New Research from Alchemer and Global Hotel Alliance reveal the key strengths and weaknesses of guest loyalty programs on travel loyalty
Two new research reports highlight evolving travel priorities and the continuous rising relevance of loyalty programs for travelers. We reviewed these fresh research reports:
- Global research from Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), supported by independent agency Bond Brand Loyalty “What Travellers Want Most From Loyalty Programmes”
- New report from Alchemer “What 1,400 Guest Reviews Reveal About the Modern Hotel Experience”
The joint research from Global Hotel Alliance and supported by independent agency Bond Brand Loyalty, evaluated the responses of over 9,000 GHA DISCOVERY members globally, uncovering valuable insights into traveller preferences.
The study found that in 2026, travelers are more active in hotel loyalty programs than ever before, and their expectations are influencing how hotels design and deliver benefits. Key findings from the GHA report include:
- 87% of respondents would choose a hotel with a global loyalty program over a similar hotel without one.
- Generosity continues to be the most valued program attribute, cited by 48% of members.
- 60% cited the quality of hotels as the most appreciated aspect of the program.
This preference for hotels with a global loyalty program is particularly pronounced in India, where 93% of respondents indicated this view, as well as in Japan and Singapore, where 91% of members expressed the same.
“Loyalty programmes have evolved from a nice-to-have perk into a powerful driver of customer choice,” said Kristi Gole, EVP Strategy at Global Hotel Alliance. “They drive where customers stay and how they book, unlocking both incremental demand and more profitable distribution.”
The new report from Alchemer reveals key insights into hotel guest experiences. The report, which highlights the arrival experience, digital check-in, loyalty programs, amenities, and staff service, is based on an analysis of approximately 1,400 guest reviews across Hyatt, Hilton and IHG between March 2025 – March 2026.
A hotel stay is one of the few consumer experiences where gaps between expectations and reality are felt immediately and remembered long after checkout.
Travelers choose brands based on trust: trust that the room will be ready, that loyalty will be recognized, that the staff will care. The report shows 92 percent of guests read reviews before booking a hotel. Predisposed trust spawned from brand loyalty is reinforced from these guest revies. When the expectations set through both data sets holds, guests come back and often say so publicly.
When trust breaks, they leave a review too. 48 percent of guests leave a review after a bad experience, so those reviews are quite revealing.
Alchemer pulled reviews from Google, Booking.com, and Hotels.com. Alchemer noted the findings represent patterns observed across this dataset and do not constitute Alchemer’s endorsement of or position on any specific brand, property, or business practice.
While the data is specific to these three brands, the lessons apply across the entire hospitality industry. The patterns in this data reflect challenges and opportunities that are universal, regardless of brand, size, or market. You can read the full report here.
Key findings across the five categories:
- IHG comes out on top in all five categories. Reviews indicate strong operational consistency as guests frequently highlight reliable, predictable experiences across properties.
- Hilton is next in all categories except for loyalty programs. Reviews highlight service responsiveness, attentive staff, and timely issue resolution, reinforcing Hilton’s reputation for dependable service.
- Hyatt reviews reveal that elevated experiences drive guest satisfaction. Guests consistently note high-quality, personalized interactions and premium service that differentiate the brand.
- Across all brands, one theme dominates: staff behavior drives more guest sentiment than any other factor.
- Loyalty programs generate the most emotionally charged reviews and the widest variation between brands.
Key drivers of guest stay experiences include:
- The arrival experience
- The efficiency of Digital Check-in
- Expectations set through hospitality loyalty programs
- The availability and pertinence of Amenities
- The Quality of Staff Service
Of all the categories in the analysis, loyalty programs were shown to generate the most emotionally charged reviews — and the widest variation between brands. That’s partly because loyalty programs carry an implicit contract: stay with us, and we’ll take care of you.
Lack of consistency in operational delivery and point dilution through dynamic pricing were the top cited points of disappointment with guests. Perceived value from loyalty programs was weakened when staff made members feel like they had to justify their status and also when benefits that seemed appealing on paper did not translate into value in practice.