Personalization Drives Travel Loyalty: Arrivia Exec Gives Insights
Jeff Zotara has spent over a decade helping brands redefine what loyalty means. As Chief Marketing Officer at Arrivia, a global travel technology company powering loyalty platforms for American Express, Hilton Grand Vacations, T-Mobile, and others, he's had a front-row seat to one of the most seismic shifts in consumer behavior: the evolving definition of loyalty itself.
What once meant a punch card, or a discount code has now become a rich data exchange between consumer and brand—fueled by AI, personalization, and emotionally resonant experiences.
LAS VEGAS, NV - FEBRUARY 10: The Las Vegas Strip and Bellagio Water Fountain Show is viewed after ... More dark on February 10, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Las Vegas will play host to the NFL's Super Bowl LVIII, taking place next year at the recently constructed Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders. (Photo by)
Zotara doesn't mince words: 'Consumers are more and more demanding as far as getting to the end of that journey—that decision point—faster, and having those offers be more personalized to them.'
Today's loyalty programs leverage AI to create tailored experiences. 'If I'm a member of a loyalty program,' Zotara added, 'that travel platform likely knows what I've searched, when I've searched, and where I want to go. That experience needs to be, and should be, very different than if my mother-in-law took a trip.'
Leading brands are already acting on this. Amazon has long set the gold standard for data-driven personalization, and now travel loyalty is catching up. Capital One, for example, offered early access to Taylor Swift tickets—knowing full well it resonated with the passions of their cardholders.
'It's important not to get caught up in the pressure to implement 1:1 or hyper-personalization from day one. Simply start by asking questions you can easily turn into more personal interactions. Ultimately, personalization is a data collection exercise and loyalty programs provide an ideal platform to turn zero-party data into more relevant experiences,' remarked John Pedini, Forrester Analyst.
Zotara echoed a concept explored in Marketing to Gen Z: data is currency, and consumers—especially younger ones—know it.
'If we can be more transparent with the consumer,' he said, 'we have found they are more than willing and wanting to have that personalized user experience by providing that data point.'
According to a Salesforce report, 79% of consumers are willing to share relevant data in exchange for personalized engagement. But transparency is key. 'A lot of brands used to collect data without really informing people. That doesn't fly anymore.'
To explore the generational nuance behind this shift, see Fromm's 'Gen Z Is Not Gen Y On Steroids.'
The future of loyalty isn't just about points earned—it's about points redeemed meaningfully.
'You're seeing a lot of this with my American Express Platinum card,' Zotara noted. 'I've got Hulu and Wall Street Journal and Uber credits every month… it reinforces the value of my annual fee across a variety of lifestyle activities.'
This shift—toward what McKinsey calls 'lifestyle loyalty'—is driven by consumer demand for flexibility. T-Mobile's loyalty program, for example, gives subscribers benefits outside of mobile service, from travel discounts to streaming offers.
The goal? Create emotional connection and frequency of use. 'I saved $1,000 on this trip,' Zotara said, 'and I went to New York City and enjoyed a Broadway play. That feels good. It allows the brand to make a more emotional connection.'
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