What Will Happen To Our Miles?
Loyalty programmes. Miles. Rewards. Points. Will these cease to exist in the luxury travel industry, post-COVID-19? And even if they do stay with us, will they carry the same weight for avid travellers?
Downtown Manhattan and Columbia University. Closer to home in Asia, a four-bedroom duplex at Four Seasons Private Residences in Bangkok (US$5.14 million) overlooks the Chao Phraya River while immersing its owner in the service-rich experience of a Four Seasons property.
But what of those who long for a sea view and the ocean breeze? Makere House and Cottage in the British Virgin Islands (US$995,000) commands a view of the picturesque Cane Garden Bay from its position on Soldier Hill, allowing for stunning panoramas of the surrounding islands and the turquoise Caribbean Sea.
Similarly, an 18th-century stone mansion named Mandalay (€4.6 million) close to the port of Hydra in Greece epitomises glamorous seaside living. Formerly the home of a major shipbuilding family, the villa was designed by Genovese architects and still has its original all-black marble floor as well as an antique marble bathtub in the master bathroom. Highlights of the storeyed 630sqm interiors include five bedrooms and full bathrooms, traditional carved wooden ceilings, and seven distinctive fireplaces, while its 4,600sqm gardens come brimming with lush bougainvillea and jasmine.
Still not quite enough space for you? The gargantuan 74,865sqm estate of La Garibaldina (price upon request) in the hills of Sardinia’s San Pantaleo should provide enough room for a lifetime of exploration. Its hillside location enables you to feast your eyes on the archipelago of La Maddalena. Its nine bedrooms – spread out over a main living area and a manor house – a 50-tree olive grove and a secluded bespoke hot tub are an added bonus.
www.christiesrealestate.com
WHEN CAN WE travel again? That’s still up in the air, with the different travel corridors for each country – where citizens from certain countries are exempted from the usual 14-day quarantine upon touchdown – and the very real threat of a second wave on the horizon. That said, there’s no doubt that we’ll fly again. We have to because far too many livelihoods and economies depend on tourism. Which begs the questions: what will happen to the points, miles, rewards and statuses jet-setters have spent years accumulating? Have they, too, been decimated by the virus?
The short answer is no. “Independent surveys have indicated that loyalty programmes and benefits remain highly valued by consumers,” says a representative of Singapore Airlines (SIA). And like most air carriers, car rental companies and hotel chains, the national airline has extended expiration dates for its statuses and points. “We’ve extended membership statuses for KrisFlyer Elite and PPS Club members by 12 months and will extend expiring miles and rewards, enabling members to have more time to utilise them when travel demand picks up.”
Given just how competitive the travel industry is, companies are doing whatever they can to retain their members. For a while now, even before the pandemic, SIA has acknowledged that purely accruing miles through flying is not the only way to retain its members. During the virus outbreak, it ramped up its continued efforts by working with other partners to offer more ways to earn miles on the ground for future travel.
“With the many loyalty programmes available in the market, there is a need to show our members that we are looking out for them, especially during this season,” says Rajeev Menon, Marriott’s president for the Asia-Pacific region excluding Greater China.
To keep guests happy and hooked while they’re limited by travel restrictions, Marriott International is allowing members to redeem rooms at off-peak award rates. Members will also receive up to 20 per cent off room rates and 30 per cent off participating restaurants and bars across Asia-Pacific.
But Henrik Berglind, Accor’s vice president of loyalty and guest experience in Asia-Pacific, cautions that there is a need to relook the entire loyalty programme and the value it brings. “Loyalty is no longer just about offering more points, but needs to deliver a more personalised experience,” says Berglind. “Guests want simplicity, a seamless experience and even the immediacy of rewards and benefits.”
While the French hospitality company did not disclose examples of its immediate benefits, it shares that it has extended new initiatives to non-members.
To give guests peace of mind when they travel, Accor has incorporated a new hygiene and safety certification programme in partnership with insurance giant AXA. Guests can receive complimentary access to accredited medical professionals during their stay at any Accor property.
