Inside China’s Hotel Loyalty Growth Engine
How massive memberships, tech integration, and gamification create unstoppable momentum
Chinese hotels have turned loyalty programs into powerful engines for direct bookings and customer retention. Major domestic chains like Huazhu (H World Group), Jin Jiang International, and BTG Homeinns have built memberships in the hundreds of millions, while independent hotels leverage Chinese tech ecosystems to drive engagement. These programs go far beyond point accumulation, offering tiered VIP status, gamified perks, seamless WeChat integration, and strategic partnerships that expand their reach.
China stands out as having some of the highest percentages across all three factors—loyalty programs, hotel branding, and hotel star ratings—compared to the other markets.
At 90%, Chinese travelers place a particularly strong emphasis on both loyalty programs and hotel branding, signaling that brand recognition and membership benefits are especially influential in their decision-making. The 89% importance placed on a hotel’s star rating further underlines how reputation and perceived quality drive Chinese travelers’ choices. Overall, these high figures suggest that hotels looking to attract Chinese consumers should focus on cultivating a recognizable brand, offering robust loyalty incentives, and maintaining a strong star rating to remain competitive.
Loyalty programs in China operate at an unmatched scale. Huazhu’s H Rewards boasts over 200 million members, contributing to 76% of its total bookings in 2024. BTG Homeinns, one of China’s largest economy hotel groups, has 130 million members, 40 million app downloads, and 15 million WeChat followers—providing a direct pipeline to travelers while bypassing OTAs. Even mid-tier chains like Atour Hotels have massive membership bases, with over 60 million members in its A-Card program.
This dominance is driven by China’s consumer mindset, where loyalty membership is expected. Chinese travelers often enroll in multiple programs, making hotel chains compete aggressively to keep members engaged. The result is a closed-loop ecosystem where members overwhelmingly book direct, ensuring that major hotel groups maintain control over guest relationships.
Tiered rewards with a (chinese) twist
Most Chinese hotel loyalty programs follow a tiered structure, but they go beyond traditional Western models by designing rewards that tap into local consumer preferences. For example, Huazhu’s H Rewards and Jin Jiang’s WeHotel programs not only offer Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers, but they also incorporate gamification to drive engagement.
Entry-level members often receive gamified perks—new sign-ups might spin a digital wheel for bonus points, discount coupons, or free upgrades.
Mid-tier members start earning direct monetary perks, such as discounted rates and vouchers, reinforcing their status.
Elite members enjoy VIP services, such as early check-in, guaranteed room upgrades, and dedicated concierge support.
A key differentiator is that Chinese travelers prefer instant rewards over long-term accumulation. Many members don’t track or redeem points effectively, so hotels integrate easy-to-use perks like automatic booking discounts (e.g., 10% off for Silver members) or free-night vouchers for Gold members. Jin Jiang Rewards excels in this area, offering personalized birthday gifts, room upgrades, and lounge access to create a status-driven appeal.
Gamification and Social Engagement
Chinese hotel loyalty programs heavily leverage gamification and social engagement to keep members active. WeChat-based loyalty mini-programs are a prime example—hotels like Huazhu and BTG Homeinns offer daily login bonuses, shake-to-win games, and trivia quizzes where members can earn points and perks.
Hotels also encourage group engagement by offering team-based rewards. For example, a hotel might set a challenge where if a group of friends collectively earns a set number of points, they all receive a grand prize—turning loyalty into a social experience. Members also share their elite status achievements on social platforms, doubling as viral marketing for hotels.
Crucially, WeChat and Alipay replace traditional email-based loyalty communication. Hotel executives in China note that many travelers don’t check emails—instead, they respond to in-app notifications and WeChat messages. This mobile-first approach ensures that loyalty programs stay relevant in a digital-first market.
Partnerships and Ecosystem Integration
Chinese hotel groups do not operate loyalty programs in isolation—they build vast partnerships across industries to expand their influence. Jin Jiang International, for instance, offers dual loyalty programs: Jin Jiang Rewards for domestic members and Radisson Rewards for international stays. This allows a Chinese guest staying at a Radisson in Europe to enjoy localized benefits, ensuring seamless global recognition.
Similarly, Huazhu’s acquisition of Deutsche Hospitality (Steigenberger Hotels) expanded H Rewards globally, allowing members to earn and redeem points at European properties. Other strategic collaborations include:
Huazhu’s past partnership with Accor, offering cross-brand loyalty perks.
Jin Jiang’s collaboration with Ascott Serviced Residences, integrating extended-stay benefits.
BTG Homeinns leveraging partnerships with China’s major airlines, allowing members to convert hotel points into frequent flyer miles.
Even independent hotels tap into OTA-driven loyalty programs like Trip.com’s TripPlus or Alibaba’s Fliggy loyalty. This allows boutique hotels to offer VIP perks to OTA members, effectively integrating into larger ecosystems without developing massive in-house programs.
Technology and Personalization: The Future of Loyalty
Chinese hotels embrace AI and mobile technology to personalize loyalty experiences. Huazhu’s mobile app has evolved into a super app, offering:
Mobile check-in/check-out
Digital room keys
AI-driven personalized offers
Chat-based concierge services
WeChat mini-programs replicate these functions for users who prefer not to download separate apps. For instance, H Rewards’ WeChat program had over 26 million users by 2019, making it a powerful loyalty platform.
AI also enables hyper-personalization. BTG Homeinns uses AI-powered segmentation to offer customized promotions based on past bookings, travel frequency, and spending behavior. Some hotels even use facial recognition for check-in and robotic concierges, providing a frictionless VIP experience for loyal guests.
For smaller hotels, cloud-based loyalty SaaS platforms have made advanced digital loyalty programs accessible. Even boutique hotels can integrate WeChat Pay, AI-powered offers, and membership perks without major tech investments.
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Great post and thanks for sharing
Great insights