Best Western global loyalty program upgrade - no points expiry

Loyalty first: Best Western Rewards® introduces global program upgrade
New membership tiers and lifetime loyalty points for Best Western Rewards members

Best Western Rewards, the award-winning loyalty program for Best Western Hotels & Resorts (BW), has introduced two new membership tiers and removed points expiry, becoming the only major hotel chain to offer points with a lifetime spend.

Steve Richards, Best Western Australasia's Head of Commercial said the changes are part of Best Western's commitment to introducing a better service and more recognition for its most valued guests.

"Best Western Rewards is a truly global rewards program offering more benefits than ever before. The fact that points no longer expire is a big deal for guests, regardless of whether they've stayed at a Best Western hotel within 12 months or two years. What this means is Best Western Rewards members can now keep all their accumulated points and redeem these for holidays or gift cards whenever they want," Mr Richards said.

With 25 million members worldwide, Best Western Rewards now has five membership tiers: Blue, the standard entry tier; the new Gold status, for guests who stay with Best Western at least 10 nights a year; Platinum, for members who stay 15 nights a year; Diamond, for members who stay 30 nights a year, and the new Diamond Select for 50+ nights a year.

Guests who achieve Diamond Select status, now the top tier in the Best Western Rewards program, will receive a 50 per cent point bonus, room upgrades and a welcome gift on check-in.

"We see Diamond Select status being most lucrative for our business travellers. These are guests who are staying frequently at Best Western hotels and rapidly accumulating points as part of their working week," Mr Richards continued.

Best Western Rewards points can be earned from stays across Best Western's six brands: Best Western, Best Western PLUS, Best Western PLUS Executive Residency, Best Western PREMIER, the BW Premier Collection and GLō.

"All Platinum, Diamond and Diamond Select members receive a welcome gift on check-in at any of Best Western's 4,000 hotels worldwide. This is part of an ongoing strategy to introduce more member benefits so our most loyal guests can earn rewards faster than before," Mr Richards said.

In 2014 and 2015, Best Western Rewards was named the top loyalty program by Loyalty360, one of the top three hotel loyalty programs by U.S. News & World Report, and received the American Express Loyalty Award. It was also awarded the Asia Pacific region's up and coming loyalty program in the 2015 Freddie Awards.

Joining Best Western Rewards is free: go to www.bestwestern.com/rewards to sign up to the program.

About Best Western Hotels & Resorts

Best Western Hotels & Resorts is headquartered in Phoenix Arizona, U.S., with over 4,000 hotels in 100 countries worldwide. Best Western Australasia is a third-party organisation and licensee of Best Western Hotels & Resorts, with 160 independently owned and managed Best Western hotels across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Best Western's family of brands caters for all travel styles with Best Western, Best Western PLUS, Best Western PLUS Executive Residency, Best Western PREMIER, the BW Premier Collection and GLō. More than 25 million travellers are members of the award-winning loyalty program, Best Western Rewards®.

On 30 September 2015, Best Western Hotels & Resorts announced a global brand transformation. Visit www.bestwestern.com.au to learn more or find Best Western Australasia on Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.