⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

Marriott Offers Lowest Rates to Loyalty Program Members The hotel chain is taking on online travel agents like Expedia and Priceline.

By Carly Okyle

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Tupungato | Shutterstock.com
Marriott hotel in Vienna. Marriott International has 3,800 properties in 74 countries.

Online travel agents like Expedia and Priceline make things easy for business travellers to book their hotel room along with their flight, usually at a discount. Now, Marriott is fighting back.

The hotel chain will offer improved rewards for loyalty program members who book directly with the hotel -- either through the company website, call centers, the Marriott app or approved business travel agents -- beginning next month. Rewards members who book directly are assured the lowest rates, and the chain said the rates will be widely available as of April 11, according to a recent press release. The new initiative will be available for more than 4,000 hotels worldwide. Moreover, if someone finds a lower rate than the one advertised through Marriott channels within 24 hours of booking a room, the chain will match the lower rate and apply an additional 25 percent discount.

Related: Meet Connie, the Robot Concierge at a Virginia Hilton

Business travelers will not only receive the guaranteed lowest rate, but will also enjoy other members-only perks, including free Wi-Fi and mobile check-ins and check-outs.

Third-party booking sites like Expedia used to be beneficial to hotels that didn't offer online booking platforms. In exchange, the lodging companies would pay a commission to the website, sometimes as high as 15 to 20 percent, according to Seeking Alpha. Now, those same sites are the competition. Hotels are attempting to increase direct bookings through campaigns like Marriott's "It Pays to be Direct" or Hilton Worldwide's "Stop Clicking Around."

Related: Sheraton-Owner Starwood Accepts Higher Takeover Offer From Marriott

"We're rewarding our loyal members by providing a rate exclusively designed to show them how valuable they are to us," said Karin Timpone, global marketing officer of Marriott International, in a statement. "We also want to help dispel the myth that other travel websites offer better rates for our hotels. The simple fact is that you will find the lowest rates across our portfolio when you join Marriott Rewards and book direct."

Carly Okyle

Assistant Editor, Contributed Content

Carly Okyle is an assistant editor for contributed content at Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.