Call us Loyal: We’re in it to win

Call us Loyal: We’re in it to win

Savvy Kiwis love loyalty programs

• New research reveals 82 per cent of New Zealanders are fans of rewards programs

• 53 per cent of New Zealanders belong to at least one travel loyalty program

New Zealanders are passionate about making their hard-earned dollars go further, with new research out today revealing 82 per cent are fans of reward programs and 44 per cent of respondents highlighting travel rewards as most valuable.

Half the population (53%) says they are currently using travel loyalty programs in a bid to make their travel dreams a reality, with an estimated 8.2 million travel loyalty memberships registered across the country[1].

Conducted by Expedia.co.nz, following the launch of its new loyalty program, Expedia+, the study found a large portion of New Zealanders (67%) turn to travel loyalty programs to make travel more affordable. In fact, many believe travel loyalty programs make saving for holidays easier (62%), and are more likely to book a trip when they are able to use their rewards (56%)

The report also found just over half (57%) of New Zealanders use multiple programs at once, such as credit cards and frequent flyers, to make their travel adventures possible. And, this approach seems to be working for keen travellers, with almost a third (29%) claiming to have redeemed a reward from a travel loyalty program more than twice.

Interestingly, the research revealed Kiwis’ desire for value grows with age. Two in five (39%) 18-24 year olds are signed up for travel rewards, 57% aged 25-34 and 35-44 respectively, and 59% for those aged 45-54.

Commenting on the love of travel loyalty programs in New Zealand, Expedia travel expert, Kelly Cull says, “Kiwis are crazy about travel loyalty programs and it’s really no wonder. We love travelling and are looking for ways to make it easier and more affordable to get out there more often.

“We are excited to launch Expedia+ as we think Kiwis will love the fact they can ‘Triple-Dip’ with their other loyalty programs. Our customers will be able to earn Expedia+ points when they book flights, hotels, packages, hire cars and more on Expedia.co.nz, while still earning points on other programs like their credit card and frequent flyers. It’s a win win win!”

Drilling down into what New Zealanders value most about travel loyalty, the majority (75%) see having no restrictions on redeeming rewards (such as travel blackout periods) as a prized perk, whilst a further two thirds (66%) also believe the ability to earn points in a variety of ways is an attractive benefit.

For more information on Expedia+, visit: https://www.expedia.co.nz/rewards/howitworks

[1] Based on the average number of travel loyalty cards owned per person according to Expedia research, multiplied by the New Zealand population aged 20+ as at December 2014, according to stats.govt.nz.

ENDS

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