There is nothing cheap about loyalty.
I wrote those words years ago while evoking Ryan Bingham and his manic pilgrimage through miles and tiers, and I still believe them today. Because the true loyalty currency is not plastic or points. Loyalty is, instead, measured in attention, presence, memory, and the feeling of being recognized.
Today, loyalty programs still generate revenue for the giants, yet guests inhabit a different state of mind. Simply put, they expect more than basic arithmetic; they crave the symbolic instead. And I am not using the word lightly. The term “symbol” comes from the Greek sýmbolon, from symbállō, meaning “to bring together,” and it once referred to a token broken into two halves, each kept by different people, that when reunited confirmed trust and belonging. Its opposite is the diábolos, from diabállō, “to throw apart,” the divider who scatters and fractures. In this sense, for too long, we trained travelers in a diabolical logic of labyrinthine rules and calculations, and then we wondered why they stopped listening. And our task is to move from diabállō to symbállō, from the arithmetic of division to the poetics of connection.
The fatigue of complexity
In the article I referenced above, I discussed dopamine and the mechanics of anticipation, as well as how programs that prioritize simplicity tend to work best. The simple fact of the matter is that comprehension itself IS a form of reward. Yet many loyalty programs can feel like a battlefield:
- Valuations have shifted.
- Expiration dates have tightened.
- The overabundance of loyalty-based emails in inboxes has dissolved into noise.
- Younger guests resist enrolling in programs that resemble contractual traps.
- And the middle-tier guests, those who will never attain elite status, view the free night as a mirage on the horizon rather than water in the glass, leaving them feeling disconnected and dissatisfied.
The ending result? Engagement declines, and along with it, your guests’ loyalty.
Ellis Connolly’s three truths about loyalty
In conversation with Ellis Connolly, Chief Revenue Officer at Laasie, three truths, or key principles, for building loyalty programs emerged:
1. Loyalty is an experience, not an infrastructure.
A child who finds their toys arranged with tenderness beside a hotel mascot may carry that legend for life, just as I remain loyal to a Manchester property that read my email about a Peter Hook & The Lights concert I was going to attend. The property placed a framed New Order album cover in the room — a trivial gesture in cost but immense in meaning.
2. Emotions scale through stories, not bureaucracy.
Independents and small collections hold an advantage here, because they can personalize guest experiences without asking operations to perform miracles at every check-in. Narrative-driven recognition builds emotional loyalty with guests that points alone simply cannot match.
3. Technology should expand choice, not enforce rules.
Optionality beats obedience. So, consider implementing experiences such as micro-rewards tied to the current reservation, visibly real member rates, velvet rope access to hidden experiences, and partner perks that begin before you enter the lobby. These all generate a living sense of value that deferred point accrual will never equal.
Designing recognition that works
Given these three truths above, where does the hotelier begin? Start by implementing these practical steps:
1. Prioritize first-party value, not first-party data.
Replace the buried newsletter box with an invitation that offers an immediate benefit for your loyal guests, such as a complimentary beverage on arrival or early access to an exclusive experience.
2. Offer choice and immediacy.
Let guests choose a simple reward at booking or before arrival, such as a quiet side of the building, a specially crafted drink inscribed with their name, or a private window to reserve for sunset on the rooftop. Design for the guest who comes twice (or even once) a year, not only for the obsessive elite, by shortening the gap between action and recognition.
3. Think beyond your hotel’s walls.
Let loyalty spill into the neighborhood and the city, with a gallery code, a chocolatier’s tasting, a drop-in at a studio; the kind of rewards that narrate the destination instead of discounting the bed.
From machinery to grace
Future loyalty programs should feel less like a contract and more like a living script. The moment a guest joins, instead of being asked to wait for months of accumulation, they should be offered a choice of immediate recognition or advance access to an exclusive experience. Gamifying journeys across locations can reveal brand-centric benefits . And leverage surroundings, such as having a pre-stocked fridge, a local market, or a partnership with local crafts. What matters is not the deferred tally but the collapsing of time between action and acknowledgment.
Conclusion
The most successful hotels of 2025 will treat recognition as a form of grace and offer fewer promises and (more importantly!) keep more of them. They will allow partners to widen the circle of value, and they will remember, as Ellis reminded me in our discussion, that the most persuasive reward is not a deferred future night, but the immediate proof that you were seen.
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