More Momentum Building on Subscription Services in Travel, Will It Help Post-Pandemic?

The pandemic has changed consumer behavior in several ways, helping to fuel scattered experiments with subscription-based travel products. Hotel groups, car rental brands, tour operators, upgrade services, lifestyle membership clubs, and other travel companies are testing whether people are willing to treat travel like a Netflix or HelloFresh account, where temporary, on-demand access is more appealing than paying full prices upfront. Exhibit A is CitizenM, the Amsterdam-based brand with 21 properties worldwide that debuted this month two subscription plans. Its "global passport" offers travelers the chance to buy a block of nightly stays at any property at a discounted rate of $50 (€50) a night. Stays must last between 7 and 30 consecutive nights, and travelers must apply to be one of the roughly 1,000 participants. CitizenM's new corporate subscription offers flexible use of hotel facilities beyond the guest rooms. A business traveler can work in any lobby, reserve a meeting roo