The New Paradigm of Hotel Growth

The hospitality industry has changed. After two years of record-breaking tourism numbers, the summer of 2025 marked a turning point. Profitability can no longer depend solely on volume. Today, sustainable growth requires redesigning the guest experience and rethinking loyalty as a strategic engine.

In our latest webinar with Hospitalidad Emprendedora, we explored how hotel loyalty can become a key lever to increase revenue, reduce CAC (customer acquisition cost) and activate true sustainability: economic, social, and environmental.

Book Demo

“A loyal guest is up to 5× more profitable than a first-time customer, yet most hotels still rely on one-off stays for 70% of their revenue.” Source: McKinsey Travel Consumer Report

The Current Landscape: Key Challenges in the Hotel Sector

Profitability on Hold: After a booming period, hotel indicators now show stabilisation or even decline. Global economic uncertainty is affecting travellers’ spending and planning capacity.
Generational Shift: Generations Z and Millennials already dominate the travel market, but they expect personalised experiences, intuitive digital channels, and brands that align with their values. Traditional brand loyalty no longer works.
Technology Gap: The speed of innovation (AI, blockchain, APIs) is outpacing the ability of many hotels to adapt. Technology is often perceived as complex, expensive, or disconnected from everyday operations.

Why Loyalty Matters (Even More) Today

A satisfied guest may not return, but they can recommend. In destinations with low repeat rates, loyalty isn’t about making guests come back; it’s about converting each visitor into an ambassador. And that only happens when the experience exceeds expectations.

Key Insight: 65% of users who receive a non-monetary reward in-destination (a drink, exclusive access, a local experience) make additional purchases during their stay.

Keys to an Effective Hotel Loyalty Strategy

Know Your Guest — Truly

Analyse booking, consumption and digital behaviour data
Identify patterns by segment, seasonality and channel
Rely on partners who can help you interpret emerging trends

Example: A rise in Polish travellers along the Catalan coast opened opportunities for hotels to adjust menus, language and communication strategy.

2. Design Memorable and Shareable Experiences

Prioritise experiential benefits over discounts
Offer rewards that can be gifted, recommendations = acquisition
Build local partnerships to extend the guest experience beyond the hotel

3. Integrate Flexible, Connected Technology

Solutions like PERS allow hotels to connect any touchpoint: PMS, CRM, social media, IoT. You can reward:

reviews
forms completed
partner visits
onsite behaviors
sustainable actions

And measure:

participation
ARPU
CAC
NPS
reward usage
impact on revenue

4. Explore New Models: Memberships & Clubs

Programs such as “Disloyalty” or local membership clubs can help drive consumption even in low season. They allow:

stronger sense of belonging
recurring revenue
community-driven engagement

Perfect for hotels with open spaces (cafés, rooftops, spas, coworking).

Loyalty & Sustainability: A Natural Alliance

The hospitality sector often treats loyalty and sustainability as two separate initiatives: one belonging to marketing, the other to ESG or operations. In reality, the two are deeply interconnected, and when designed together, they reinforce each other and unlock measurable value for both hotels and destinations.

Experience-driven loyalty programs (like those powered by PERS) naturally support a more sustainable, resilient, and community-centered tourism model. Here’s how:

1. Economic Sustainability: Loyalty Reduces Dependency and Drives Long-Term Revenue

In an industry where profitability is increasingly pressured by rising acquisition costs and OTA dependency, loyalty emerges as a stabilizing force.

Lower CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)

Every time a guest books direct or returns organically, the hotel avoids OTAs’ high commission fees. A well-designed loyalty program reduces reliance on paid channels by turning guests into:

repeat bookers
advocates
referrers

Experience-based rewards are proven to increase direct engagement, reducing the cost of reacquiring the same customer through third-party platforms.

Higher LTV (Customer Lifetime Value)

When guests receive rewards for actions across the entire stay — not just the booking — their lifetime value increases. This includes:

onsite spending
upgrades
F&B consumption
wellness / spa services
participation in local partner activities

Hotels shift from measuring revenue per stay to revenue per relationship, a metric aligned with sustainable, long-term growth.

2. Social Sustainability: Loyalty That Strengthens Local Culture & Community

Sustainability isn’t only environmental, it’s also social. Hotels play a crucial role in protecting local identity and ensuring tourism benefits residents, not just visitors.

Experience-based loyalty connects guests with the destination’s cultural ecosystem

Through partnerships with local businesses, cafés, artisans, cultural venues, activity providers — hotels can reward guests for engaging with the community. This:

channels spending toward local businesses
supports cultural heritage and small enterprises
increases the perceived authenticity of the guest experience
positions the hotel as a connector, not just an accommodation provider

This is sustainability as empowerment

When guests discover a neighborhood through curated rewards, the impact is immediate: cultural appreciation, diversified tourism flows, and stronger community ties. Hotels become ambassadors of their territory, not isolated entities.

3. Environmental Sustainability: Loyalty Drives Responsible Behavior

Most sustainability goals fail because they rely on education rather than incentives. Loyalty changes that by rewarding guests for making responsible choices.

Reduced Dependence on Large Platforms

Every incentive that nudges a guest toward:

direct booking
local activities
low-impact mobility
digital check-in
environmentally conscious actions

reduces the carbon footprint associated with global tourism infrastructure, as well as the emissions and resource waste linked to inefficient operations.

Rewards Encourage Responsible Consumption

Points, badges, or perks can be tied to:

using public transportation
reducing towel/water usage
choosing local, seasonal dining
participating in community activities
visiting less-saturated areas
supporting eco-certified experiences

This transforms sustainability from a communication goal into a behavioral design strategy. Instead of hoping guests will act responsibly, hotels guide them through rewarding, measurable, and repeatable actions.

Watch full Webinar Innovación Hotelera: Cómo la fidelización impulsa ingresos y sostenibilidad? - with Gian Franco Mercado from Hospitalidad Emprededora

Meet Hospitalidad Emprendedora

Hospitalidad Emprendedora is a leading hospitality consultancy and learning community dedicated to helping hotels evolve through innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable business models. With a strong focus on the entrepreneurial mindset, they guide hotel owners and managers in adopting modern revenue strategies, improving guest experience, and navigating the sector’s digital and generational transformation. Their practical, future-oriented approach has made them a trusted reference for independent hotels and emerging hospitality leaders across Spain and LATAM.

Book a demo