It started with a grassroots effort by a few Marriott hotels to reward frequent guests. Two decades later Marriott Rewards, which celebrates its 20th anniversary, has grown into the largest and longest running guest loyalty program in the world with more than 19 million members.
Originally called Marriott's Honored Guests, the program included only Marriott hotels. It was expanded in May 1997 to include all Marriott brands. This multi-brand program was a first for the industry.
"From the beginning, we knew this program was a perfect fit for our company. We have a rich tradition of taking care of our customers, and Marriott Rewards is all about rewarding our best customers for their business," said J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and CEO, Marriott International. "As we continue to expand our hotel portfolio throughout the world, Marriott Rewards' membership has grown at astounding double-digit rates everywhere we have hotels."
"Rewarding loyalty has paid off. We have found that our members more than double their number of stays with us after joining the program," said Rita Cuddihy, senior vice-president, marketing, Marriott International.
She added that the program has led the industry for 20 years because it offers the best value for the dollar of any hotel loyalty program and because of the broad distribution of Marriott International's brands where members can earn and redeem points.