The viability of the journey subscription mannequin took a step ahead this week when Paris-based Accor — the biggest European hotelier and the proprietor of manufacturers like Sofitel and Fairmont — rolled out a worldwide plan known as ALL Plus aimed toward vacationers who hunt down finances accommodations, in addition to those that flock to upscale properties.
Usually, journey loyalty applications require members to remain nights, fly miles and spend cash with a purpose to transfer up the meals chain. However, a journey subscription works beneath the “pay for perks” mannequin: Users pay a price to get a number of of the advantages normally reserved for sure loyalty program tiers.
One of the best-known examples up to now is InterContinental Ambassador. Members pay $200 yearly for advantages reminiscent of room upgrades, meals and beverage credit, a complimentary weekend night time keep at InterContinental properties and Platinum Elite standing in IHG One Rewards for stays at different IHG accommodations.
But will Accor’s new enterprise transfer the needle for vacationers who haven’t tried out the French resort firm earlier than? Company leaders don’t assume this program is solely for vacationers who dwell in Europe or South America (though Accor has extra accommodations in these areas than within the U.S.).
“It’s not a country of origin-centric product. It’s a destination-centric product,” stated Maxime Gareau, vice chairman of membership growth at Accor. “It makes sense for anyone that is traveling in the region where we have the most hotels given the brands that are integrated into it.”
ALL Plus and its new categories
Accor views its program as a loyalty accelerator fueling its Accor Live Limitless loyalty program. It divides the subscription offering, ALL Plus, into two categories that officially go into effect later this month.
ALL Plus Voyageur, the higher-end offering, provides members with a 20% discount across 10 of Accor’s luxury and premium hotel brands, as well as a 15% discount at nine of the company’s midscale and economy brands. ALL Plus Voyageur costs members 199 euros (about $210).
Brands included in ALL Plus Voyaguer are:
- Luxury: Sofitel, SO/ and Sofitel LEGEND.
- Premium: MGallery, 21c Museum Hotels, Mondrian, Pullman, Mövenpick, Grand Mercure and The Sebel.
- Midscale: Novotel, Mercure, Adagio and Tribe.
- Economy: Ibis Styles, Ibis and Ibis budget.
The company targets economy travelers with the ALL Plus Ibis card, which offers a 15% discount at Accor’s Ibis family of economy hotel brands. This membership tier costs 99 euros (about $105).
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It’s worth noting that only 19 of Accor’s more than 40 brands are participating in ALL Plus at launch. Some of the company’s best-known brands — such as Fairmont, Raffles and The Hoxton — aren’t included.
While Accor has had region-specific subscription offerings for some time, this is the first time the company is offering it on a global scale. The new cards will work at 4,000 hotels across 100 countries. Other benefits of the new ALL Plus cards include priority booking at fully booked hotels and at least Silver status within the ALL loyalty program.
Unlike other subscription models or status match programs, ALL Plus will give members qualifying nights — hence why this is called a loyalty accelerator. Members higher up the ALL loyalty tier can use those nights to bump up to a higher tier. ALL Plus Voyageur members will receive 20 qualifying nights, while ALL Plus Ibis members will receive 10.
“We really wanted to develop this instead of a status match because it makes everybody happy,” Gareau stated. “It’s to help those who are already Silver, and it will help those who are just discovering the program.”
Is it value it?
Accor’s Silver standing by itself isn’t going to drag in savvy factors and miles vacationers as a result of its advantages are fairly commonplace entry-level fare: a welcome drink, late checkout and precedence check-in.
However, assured room availability two days earlier than check-in, even at totally booked accommodations, is a Platinum-level profit from ALL; it is provided with each ALL Plus Voyageur and ALL Plus Ibis, in order that’s a robust profit to the brand new program.
As talked about, this system skews extra towards Accor manufacturers with a big presence outdoors the U.S. So, you most likely will not recurrently make the most of ALL Plus until you spend vital quantities of time in Europe and South America.
But 21c Museum Hotels, Mondrian and Sofitel every have a number of U.S. places, whereas Novotel and Pullman have a smaller presence right here.
Though some vacationers may gravitate to InterContinental Ambassador over ALL Plus because of the greater standing degree with IHG One Rewards, a free weekend night time and a higher diploma of IHG presence within the U.S.
Still, ALL Plus is a robust promote for vacationers, because it options so many extra manufacturers than the Ambassador program.
“We are pretty happy with the coverage we have, and it was quite a challenge,” Gareau stated. “We only own 2% of our hotels, so we did convince a lot of hotels and brands because the rationale is really great for both hotels and customers.”
ALL Plus may very well be helpful to vacationers who’ve longer journeys deliberate for Europe, Latin America or South America. It’s additionally value contemplating if you wish to discover a number of the model’s choices and instantly get loyalty perks.
The subscription’s mounted reductions are a robust promoting level, though all vacationers can get a 2% to 10% low cost on stays, relying on the property, simply by signing up for Accor’s loyalty program.
A four-night keep subsequent month at Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo in Panama, considered one of TPG’s most-anticipated accommodations of 2023, would go for $1,180.80 for an oceanview king room. With the ALL Plus Voyageur 20% low cost on the perfect each day charge, a member solely pays $944.64. That $236.16 in financial savings already exceeds the membership price.
It’s not a nasty option to nab a reduction throughout King Charles III’s coronation in May utilizing the ALL Plus Ibis card. A keep on the Ibis London City – Shoreditch runs $266.61 an evening for an extended weekend keep from May 4-7. However, an ALL Plus Ibis member would solely pay $226.62 an evening. That is sort of $120 in financial savings after three nights, so it greater than makes up for the ALL Plus Ibis membership price in a single keep.
It’s additionally value noting that many Ibis accommodations are pet-friendly, so ALL Plus Ibis is an effective possibility for those who’re touring with a four-legged companion.
Bottom line
The membership is a no brainer for those who’re a frequent Accor visitor trying to vault up the ALL loyalty tiers. If you acquire each the Voyageur and Ibis playing cards from ALL Plus, that’s 30 standing nights to go towards constructing loyalty, in response to Gareau. Combining each ALL Plus playing cards is sufficient to unlock Gold standing, which incorporates room upgrades and both early check-in or late checkout.
U.S. vacationers aren’t more likely to see a lot day-to-day worth from ALL Plus. Still, it is value contemplating if in case you have an upcoming journey to a rustic the place Accor dominates the resort scene or if there’s an Accor resort you’ve been keen to go to. The price financial savings of a single keep may make shopping for into ALL Plus value it.
Keep an eye fixed on the ALL Plus reductions, although. While the 20% Voyageur low cost on luxurious and premium accommodations could appear to be loads, you already get as a lot as 10% off a charge simply by being a nonpaying ALL member. Do the mathematics, go searching for added promotions and reductions, and see what finally ends up working greatest for you.