“They will be able to have a telemedical consultation from the comfort of their hotel room if they have any health issues, questions or concerns,” says Berglind. What may have been previously offered as a members-only privilege pre-COVID-19 now allows newer guests to decide if such initiatives may outweigh the benefits provided by other competitors.
And as domestic leisure travel is expected to recover first, Berglind is certain that hotels will also introduce staycations, drive holidays and experiential dining to attract new, inbound travellers and hopefully convert them into members of its loyalty programme. Perks for
international travellers will only appear at a much later stage.
While we may not enjoy selfdrive road trips in Singapore, there is no lack of hotel packages in our own backyard. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore’s 12-hour day-use rooms come complete with complimentary Wi-Fi, parking and access to the gym and pool. The hotel is also offering miles for direct bookings and complimentary nights for suite stays to Asia Miles and KrisFlyer members.
For those looking to stay overnight, Regent Singapore’s Super Long Foodie Escapade allows guests to check in as early as 8am, receive S$288 credit to dine at the hotel’s establishments and check-out 30 hours later. This is yet another way in which hotels in Singapore are reaching out to locals who may have dined at the hotel on previous occasions, but have not yet had a chance to check-in.
Such bargains from luxury fivestar hotels were almost unheard of pre-COVID, but as the virus wiped out occupancy in the first half of the year, hospitality groups are doing everything they can to stave off losses as soon as business can resume. Besides giving away credits, extending statuses and offering more benefits to retain customers, hotels will ramp up efforts to lure non-members with high-value, post-pandemic packages, impressing them with top-notch, personalised service and converting new customers to loyal members by lowering the barriers to entry. Expect to see more incentivised guest surveys, return vouchers and social media marketing
Hospitality groups are doing everything
they can to stave off losses as soon as business can resume.
as hotels refine their strategies to bring more people into the sales funnel.
But the question still remains: what do we do with the points and miles accumulated so far?
Experts say to spend them now while you still can. Now’s the time to book future holidays, with travel companies offering promotions and increased flexibility on cancellations and changes. If you don’t see yourself getting on a plane in the immediate future, cash in soon-to-expire points for non-travel redemptions.
Many rewards programmes – such as those with credit cards – offer statement credits, cashback and other vouchers that you can use.
And in the spirit of giving, some companies offer the option of donating unused points. Etihad Airways, in particular, is working with the United Nations Refugee Agency and Emirates Red Crescent in the Middle East to curb the spread and prevent a COVID-19 outbreak in refugee settings, and is encouraging its members to donate their miles to the cause.
It’s safe to say, travel – and the accumulation of membership points – will look very different from now on. Business travel aside, the world is potentially looking at fewer trips, but longer journeys and purposeful vacations.
As such, loyalty programmes will have to evolve accordingly. “I believe that loyalty programmes will become even richer and more important in the (travel) business,” Berglind says. “We will need to provide meaningful ways for people to live, work, play and travel.”
“I believe that loyalty programmes will become even richer and more important in
(travel) business.”
THE EGYPTIANS USED it to line mummy bandages almost 4,500 years ago. In Japan, the samurais wore it beneath their armour to keep bacteria away from wounds.
Indigo’s mark on history is irrefutable. Dubbed ‘blue gold’ in ancient times, indigo was a symbol of wealth and honour, and a luxury only few could afford. And while the demand for the natural dye has dwindled over the centuries, the artisanal techniques for its production and application are still deeply entrenched in certain cultures.
Indigo is extracted from Polygonum tinctorium Aiton – a plant that produces a pigment similar to that used by the ancient Romans for their royal purple robes – except that the Romans extracted these pigments only from sea snails. Snails, thankfully, are no longer the victims of such creative pursuits and the value of indigo has been diluted over the centuries. As fast-moving machines take over human roles, indigo-dyed textiles are now a dime a dozen. Few, however, go through the hands of true dye masters.
One artist who’s working hard to save the ancient art from drowning in the trenches of technology is Richard Hassell. An Australian-born architect who has lived in Singapore since 1989, Hassell is reviving the craft through The Masters Series, a curatorial platform that convenes craftsmen and designers to create a series of creative lifestyle objects and experiences.
