American Travelers Really Want Hotel Loyalty Points

How far would you go to earn loyalty points? According to a surprising study by Carlson Wagonlit Travel, some travelers are willing to go farther than you might expect.

American business travelers top the list (47 percent of all respondents) of those willing to risk a certain level of personal safety in order to earn loyalty points from their overnight stay. If given the choice to stay at a property where they’re not a loyalty member or stay where they are, business travelers will choose the loyalty program benefits over their personal safety.

But before you get images of people staying in rough neighborhoods for the sake of a few points, let’s define the sense of “feeling unsafe” most respondents described. Most wouldn’t put themselves in physical danger, but they would be willing to put up with disruptive fellow guests that made them feel uncomfortable. Others (44 percent) said they would disregard their fear of someone breaking into their room so they could earn more points.

Among those traveling for business internationally (37 percent), the personal safety concern was less physical. They were concerned their privacy would be breached by their information being given out without their knowledge or someone discovering their room number or procuring a key.

Many respondents also indicated they believed staying on higher floors of a hotel to be safer. Thirty-two percent said they avoid staying on the ground floor if at all possible.

Bottom line? No amount of loyalty points is worth risking your personal safety for. Your work and your life are too important, so don’t take unnecessary risks. Be smart, and don’t make unwise choices. There are other ways to get points!

How far will you go to earn more loyalty points? Where do you draw the line? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page, or on our Twitter page.

Photo credit: Prayitno Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons 2.0)