True hospitality and value should not fall victim to the financial crunch.
Following this mantra, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts launched The Big Welcome, a large-scale global initiative to introduce the more generously enhanced Hyatt Gold Passport guest-loyalty programme.
For more impact, Hyatt is also staging a 10,000 free nights sweepstakes and unprecedented 365-night giveaway – in three regions worldwide – for a total of 31,095 free Hyatt nights.
“Extraordinary times call for an extraordinary promotion,” says Grahame Carder, vice-president, marketing, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, international operations, told Business Traveller. “The Big Welcome? is generous, welcoming and allows guests to feel good about travelling ?again.
“It will allow them to relax and enjoy our authentic hospitality at? Hyatt hotels worldwide, and let them experience the benefits of Gold? Passport membership.??”
The Big Welcome contest asks the question: “How would you spend 365 free nights at Hyatt to crate an unforgettable experience? Participants will have to submit a 250-word essay describing how they would do that. Essays will be awarded a maximum of 40 points for originality; 40 points for creativity; 10 points for incorporation of Hyatt brand attributes; and 10 points for organization/clarity and grammar. To help illustrate their story, entrants can submit a video, audio, photo or an original drawing to earn up to five bonus contest points.
Three people (one person per region: North America, Europe and Asia) will win 365 free nights at any Hyatt hotel around the world and stay for any reason be it a family reunion or wedding or what have you. Stays are valid through June 30, 2014, and winners will also receive 1 million frequent flyer airline miles to be applied to a Hyatt Gold Passport travel partner.
To enter the contest, participants can visit www.TheBigWelcome.com, enter their Hyatt Gold Passport number or enroll in the free Hyat Gold Passport programme. Entries must be submitted no later than May 13, 2009.
All entries in the preliminary round will be judged by a Hyatt agency personnel and up to 20 entries will advance to the semi-final round where visitors to the BigWelcome will then select the top five entries through online voting. The final Grand Prize winners will be announced around June 12, 2009. One Grand Prize winner will be selected per region.
There’s more – 30,000 people (10,000 per region) will be awarded one Hyatt Gold Passport Free Night Award (valid through June 30, 2010) at any Hyatt hotel worldwide of the winner’s choice). Selection will be at random from all eligible entries received during the promotional time from now until May 13, 2009).
To enter, participants can visit TheBigWelcome.com, enter their Hyatt Gold Passport number and enroll in the free Hyatt Gold Passport programme.
Sweepstakes daily prize winners will be notified by email one day after being seleted and the prize will be credited to their Hyatt Gold Passport Account within four to five business days after the confirmation email is received.
Contestants must enter the contest and sweepstakes separately in order to participate in both competitions.
Says Carder: “The real benefit (of the loyalty programme’s relaunch) is the service and recognition of our most valuable and loyal customers, Gold Passport members. The relaunch includes extensive internal training, to ensure? the service is delivered; and our guests can focus on the? essential pleasures of travel – pampering and relaxation and good-old fashioned relaxation.”
For more details, visit www.GoldPassport.com
Margie T Logarta