Hassell, however, isn’t alone in this quest. In the series – with the support of Singapore-based, multidisciplinary lifestyle agency State Creative –
Hassell joins hands with Japanese dye artist, Kenta Watanabe, to create Deep Blue, a multifunctional linen piece that embodies the traditional art of indigo dyeing. The prints on Deep Blue were designed to create the illusion of layering through the meticulous technique of masking. In one of the final steps, rice paste is applied by hand to mask the fabric in order to prevent it from being soaked by the dye, thereby giving it a neat finish.
Hassell recognises that unlike dyed fabrics that are industrially produced and appear identical, no two handmade textiles are the same. But, he says, it’s the imperfections that should be celebrated. “We are now swamped in simulations that create the effect of reality,” he says, “which gives us everything, but makes everything unbearably light and easy. I wish to communicate the difficulty of this handmade object and the fact that it requires many steps that take time.”
tms.statecreative.com.sg
THE SPACES THAT we design and inhabit have distinctive sounds, from the way a whisper is carried through a cathedral to the satisfying clink of your wine glass in the dining room. Sound and form are inextricable, but more often than not, sound is only an afterthought in interior design projects. The most aesthetically pleasing space could end up as the least acoustically satisfying, and what a waste that would be.
This is where AV Intelligence comes in. Founded in 2010 by 47-year-old Andy Kennard, formerly a director of enterprise sales at Microsoft and general manager of Devialet Asia, what began as an independent hobby business has become the AV consultant of Singapore. AV Intelligence, a handsome space situated on the ground floor of Millenia Walk, is more than just another retail showroom selling headphones and wireless speakers. Instead, it is your one-stop shop for home cinema, hi-fi systems, multi-room audio, acoustic treatments and home automation. It also handles the design,
consultation, installation and maintenance for projects – the whole shebang.
Moreover, they are every interior designer’s and architect’s best friend. “Interior designers are, of course, not supposed to be experts in audiovisual (AV) or smart home technologies,” Kennard says. “Some are even afraid of it and have told me they try not to talk about it with the client at all. But if they engage us early in a project, we can ensure that the client receives the best advice and inspiration to choose the right AV and technology for their lifestyle needs, and at the same time, safeguard the interior designer’s aesthetic vision.”
Kennard continues: “Often their biggest fear is that we will come along and recommend something ugly that undermines their design, or that if the technology we install goes wrong, the client will chase them to fix it. But in reality, we’re a safe partner. We build trust with the designers and architects by doing things right and trying our best to not compromise their design. Concrete-looking acoustic panels, for instance, can easily be installed to suit the likes of a home or restaurant where the design theme is industrial. Form and function are both taken care of.” And if you’ve ever been to the private members’ club 1880, you have his team to thank for how great the music sounds.
His aim is to bring better sound to you by cutting out the noise and that includes the hard selling that’s so typical of many retail showrooms – or any salesman, for that matter. You could enter his store looking to purchase something, and instead have him walk you along to Harvey Norman (a few doors down) if what you really need is there. Service is paramount at AV Intelligence, even if it means ‘losing’ a sale.
And while he might give you great advice, he’s also not one to force opinions on others. “Good sound is not an absolute, it’s subjective,” he explains. “There will be moments when we are setting up an audio system for a client and we are placing it where we believe it provides the best sound. And they’ll go, ‘hmm, maybe we could place them differently?’ We might feel it sounds less good, but what matters is it sounds better to them, because it’s their ears, right?”
Luckily, at AV Intelligence, product quality is equally paramount. It has all the good stuff, from the B&O Beoplay P2 (S$229) and AnalogueWorks turntable (S$2,999), all the way up to the Audiovector R11 loudspeakers (S$340,000) and Samsung’s 146-inch The Wall that will set you back a cool half a million.
All of which makes you wonder: what salesman with that much inventory is as authentic as he says? The point is that unlike some in the industry who would be thinking only of the things they could sell to you today, Kennard is unyieldingly focused on ‘what’s best for the client’. His game is the long one and if it also comes with that extra bit of magic – a smile, great service and a happier lifestyle – then you can’t really put a price on that.