Hyatt Hotels Corp. has launched an exclusive discount for
loyalty program members, promising discounts as high as 10 percent on rates
booked directly on the hotel company's website or app. The Hyatt Gold Passport
discounts are available for properties in the United States, Canada and
Australia.
The discounts join other benefits the company has tied to
direct booking, such as program points, online check-in, express check-out and
mobile reservation management.
Travel advisors who book on behalf of members also can
access the discounted rates but only through Hyatt's website and app. That
differs from the direct-booking campaigns launched in recent months by Marriott
and Hilton,
which promised to make their loyalty-discount rates available on global
distribution systems.
The American Society of Travel Agents said forcing
agents to book directly on Hyatt's website instead of through the GDS
"makes comparative shopping harder for agent and consumer alike and adds
to an agent's workload by disrupting the standard booking process."