Marriott Bonvoy’s 2026 Loyalty Report Reveals the New Travel Trends Shaping Asia Pacific

Why are travelers in Thailand and across Asia Pacific changing the way they use hotel loyalty programs?

Travel across Asia Pacific is no longer just about collecting points. According to Marriott Bonvoy’s new Loyalty Trends Report 2026, travelers are increasingly choosing hotel loyalty programs based on lifestyle priorities, everyday value, and personal travel passions rather than brand familiarity alone.

The report reveals that 89% of travelers across Asia Pacific excluding China participate in at least one loyalty program, but the way they engage differs dramatically between markets and traveler types.

For Marriott Bonvoy, this shift signals a growing demand for loyalty ecosystems that feel more personal, flexible, and deeply connected to how people actually travel today.

What are the biggest travel trends influencing hotel loyalty in 2026?

One of the clearest findings from Marriott Bonvoy’s report is that travel passions now shape loyalty behavior more than ever before. Travelers are choosing programs that align with how they want to experience a destination, whether through food, nature, culture, wellness, or shopping.

Across Asia Pacific, the top five travel priorities are:

• Food & Dining

• Nature & Sightseeing

• Shopping

• Cultural Immersion

• Recharge & Disconnect

Food-led travel emerged as the region’s strongest driver of hotel loyalty, with 63% of travelers prioritizing culinary experiences when planning trips. Marriott Bonvoy’s report also found that travelers who prioritize dining are especially likely to redeem points for food-and-beverage experiences, making restaurants and culinary partnerships one of hospitality’s most powerful loyalty tools.

At the same time, wellness-inspired “Recharge & Disconnect” travelers are becoming one of the most valuable growth groups for hotels and resorts. These travelers may not always enroll in loyalty programs immediately, but once they stay at a property, they engage deeply through spa treatments, dining, and resort experiences.

The findings reflect a wider shift in travel culture across the region, where hotels are increasingly becoming destinations in themselves rather than simply places to sleep.

Why are hotel loyalty programs still so important?

Despite growing competition from airline, retail, and lifestyle memberships, hotel loyalty remains the strongest category across Asia Pacific.

The Marriott Bonvoy report found that 66% of travelers participate in hotel loyalty programs, making it the region’s most widely used loyalty category ahead of airlines, retail, and dining memberships.

What travelers now expect, however, is immediate and practical value.

The ability to earn points through everyday spending has become the single most important feature of a loyalty program. Travelers increasingly want loyalty systems that extend beyond hotel stays into dining, food delivery, shopping, and lifestyle partnerships.

The report found:

• 77% redeem points for small, instantly accessible rewards

• 61% save for larger rewards

• 37% seek exclusive experiences

This balance between aspirational luxury and everyday practicality is redefining what successful hospitality loyalty looks like in 2026.

How are Thai travelers different from the rest of Asia Pacific?

Thailand stands out as one of the region’s most experience-driven yet value-conscious travel markets.

Marriott Bonvoy’s report categorizes Thailand as part of the “Value Optimizers” group alongside Singapore and Australia. These travelers actively engage with loyalty programs, but only when benefits clearly improve trip value, flexibility, or convenience.

For Thai travelers specifically:

• Nature and sightseeing rank as the top travel motivation, followed closely by food and dining

• 88% participate in loyalty programs

• 73% travel primarily for leisure

• Hotels and resorts remain the preferred accommodation style

• 65% are more likely to use points for trip-efficiency perks compared to the regional average of 49%

This suggests Thai travelers increasingly value convenience-enhancing benefits such as room upgrades, late check-outs, smoother travel experiences, and flexible rewards over purely aspirational luxury.

What does this mean for the future of Marriott and hotel travel?

The report suggests that the future of hotel loyalty across Asia Pacific will become far more adaptive, localized, and lifestyle-driven.

Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all rewards structure, brands like Marriott International are expanding loyalty into broader ecosystems that include dining, wellness, retail, and curated experiences.

John Toomey, Chief Commercial Officer for Asia Pacific excluding China at Marriott International, noted that loyalty programs must evolve alongside travelers themselves, particularly in a region as culturally diverse and fast-changing as Asia Pacific.

For travelers, that means future loyalty programs may feel less transactional and more integrated into everyday life — whether through destination dining, wellness escapes, local cultural experiences, or seamless travel conveniences.

And in a region where food, nature, and meaningful experiences increasingly shape how people choose where to stay, the hotel loyalty race is no longer just about points. It is about relevance.

[PHOTO: Courtesy of Marriott Bonvoy]