Business of Loyalty: Hyatt Intends to Expand Program to Vacation Rentals


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It may soon be possible through Hyatt to earn hotel-loyalty program elite status by staying in a vacation rental.

World of Hyatt, the loyalty program from Chicago-based Hyatt hotels, is having a roller coaster year. Late in 2016, the program was completely overhauled to better award travelers who spend more rather than those who book more nights — a move that roiled some budget travelers. In May, Hyatt's head of loyalty stepped down. Only in September did the group finally appoint a new head of loyalty, Mark Vondrasek, the former lead from Starwood's Preferred Guest program. Despite the tumult, World of Hyatt has opened a lot of opportunities for Hyatt to experiment with new tools such as Member Experiences for guests. Now, the program may be expanding to include apartment rentals as part of the equation for earning loyalty points and status. The partnership comes through Oasis, a network of boutiq