Travel brands have long tapped special offers and perks to increase customer loyalty but it has never been tried by an entire country – until now.
Tropical island nation the Maldives is diving into the loyalty business with the ‘Maldives Border Miles’ program.
Like every nation around the world which is open for travel, it is desperately seeking more tourism revenue.
The travel loyalty program will reward frequent travellers to its shores, and has three tiers: Abaarana (gold), Antara (silver) and Aida (bronze).
Tourists can earn points depending on the number of visits they make and the duration of each stay.
"Additional points will be awarded for visits to celebrate special occasions," said Maldives Immigration, which has developed the program along with hospitality stakeholders.
As members move up through the tiers, the perks are enhanced.
Few specifics have been unveiled so far, but the Maldives aims to officially launch it on 1 December 2020.
The Maldives has one of the most tourism-reliant economies in the world, with about two-thirds of GDP tied to tourism.
Written by Ray Montgomery, Asia Editor
