Travel Passions and Local Behaviors are Reshaping Hotel Loyalty Across Asia Pacific Excluding China, New Marriott Bonvoy Report Finds

New Loyalty Trends Report 2026 by Marriott Bonvoy shows loyalty engagement is increasingly driven by travel priorities, everyday value and market-specific behaviors.

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SINGAPORE, May 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Loyalty engagement across Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC) is entering a more complex and mature phase. The new Loyalty Trends Report 2026 by Marriott Bonvoy finds that while 89% of travelers across APEC participate in at least one loyalty program, how they engage is no longer uniform. Instead, engagement is shaped by a combination of travel priorities, everyday value expectations, and distinct local market dynamics, signaling a clear shift away from one-size-fits-all loyalty models.

Travel Passions Shape Loyalty Engagement

Findings from the trend report indicate that travel passions are the strongest indicator of loyalty engagement. How travelers earn, redeem and value loyalty benefits varies most by what they travel for, indicating that successful loyalty design needs more breadth and depth to serve different interests across diverse markets.

The report identified the top five travel priorities across APEC: Food & Dining, Nature/ Sightseeing, Shopping, Cultural Immersion and Recharge & Disconnect.

Food & Dining emerges as the most powerful driver of travel and hotel loyalty, with 63% of APEC travelers prioritizing culinary experiences when planning their trips. Food & Dining travelers show especially clear loyalty behavior: they are more likely to earn through food-related activity and redeem for F&B indulgences, making food one of the most powerful and scalable levers for hotel loyalty engagement.

Recharge & Disconnect travelers are the largest opportunity group for hotel loyalty growth. While less likely than some other traveler groups to be enrolled in hotel loyalty programs, they are highly engaged once they are past property doors. They are more likely to stay at hotels, resorts and villas with a partner, and earn hotel loyalty points through stays, F&B and spas, indicating that for Recharge & Disconnect travelers, properties are the destinations.

Hotel Loyalty Sits at the Heart of Travel Loyalty

Hotel loyalty programs are the most widely participated loyalty category across APEC, engaging 66% of travelers – ahead of airlines, retail and dining programs. Membership retention is strong, with most travelers staying enrolled for more than two years – signaling that hotel loyalty continues to anchor travelers' relationship with brands.

Immediate, Everyday Value Matters Most

A clear baseline expectation cuts across APEC: everyday earning is non-negotiable. The ability to earn points from everyday spend is the most important feature of a good loyalty program. Unlocking value through point redemptions vary: 77% of travelers use points for small rewards they can access right away, 61% for big-ticket items and 37% for exclusive experiences. These patterns suggest that loyalty success requires balancing aspirational rewards with practical value.

Partnerships Power Hotel Loyalty

Hotel loyalty programs plugged into a broader partnership ecosystem are more relevant. APEC travelers want more ways to earn and redeem points, with half calling for easier earning and spending options and more partner choices for redemptions. This suggests that hotel loyalty is strongest when it extends beyond stays into a broader, everyday ecosystem.

Hotel loyalty earning across APEC is driven primarily by stays at properties (57%) and co-branded credit card spends (53%), followed by food delivery and dining (48%) and retail and e-commerce partners (45%). This suggests that hotel loyalty grows best when programs align with travel and everyday spend.

On the redemption side, travelers most often use hotel loyalty points for property upgrades (58%), small F&B indulgences (57%) and practical travel perks (51%), indicating members value rewards that enhance travel experience.

Three Distinct Loyalty Mindsets In APEC

While loyalty participation is widespread across APEC, the meaning, mechanics and motivations of loyalty vary significantly by market. The report identifies three distinct loyalty mindsets in APEC markets, each with different expectations of hotel loyalty programs.

• Loyalty Strategists: Japan and South Korea 

In these mature markets, loyalty behaviors are highly deliberate, rational, and optimized. Travelers in these markets engage with loyalty programs as strategic tools—maximizing value through disciplined earning, frequent use of co‑branded cards or stay‑based accrual, and practical redemptions such as F&B or cost offsets. For these travelers, consistency of loyalty programs build trust, and engagement with various programs is deliberately curated.

• Value Optimizers: Singapore, Australia and Thailand 

Value Optimizers sit at the pragmatic center of the loyalty spectrum. Travelers in these markets are active but selective, engaging with loyalty when it clearly improves trip value, flexibility or efficiency. They respond strongly to direct booking incentives, milestone bonuses, upgrades, and practical perks such as late checkout or room enhancements. They are more attracted to hotel loyalty programs that provide tangible enhancements to their travel experience or deliver visible savings.

• Experience Seekers: India, Indonesia and Vietnam

These high-growth markets engage with loyalty both emotionally and transactionally, with travelers showing stronger interest in partnership ecosystems, exclusivity, status and memorable experiences. In these markets, loyalty serves not only as a savings mechanism but also as a gateway to aspiration and discovery. These markets also show rising affluence and represent the region's strongest growth engine.

Together, the emergence of these loyalty types reinforces a central finding of the report: loyalty growth in APEC will not be driven by a single regional playbook. "Hotel loyalty programs must evolve into adaptive ecosystems that grow with travelers, rather than simply around them. In a region as diverse and fast-moving as APEC, brands that deeply understand local behaviors and cultural nuances will move beyond scale to earn lasting relevance and advocacy. At Marriott Bonvoy, we are bringing this to life through the strength of our extensive portfolio, hyperlocal partnerships, and curated experiences such as Marriott Bonvoy Moments," says John Toomey, Chief Commercial Officer, Asia Pacific excluding China, Marriott International.

Download the full Loyalty Trends Report 2026 by Marriott Bonvoy here, and APEC Market reports here.

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About the Report

The Loyalty Trend Report 2026 by Marriott Bonvoy is based on a quantitative survey of 1,731 travelers across Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. The sample includes middle, high and affluent income travelers who have traveled at least once in the past year for leisure or business. The research was conducted by Kantar and supplemented by desktop research from publicly available trusted sources.

About Marriott Bonvoy®

Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International's award-winning travel platform, connects travelers to the people, places, and passions they love through an extraordinary collection of hotels and experiences worldwide. The platform features over 30 hotel brands and 10,000 destinations, including the largest collection of luxury offerings, distinctive boutique properties, premium home rentals, and more, providing renowned hospitality across the globe. With unrivaled access to the best in entertainment, culinary, sports, outdoor adventure, arts, culture, and more, Marriott Bonvoy offers transformative travel experiences that leave a lasting impression.

Marriott Bonvoy membership is free and unlocks unique benefits including the ability to earn points through travel and everyday activities, like purchases with co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem their points for free stays, experiences and more. Visit marriottbonvoy.com for more information and download the Marriott Bonvoy app here. Travelers can connect with Marriott Bonvoy on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook.

SOURCE Marriott International