Take Skift
Today’s podcast covers who’s winning the race for hotel guest loyalty, who VRBO is targeting with its latest ads, and how Visit Florida’s website change will impact the company’s relationship with the LGBTQ community.
Rashaad Jordan, Skift
Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, August 22, 2024, and here’s everything you need to know about the travel business today.
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Episode Notes
The world’s largest hotel groups have made great strides in attracting guests to their loyalty programs in recent years. But which has the biggest loyalty program? Sean O’Neill, senior hospitality editor, answers the question.
Marriott has the most members in its loyalty program, with more than 210 million members as of June 30. Hilton, IHG and Wyndham take the next three spots, each with more than 100 million members. Skift reported earlier this year that Hilton has been growing its loyalty program faster than Marriott, which could lead to Hilton overtaking Marriott’s membership numbers next year.
Next, Expedia’s short-term rental platform Vrbo is pitching itself as a stress-free alternative to rivals like Airbnb in its latest campaign, writes reporter James Farrell.
Vrbo’s new campaign revolves around the tagline “Relax, you’re a Vrbo host.” Although none of Vrbo’s ads directly mention Airbnb, Farrell notes that Vrbo is taking a covert swipe at its biggest rival, explaining the big differences between the two platforms — like Vrbo’s tendency to attract long-term guests and its fledgling OneKey rewards program. Airbnb is considered an underdog in the hotel industry due to its lack of a loyalty program.
A Vrbo ad showing a man and boy relaxing in a fishing boat invites hosts to “sit back and attract repeat guests to their properties.”
Finally, Visit Florida has removed an LGBTQ travel page from its website. Global tourism reporter Dawit Habtemariam examines the impact of this move.
The site offered information on LGBTQ-friendly beaches, destinations, businesses and museums. Habtemariam points out that Visit Florida’s decision could further damage relations with LGBTQ travelers, two years after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law that critics dubbed “Don’t Say Gay.”
Former Visit St. Pete-Clearwater CEO David Downing said the DMO used to have strong marketing efforts with the LGBTQ community. Other destination marketing organizations in Florida have created similar pages on their websites for LGBTQ travelers.
For more travel stories and in-depth insights into the latest trends, visit skift.com.
