After 20 years in existence, Best Western’s bonus program Gold Crown Club International will be renamed to Best Western Rewards. The customer club of the world’s largest hotel chain, counting around 10 million members, is among the most popular customer retention programs in the hotel industry.
Ten million members – 20 successful years of customer retention: The globally represented hotel group Best Western has an impressive success rate to show for. On the occasion of its birthday, their bonus program is now being renamed to “Best Western Rewards”.
The loyalty program, offered by more than 4,000 Best Western hotels worldwide, has been repeatedly declared among the most popular hotel bonus programs in Germany. “Our customer program has been successfully established over the last 20 years and our guests appreciate the fact that they can gain bonus points in over 4,000 hotels and turn them in for attractive premiums. We will continue the success story of our customer club with the new, more accessible name of “Best Western Rewards”, explains Olaf Reimann, European Director of Best Western Rewards, who is seeing to the management of the bonus program in Europe from within Eschborn. “After 20 successful years, we want to present ourselves to our faithful members with a fresh appearance and a new name for our bonus program. Nothing else will change – our guests will enjoy the same exclusive benefits of Gold Crown Club International”, Reimann said.
“Best Western Rewards’ attractiveness among our guests has increased significantly over the past years. Our guests appreciate the additional, exclusive services and have developed a strong brand loyalty towards Best Western. Members of our loyalty club currently account for nearly ten percent of all hotel stays worldwide”, Reimann states. Around 17 percent of members of Best Western Rewards are so-called elite members and own platinum and diamond cards. These frequent travelers enjoy special treatment by the hotel group, since they are one of the most attractive target groups. “Many of our members are very brand loyal and stay in our hotels for up to 200 nights annually. Oftentimes, such guests know our hotels better than their own home”, says Reimann.
Best Western Rewards: Earning points while sleeping
Best Western Rewards currently has over ten million members and is one of the largest bonus programs in the travel industry. The loyalty program, established in 1988 and free of charge for members, allows guests to collect bonus points in Best Western hotels that they can later exchange for attractive premiums. For every ten stays, on average, guests are rewarded with one free stay at over 4,000 Best Western hotels worldwide. Members of Best Western Rewards with over 15 stays per year are given the status of platinum member, guests with more than 30 stays a year are given the diamond status. Owners of platinum and diamond cards, elite members of Best Western, have the benefits of additional bonus points and services. Participants of Best Western Rewards can collect points or exchange them for premiums at many partner companies. The international cooperating partners of Best Western Rewards in the air transportation industry include more than 25 airlines, such as Air Berlin, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Alitalia Airlines, American Airlines, America West, Asiana Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Continental Airlines, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Airlines, LanChile, Lufthansa, Northwest Airlines, TAM, Thai Airways and United Airlines. Further cooperating companies that Best Western Rewards accounts can be filled up at include car rental service AVIS, American Express and Diners Club International.
With over 4,000 hotels in around 80 countries, Best Western is the world’s largest hotel chain. Best Western Hotels Deutschland, based in Eschborn, is in charge of more than 170 individual and corporate independent hotels in Germany and Luxemburg.
Our image shows the newly elected board of directors of Best Western International (from left to right): sitting: Bonnie McPeake, David Francis, P.G. West; standing: Beth Campbell, Roman Jaworowicz, Ray Johnston, Charles Helm
