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Coronavirus: IHG, Hilton, Marriott offer membership and points extensions to Greater China members

24 Feb 2020 by Jackie Chen
Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland

Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), Hilton and Marriott International are all offering membership tier and points status extensions for their members from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan whose travel plans have been affected by the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak in the region.

IHG: IHG Rewards Club

IHG launched its status extension policy for its IHG Rewards Club members in the Greater China region on its official WeChat account on February 18.

According to the hotel group, eligible members refer to those whose account address was in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan as of February 17.

IHG said its Gold Elite, Platinum Elite and Spite Elite members now have their current membership tier extended by 12 months from December 31 this year until December 31, 2021.

It added that IHG Rewards Club points will not expire until December 31 this year as well. Normally, members will need to either redeem or earn more points within a 12-month period so as to make their points stay active in their account, according to the hotel group.

IHG said it will finish adjusting the validity period of the membership tier and points by February 29 this year, and eligible members do not need to apply for the extensions.

For those who signed up or renewed the hotel group’s Intercontinental Ambassador Programme from January 1 to June 30 last year, their membership status, which is valid for 12 months, will be extended by six months from their expiration date.

What’s more, if they haven’t used the “complimentary weekend night” voucher in their account, they’ll get a new voucher instead whose expiration date will be the same as that of their current membership status, while the old one will expire immediately.

Conrad Hangzhou

Hilton: Hilton Honors

Hilton also announced  extension details on its official WeChat account on Thursday.

According to the hotel group, all members of its loyalty programme Hilton Honors who have not reached the retaining standard in 2019 would have been downgraded on March 31 this year, but now they will be able to keep their current membership tier until March 31, 2021.

Meanwhile, for those who have successfully reached Hilton Honors’ elite membership (Silver, Gold and Diamond) retaining or promotion standards in 2019, their membership tier will be extended to March 31, 2022.

The hotel group added that effective immediately, points will not expire until December 31 this year for all Hilton Honors members from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Hilton said the above membership tier and points extension policies are only applicable to members whose “preferred address” in the profile was in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan as of February 19.

The hotel group added that it will adjust the validity period of the membership tier and points, which will be completed by March 31 this year. Eligible members do not need to apply for the membership tier and points extensions.

Hilton has also extended its rebooking and cancellation waiver for guests affected by the coronavirus outbreak until March 31 this year. This is applicable to both customers who have booked stays at any Hilton-branded property in Greater China and those from the Greater China region who have booked stays at any Hilton-branded hotel worldwide.

St. Regis Hong Kong - Verandah Pool & Bar

Marriott International: Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott International announced on Friday that it will also extend the elite membership tier status (Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite) of Marriott Bonvoy members from the Greater China region by 12 months from February 2020 to February 2021.

According to the hotel group, eligible members refer to those whose address in their profile was in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan as of February 1, 2020.

For members who have chosen the Suite Night Awards – which provides eligible members with a one-night, confirmable upgrade, to a Standard Suite or Select Premium Room – as their annual choice benefit set to expire by December 31 this year, the validity of the Suite Night Awards will also be extended until December 31, 2021. Those who have applied to redeem the awards but haven’t finished their stay can call the customer service centre to cancel the booking, and the awards will be re-issued to their membership account.

Members who have won complimentary stays through the Annual Choice Benefit programme or other campaigns that will expire this year can have the validity of their complimentary stays extended by 12 months from their current expiration date as well.

Members from the Greater China region who have points that will be expired by February 2021 will also enjoy a validity extension of their points to keep their membership account active.

The hotel group added that the system will be updated automatically and it expects all the adjustments to be finished by the end of April.

Marriott International has also extended the cancellation fee waiver for stays until March 31, for all guests with reservations in mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan, as well as for guests from mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan travelling outbound to other Marriott destinations globally.

Another major hotel group Hyatt also offers tier status and benefit extensions for its World of Hyatt members based in the Asia-Pacific region.

Business Traveller Asia-Pacific is updating a list of hotel groups that are waiving cancellation fees and offering more flexible rebooking policies amid concern over the spread of the coronavirus:

Coronavirus: Hotels offer refunds for cancellations

ihg.com / hilton.com / marriott.com

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