When an announcement was posted almost one year ago pertaining to changes in the Privilege frequent guest loyalty program, I would not have guessed that the “more to come” part would be in the form of an acquisition of Delta Hotels and Resorts by Marriott International, Incorporated for Canadian $168 million — or approximately $135 million in United States dollars — and “will propel Marriott to a leading position in Canada”, according to this press release.
“To ensure Delta Privilege remains competitive, and to pave the way for a rewarding new program set to launch in Autumn 2014, changes to the current program needed to be made”, said Ken Greene — who is the president and chief executive officer of Delta Hotels and Resorts — in this message last year.
The Delta Privilege frequent guest loyalty program will most likely be either replaced by — or integrated with — the Marriott Rewards frequent guest loyalty program.
When this transaction — comprised of 38 Delta Hotels and Resorts properties — is completed sometime in the second quarter of 2015, Marriott will become the largest full service hotel company in Canada with greater than 120 hotel properties and 27,000 rooms.
This is the latest of acquisitions by Marriott in recent years, which acquired the brands and operations of Protea Hotels Group in Africa in 2013 — 26 of those hotel properties will participate in the Marriott Rewards frequent guest loyalty program effective as of Monday, February 23, 2015, with more to come later this year — as well as Gaylord Hotels properties in 2012 and AC Hotels in Spain in 2010.
I recently stayed at an AC Hotels property and intend to post a trip report in the near future.
“Marriott International has grown quickly in the past few years to more than 4,100 hotels worldwide in 79 countries”, reported Ric Garrido earlier today at Loyalty Traveler. “There are currently about 49 million Marriott Rewards members.”
Image of Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge hotel property courtesy of Delta Hotels and Resorts.
