVacation Club already.
But if there was one that youcould add, kind of a money can't
buy experience, um, that if youcould just like if I could snap
my fingers and make it part ofthe program, or you or may
already know what you'd love tobe able to add that currently
isn't part of it, but what wouldthat be?
SPEAKER_00 (44:58):
Um I would offer super exclusive, super
exclusive, super coolexperiences anywhere in the
world that could be done like atthe last minute.
Um, which sounds weird, but italso sounds thrilling.
Because if you can imagine thatum we do a drop to say, hey, you
know, in two weeks we're gonnabe doing this amazing activation
in Paris with this French chef.
(45:19):
Um, even though it has nothingto do with the Hyatt Inclusive
Collection, but we know that youvalue this kind of experience
and we put it together for youbased on the um the
relationships and resources wehave.
Like that to me is tremendousvalue that money can't buy that
a membership club could give youspecial access to.
So um that for me as a traveler,something I would be incredibly
excited about, but I think uhknowing our member base, that's
(45:40):
some the kind of experiencesthey would crave as well.
Nice.
SPEAKER_02 (45:42):
Okay, and here we go.
Last one is which brand doesn'thave to be travel.
If anything, sometimes it's niceto get perspectives, uh fresh
perspectives outside of travel.
Which brand in or outside of ourindustry do you think the uh
does the best job of creatingcustomer loyalty?
SPEAKER_00 (45:57):
Um the uh it may sound trite, but um I am a
consumer of this.
Uh, if I look at Apple, whodoesn't have a loyalty program,
they create that ecosystem thatI referenced earlier where
everything is seamless andintegrated.
And whether I'm on my laptop, myiPhone, my Apple Watch, my iPad,
all of the things, um, I canseamlessly move from one to the
(46:20):
other.
And that sort of lack offriction will keep me in the
ecosystem and keep me loyal aslong as they keep operating that
way.
Um, so I don't need to berewarded with points or bonuses
to do that.
I just need uh an exceptionalexperience and that keeps me
coming back.
Fantastic.
SPEAKER_02 (46:34):
Well, I've thoroughly enjoyed our
conversation.
I'm sure our listeners benefitedfrom this discussion as well.
I just got one last thing beforeI close off, which is if our
listeners want to connect withyou or the team, what would be
the best way?
I've obviously mentioned thewebsite.
I'm sure people will find you onLinkedIn as well.
But if uh people want to connectwith you for opportunities for
partnerships or to collaborate,what would be the best way to do
that, Nick?
SPEAKER_00 (46:54):
Yeah, um, the best way to reach me would be through
LinkedIn.
So if you search Nick Friend andHyatt, I should pop up.
There, word of warning, thereare other Nick Friends out
there, most of them in the UK,but if you put in Hyatt, then I
should pop up fantastic.
SPEAKER_02 (47:04):
Well, thanks uh very much for joining us for the
Loyalty Series, Nick.
Great to have you on and wishyou and the team continuous
success over the course of theyear.
Thanks for having me, Dan.
Much appreciated.
And thanks to all of ourlisteners for joining us for
episode three of our loyaltyseries.
I hope you enjoyed this secondpart.
It was one of our most popularseries last year.
So we decided to bring it backin partnership with our friends
over at Loyalty Status Co.
(47:25):
And I'm gonna mention them onemore time because if you haven't
already checked them out, Idefinitely encourage you to
check out loyaltystatus.com formore information.
And they are, of course, theaward-winning Taravel Technology
Company that helps travelprograms drive customer
acquisition, growth, andancillary revenue through their
elite status programs.
And Loyalty Status Co.
also owns and operatesstatusmatch.com.
(47:47):
Thanks again to all of ourlisteners for joining us.
Don't forget we do post clipsand highlights on all our social
channels.
You can find those on Instagram,LinkedIn, and YouTube.
And we have our next uh seriescoming up very shortly on
experiences.
So we'll look forward to joiningyou next week.
And until then, safe travels.
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Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com