While recently renewing my membership with AARP — which I begrudgingly share for the purpose of this article — I considered what I value out of my paid membership.

Yes, there are discounts, but there are other benefits such as regular periodicals, a website filled with useful content, and, of course, government advocacy on my behalf. As I grow older, I often consider, what is important to me?

These thoughts have grown in greater intensity as I recently traveled on a longer-than-normal holiday to Hawaii. Like many older fully vaccinated Americans, I couldn’t wait to get out and hit the road, or the beach. I thought of this on my morning walk and noted the number of seniors that were there, too — and considered this segment as a prime revenue opportunity for our hotels. How do we get more of them into our properties?

While I naturally thought of a rate offer, I came across an easy-to-read article by Chintan Bharwada in 2010 about what seniors look for in a product. He identified six considerations: convenience, functionality, quality, dependability, personalized service, and product development — the latter referring to broad product appeal instead of unique appeal only to seniors. Notice that price is not listed. Bhardwada went on to underscore that seniors are generally not price sensitive and “less likely to sacrifice quality for price.” While this is music to the ears of the luxury hotelier, it begs the question: How do we effectively tap into the senior market?

Cue the loyalty program.

At Preferred Hotels & Resorts, just more than half of I Prefer membership is over the age of 55. In addition to cost savings, other benefits such as early check-in or an upgrade may appeal to a more mature customer.

Let’s look more closely at how these considerations can be reflected within loyalty programs:

This emphasizes convenience. As an older population of “empty nesters,” easy access to the internet for the ability to call family or a healthcare provider via popular apps like Zoom or Facebook Messenger helps them do this in their room, poolside or in the lobby.

Both convenience and functionality are highlighted here. Settling into a luxury hotel room early, or staying late, allows senior customers to quickly and fully become comfortable and make themselves at home. If there are mobility or care giving issues, the early check-in provides more time to facilitate these needs.

Who doesn’t love an upgrade? Seniors are willing to pay more for quality, which is the consideration underscored here. This benefit is a great competitive advantage to highlight bespoke luxury against those of less exclusive chain hotels. A senior that knows this potential is likely to choose this against a standard room at a standard hotel.

Product development and quality are key in the considerations offered to an older clientele which we share here. While these may have broad intergenerational appeal, focusing on luxury offers such as golf membership or private air travel appeals to the lack of price sensitivity this market has shown.

Providing a unique, local experience fits within the personalized service bucket expected by a senior customer. Senior travelers today are seeking out bucket-list experiences and activities they haven’t necessarily tried before, such as playing a famous, well-known championship golf course, visiting historic or exotic locales, or experiencing the world’s most iconic monuments or destinations.

Loyalty guests can be further considered with quality and convenience through a thoughtful offering on arrival. This lets the older traveler perceive and enjoy the luxury of the accommodation in a more immediate fashion.

As mentioned, the senior traveler often is not price-sensitive, so the focus here is on quality via an offer and experience — not on discounting. As an example, Preferred recently introduced I Prefer Auctions, in which members can bid on travel experiences such as wine-making and tasting in Tuscany, a suite stay and dinner for two in Canada, a couples spa experience in Acapulco, or an artisanal meal under the stars in San Diego. The frequent senior traveler generally has the time and the money for such upscale adventures.

In the end, most loyalty programs award the traveler using a points-based method, which may seem impersonal if not coupled with other thoughtful touches. De-emphasizing the discounting and focusing on the rewards, experience and opportunity the program offers is particular important for this segment.

By doing this, you’ll be able to command the attention of a strong segment that has the desire and the means to travel — and one that will return.

Rhett Hirko is global vice president of revenue optimization for Preferred Hotels & Resorts.

The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hotel News Now or CoStar Group and its affiliated companies. Bloggers published on this site are given the freedom to express views that may be controversial, but our goal is to provoke thought and constructive discussion within our reader community.Please feel free to contact an editor with any questions or concern.

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