Traveling Blog: Weekend Review: Accor's Balancing Act + Starwood Loyalists Speak Out

November 24, 2018

Editor's Note

Former elite members of the Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program feel that Marriott has lost that loving feeling when they arrive at the hotel. Business of Loyalty Editor Grant Martin interviewed a handful of these super-travelers, and that was their unanimous take on the Marriott-Starwood loyalty program merger. They just are not getting the pampering that they once did. It appears as though Marriott still has a lot of work to do that goes beyond the mere tech details.

— Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor

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With the sale of a majority stake in the company's owned and leased hotel business, AccorHotels is a more stable, nimble company, with the ability to pursue additional acquisitions and other strategic initiatives. In our latest research report, we break down what going asset-light means for the company and tackle ways of measuring the success of its M&A strategy.

How's Marriott's Massive Loyalty Merger Going? We Asked 5 Starwood Members to Weigh In

Most Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest members enjoyed a seamless integration earlier this year when the two programs merged. For some, however, latent issues are still hampering the experience. We asked five Starwood members about their journeys.

Booking Holdings Is Taking Its Time to Deliver On a Steep Promise

Booking.com is taking its sweet time to implement a flights-to-attractions travel offering. Some would say the pace is Google-like in its slowness. But behind the scenes, data reigns supreme, and dictates whether a product is scrapped, implemented with a twist, or then reshaped anew. Refill the popcorn. This will take a while.

Instagrammer Turned Her Following Into a Luxury Travel Advisor Business

Justyna Smith built up a modest Instagram following, and she's used that, plus word of mouth, to run a four-woman luxury travel agency that's making money. Many businesses decide to market wherever the customers are; in Smith's case, the customers came to her and the business followed.

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Premium Economy Isn't Really Economy Class. Why Does It Have the Name?

The premium economy cabin many global airlines are installing isn't much like regular economy. So why do many airlines include "economy" in its name?

Editor's Picks

This Startup Is Selling Fly-by-the-Hour Airline Gift Cards

This startup has the JetBlue Tech Ventures seal of approval, which means something in the travel space. But we're not sure why consumers would rather receive a gift card for airplane hours, than a gift card worth cash.

What European Rail Companies Need to Do to Boost Growth From Tourism

Rail travel is a complex beast and something the tourism industry has yet to fully embrace, but things are starting to change.

Event Planners Look Outside Major Cities for Savings and Variety

Traditional conference cities are still the default choice for events organizers, but rising costs and strained capacity are making secondary cities more appealing. And some are working hard to show their unique benefits.

Ritz and Virgin Cruise CEOs Think Agents Will Benefit From Brand Clout

As they ramp up their outreach to travel advisors, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Virgin Voyages are both presenting themselves as new and different options for luxury clients. They say this means agents will be able to sell cruises to those who don't normally cruise, but who are intrigued by the brands.

Why Luxury Companies Need to Pay Attention to the Newly Wealthy

Just as a gold digger goes after an older mate with deep pockets, so the luxury market has traditionally kept a focus on the mature top 5 percent. But as the world of wealth evolves, companies need to broaden their horizons to consider the new and younger groups that are becoming eligible for elite status.

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