Marriott Leans Into Superapps to Build Up Loyalty

Marriott International will apply lessons learned from its Alibaba joint venture in China to boost numbers for its Bonvoy loyalty program elsewhere, because local knowledge goes a long way.

The pandemic forced hotel groups to get creative when it comes to keeping their loyalty programs relevant, and the superapp could be the star when it comes to tapping local markets for a domestic recovery.

"It's a very powerful model," said Peggy Fang Roe, global officer of customer experience, loyalty and new ventures for Marriott International.

Speaking at Skift's Loyalty and Subscription Summit on Wednesday, she added: "We tested this with Alibaba because it was an ecosystem partner, we could find a win-win with them. They're in many different business, travel being just one of them. We were able to bring something to them that they were looking to expand on, and they have a built-in member base."