Members of Goldpointsplus in Europe, the Middle East and Africa can now get a range of extra benefits thanks to a major revamp of Carlson Hotel’s loyalty programme.
The group – whose brands include Regent, Radisson SAS, Park Plaza and Park Inn – has amalgamated its loyalty schemes for the US and EMEA regions to provide global consistency, and introduced a host of new features.
Goldpointsplus members can now earn and redeem points at any of the group’s hotels worldwide, including Radisson Edwardian and Regent properties. Furthermore, redeeming points in the US will now be possible online, instead of involving a complex system of advance booking and vouchers.
Members are now also guaranteed recognition at any of the group’s properties worldwide, including the US. John Kennedy, vice-president of marketing at Rezidor, said: “In the past, EMEA members would get recognition in the region, but when they went to the US it was a case of ‘fingers crossed’. We want to make sure that wherever you are you get the same treatment.”
To mark the relaunch of the scheme, the number of Goldpoints available per spend has been stepped up. Guests at Park Inn will now receive 15 points per E20 (instead of 10), while Silver members of the scheme will get a 25 per cent bonus (up from 15 per cent) and Gold members will receive a 50 per cent bonus (up from 25 per cent). In addition, as part of a special promotion called “Five for Five” members can earn up to 5,000 bonus points with every fifth night at any Carlson hotel until January 31, 2008. And finally, booking online will now earn you an extra 500 points.
Other new features include the ability to automatically convert Goldpoints into miles with the scheme’s 23 airline partners and the option of combining Goldpoints with cash at redemption. And from January, members will also be able to make a straight exchange of points for cash, in the form of pre-paid Visa cards.
For more information visit goldpointsplus.com.
Report by Lucy Fitzgeorge Parker
