Best Western re-launches loyalty programme

Best Western Hotels today announced the relaunch its Gold Crown Club International (GCCI) loyalty programme under the brand of Best Western Rewards, and will offer significantly improved incentives and rewards under the new scheme.

Elements of the Best Western Rewards rebrand will be rolled out internationally, however, David Clarke, CEO of Best Western Hotels GB, claims that Best Western’s British hotels will be at the vanguard of the scheme aimed at providing its members with one of the most competitive incentive schemes currently available.

Mr Clarke said; “Several market commentators and a number of pieces of research recently published suggest that loyalty schemes will increase in popularity during the tough trading conditions expected in 2009. When we first launched Gold Crown Club International it was vibrant and innovative, and delivered great results for us and excellent benefits for our customers. The new Best Western Rewards loyalty scheme puts Best Western right back at the top of the tree, and particularly in the way that our loyal customers can more quickly redeem their points against benefits.”

The GCCI scheme has proved very popular with over 170,000 members in the UK and more than 8 million world-wide. All existing members will be automatically transferred to Best Western Rewards from 2nd February. As well as branded items such as membership cards, web-pages and point of sale, Best Western Rewards will offer significantly better incentives than the old scheme.

When Best Western Reward members make their next stay at a Best Western hotel they will be able to enjoy new membership services and higher points earning potential, including earning points on promotional rates and additional services for elite tier members. They will also benefit from the new list of rewards from that date.

“One of the major changes customers will see is consistency of the available services and incentives across our member hotels,” said Mr Clarke. “Even though all our hotels are independently owned and managed with freedom to personalise their service, they have all bought in to Best Western Rewards so that all our GB hotels will now offer the complete range of services.”

Some of the incentives added by Best Western Hotels GB to its new reward programme include; Experience days (driving, flying, paintballing, shooting, photography or dining), Charitable Donations (to Save the Children) and Shopping Vouchers (from Currys/PC World, Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and Austin Reed), as well as the existing rewards; Travel Card, Amazon.co.uk vouchers, Fine Wines and Global Free Nights.

Key partnerships redeeming and awarding points include AVIS worldwide offering Best Western Rewards members up to 30% discount on rates when renting a car at AVIS, 1,000 points per paid car rental and the ability to redeem points for car rental in Europe.
Mr Clarke concluded; “Best Western Rewards puts our GB offering on a level with any other GB hotel operator and well ahead of most. As it is rolled out internationally members will benefit from a range of offers, and can earn points from every one of Best Western’s 4,000 plus hotels, each of which offers the kind of personalised service you would expect from a brand where independence means more.”

For more information, log on to Bestwestern.co.uk.