Make the most of your travel rewards program Who wouldn’t like to book a vacation and at the same time earn valuable travel rewards points for the next one? A new survey commissioned by Expedia.ca has found that not only do Canadians love travel rewards programs, but a sizeable number of us rely on them to make vacations possible at all. Canada’s leading full-service online provider found that almost seven in 10 Canadians (69 per cent) are already members of a travel rewards program, with Albertans leading the nation at 81 per cent. The vast majority of program members (87 per cent) say they find the travel rewards they earn to be worthwhile and valuable. Expedia.ca has recently introduced its own travel loyalty program called Expedia+, which even lets travellers earn rewards for the next trip as they make the current booking. No wonder these programs are considered valuable. The survey also found not only that 78 per cent of travel rewards program members feel such programs make it easier to afford a vacation, almost half (40per cent) say they rely on rewards programs make their travel possible. “We’re all about helping Canadians maximize their travel experience, so being able to offer exclusive benefits and perks is truly a win-win scenario,” says Sean Shannon, the managing director for the provider. Other notable findings of the survey include: • 88 per cent of Canadians took an average of three trips in the past year; • 60 per cent say they’re more likely to book a trip if they can use rewards points to help pay for it; • More than half of respondents (54 per cent) say travel rewards programs help them to upgrade their vacation experience; • 86 per cent favour travel rewards programs with no blackout periods; • More than two-thirds (68 per cent) say they’d likely join a new travel rewards program, with Quebecers leading among the provinces at 76 per cent. Shannon points out that the Expedia+ program offers many benefits. It is free to join, earning points is easy, and it can be done in a variety of ways using multiple platforms (including online or via the Expedia travel app for triple the points). Those points can be applied to thousands of destinations, over 400 carriers, and to more than 365,000 hotels as well as activities and select vacation packages and car rentals. Unlimited flexibility means that members not only accumulate points when booking their own travel, but can also earn points on bookings for family and friends – and there are no blackout periods around when points can be redeemed. As well, says Shannon, members are able to “double dip” by also earning points with other travel programs, such as airline points programs, alongside their Expedia+ points. More information is available at www.expedia.ca/rewards. www.newscanada.com Ce message est également disponible en: French
