Indian travellers are emerging as some of Asia Pacific’s most loyalty-driven and experience-hungry consumers, with a growing number using hotel reward programmes not just for discounts — but for luxury experiences, shopping and aspirational travel upgrades.
According to the 2026 Loyalty Trends Report by Marriott Bonvoy, India now ranks among the most active loyalty markets in the Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC) region, with:
93% of Indian travellers participating in at least one loyalty programme,
making India the second-highest participation market in APEC.
Loyalty Trends in India:
-
Most likely to travel for Shopping -
93% participate in loyalty programs -
69% redeem points for big ticket items – highest in APEC -
More likely to earn points through bank transfers compared to the rest of APEC (43% vs 36% APEC average) -
41% stay active in loyalty programs because they give access to exclusive experiences.
-
Moreover, 49% of travelers from India travel for a mix of leisure and business. -
Hotels are the most popular choice, followed by Resorts / Villas. -
They typically travel with their partner or friends. -
73% of travelers engage with multiple loyalty programs. -
Travelers from India are more likely than APEC counterparts to earn hotel points through bank points transfer, signaling partnership potential. -
Unlike travellers in Japan,and South Korea,who use loyalty programmes strategically for savings and efficiency, Indian travellers are increasingly drawn to: exclusivity, premium experiences, partnerships, upgrades, and aspirational travel. -
Indians are heavily engaged across multiple loyalty programmes
The report found Indian travellers are among the region’s most active loyalty users.
According to the study:
73% of Indian travellers participate in:
multiple loyalty programmes,
while:
only 4% rely solely on hotel-only loyalty ecosystems.
That suggests Indian consumers increasingly prefer:
interconnected rewards ecosystems
linking:
hotels,
banking,
dining,
shopping,
travel,
Indian Travellers Are Redefining Hotel Loyalty Across Asia
The report says Indian travellers are:
more likely than the APEC average to earn hotel points through:
bank point transfers
Indian travellers are chasing experiences, not just savings
One of the biggest findings in the report is that India falls into a category Marriott calls:
“Experience Seekers.”
Unlike more mature markets such as:
Japan,
and South Korea,
where travellers treat loyalty programmes strategically for discounts and cost optimisation, Indian consumers show stronger emotional engagement with:
status,
exclusivity,
partnerships,
and aspirational rewards.
According to the report:
41% of Indian travellers remain active in loyalty programmes because they provide access to: exclusive experiences.
That makes Indian travellers among the region’s strongest demand drivers for:
premium events,
curated travel experiences,
and lifestyle-linked rewards.
Indians are redeeming big — more than anywhere else in Asia Pacific
The report found Indian travellers are far more likely than their regional peers to redeem points for:
high-value rewards,
rather than only small discounts or everyday savings.
According to Marriott Bonvoy:
69% of Indian travellers redeem loyalty points for big-ticket items, the highest level across the entire APEC region.
hopping is the biggest travel driver for Indians
The report also identified a unique behavioural trend among Indian travellers:
they are the:
most likely in APEC to travel for shopping.
Across the broader Asia Pacific region, the top travel priorities were:
food and dining,
nature and sightseeing,
shopping,
cultural immersion,
and “recharge and disconnect” travel.
But Indian travellers stood out for their especially strong interest in:
retail-driven travel experiences,
which increasingly shapes:
destination choices,
loyalty behaviour,
and hotel partnerships.
Hotel loyalty is becoming part of everyday spending
The report suggests hotel loyalty programmes are no longer limited to hotel stays.
Across APEC:
66% of travellers participate in hotel loyalty programmes,
making hotel loyalty the:
most popular loyalty category,
ahead of airlines, retail and dining.
The study found modern travellers increasingly expect:
everyday earning opportunities,
flexible redemption,
and broader partner ecosystems.
In India specifically, travellers are:
more likely than the regional average to earn loyalty points through:
bank transfers.
According to the report:
43% of Indian travellers earn loyalty points through bank transfer-linked activity,
compared with:
the APEC average of:
36%.
The trend reflects how Indian consumers are increasingly integrating:
travel,
banking,
cards,
shopping,
and lifestyle spending
within broader rewards ecosystems.
Food is the strongest loyalty driver across Asia
Across the Asia Pacific region, food and dining emerged as the single biggest travel motivator,
with 63% of travellers prioritising culinary experiences when planning trips.
Travellers focused on food experiences were found to show especially strong loyalty behaviour, often:
earning points through dining, and redeeming them for food and beverage indulgences.
The report describes food as one of the: most scalable and effective loyalty engagement tools for hotels across Asia.
oyalty in Asia is becoming hyper-personalised
The broader takeaway from the report is that hotel loyalty programmes across Asia are becoming far more:
localised,
lifestyle-driven,
and emotionally targeted.
Marriott identified three distinct loyalty mindsets across APEC:
“Loyalty Strategists” in Japan and South Korea,
“Value Optimizers” in Singapore, Australia and Thailand,
and “Experience Seekers” in India, Indonesia and Vietnam.
The report argues that loyalty growth in Asia will no longer come from:
one-size-fits-all programmes,
but from:
personalised ecosystems tailored to local consumer behaviour.
Food, shopping and nature dominate Indian travel priorities
Unlike many global markets where sightseeing dominates travel behaviour, Indian travellers show a much broader lifestyle-driven travel pattern.
The top three travel priorities for Indians were:
Nature and sightseeing:
62%
Food and dining:
61%
Shopping:
56%.
According to Marriott:
41% of Indian travellers remain active in hotel loyalty programmes because they provide access to:
unique or exclusive experiences.
Meanwhile:
59% redeem loyalty points for:
practical travel perks
such as:
airport lounge access,
airport pickup and drop services,
and upgrades.
Additionally:
63% earn hotel loyalty points through:
food delivery and dining out.
The data suggests hotel loyalty in India is increasingly becoming:
lifestyle-integrated,
financially interconnected,
Diverse interests drive travel, but Food and Nature dominate
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