Marketing to 2026 Travelers: How Local Businesses Can Tap The Points Guy’s Hottest Destinations

Hook: Turn points-driven travelers into local customers—without breaking your marketing budget

If your shop, tour company, or restaurant sees long gaps between visits from tourists, you’re not alone. Local businesses struggle to reach high-value travelers who arrive with points-and-miles budgets, tight itineraries, and high expectations for seamless experiences. The good news: The Points Guy's 2026 destination list is a playbook you can use right now to design seasonal offers, points-friendly packages, and hotel cross-promotions that attract longer-stay, higher-spend visitors.

The opportunity in 2026 — why travelers on points matter now

Recent travel trends through late 2025 and early 2026 show a clear shift: loyalty members and points-and-miles collectors are traveling more frequently and booking richer experiences. Airlines and hotel programs expanded award inventory after 2024–25 capacity recoveries, and more programs are offering curated experiences for points redemption (e.g., Marriott Moments, World of Hyatt experiences, Chase/Amex exclusive offers). This group tends to have higher average spend per day and prefers curated, convenient, local experiences.

For neighborhood businesses, that creates a high-margin opportunity: reach guests during the planning or award-redemption stage, offer experiences hotels are eager to sell to loyalty members, and create packages that slot directly into hotel folios or loyalty experience marketplaces.

How to use TPG’s “Where to go in 2026: The 17 best places to travel” (Jan 16, 2026) as a tactical filter

TPG’s “Where to go in 2026: The 17 best places to travel” (Jan 16, 2026) highlights destinations and traveler motivations — leadership events, culinary scenes, coastal escapes, and outdoor-adventure hubs. Use that list as a filter to identify which traveler types are most likely to visit your city and when.

1. Map destination themes to your business strengths. If TPG highlights your city for culinary travel, create tasting menus or chef-led classes for loyalty experiences. If it’s on the list for nature or wellness, design guided morning hikes or spa add-ons.
2. Spot seasonality. TPG entries often call out best months to visit. Align your seasonal offers with those windows to capture inbound search demand and hotel packages.
3. Prioritize high-intent channels. Points travelers research via award blogs, loyalty forums, and hotel concierge pages — target these paths with partner-friendly offers.

Concrete packages that work for points-and-miles travelers

Here are practical, ready-to-launch package ideas local businesses can use with hotels and loyalty platforms.

1. “Points-Friendly Welcome Bundle” (Good for first-night arrivals)

• Includes: a welcome drink or snack, a city map with curated “TPG Picks” itinerary, and a small discount voucher valid on the same day.
• How to sell: Ask hotels to add it as a purchasable folio credit or feature it as a “hotel add-on” during booking.
• Why it converts: Guests who redeem award nights often spend on F&B and experiences—this primes immediate foot traffic.

2. “Late Checkout + Local Experience” (Targets longer stays and workcationers)

• Includes: guaranteed 2 pm checkout, a two-hour local experience (wine tasting, bike tour), and a one-time coworking pass.
• How to sell: Partner with business hotels that market to remote workers and register the experience in hotel loyalty marketplaces.
• Why it converts: Workcation travelers want convenience and local authenticity; upsells that reduce friction win bookings.

3. “Points Perks—Double Points Weekend” (Partner promotion)

• Includes: an exclusive promo code hotel can distribute to loyalty members that awards a small bonus (e.g., free appetizer or $25 credit) when they spend at your business during their stay.
• How to sell: Offer a simple commission to the hotel (a referral or fixed fee) and provide redemption tracking via QR codes tied to the hotel promo.
• Why it converts: Loyalty members love exclusives. Hotels are happy to promote local partners if it increases member satisfaction.

4. “Loyalty Marketplace Experience” (For high-value, point-redemption customers)

• Includes: list your curated experience on marketplaces like Marriott Moments, World of Hyatt, or Chase/Amex Experiences — e.g., private chef’s table, behind-the-scenes brewery tour, or guided photography walk.
• How to sell: Apply to the programs (many have partner portals) and set inventory/availability specifically for hotel check-in days.
• Why it converts: These marketplaces are populated by members actively searching to spend points on unique experiences.

Hotel partnerships that scale—step-by-step

Local businesses often ask: “How do I get hotels to promote my package?” Use this practical playbook to start conversations and close deals.

1. Identify target hotels: Start with hotels that appeal to the TPG audience—luxury and upper-upscale hotels, lifestyle brands, and properties near key attractions.
2. Create a simple partner kit: One-page PDF with package details, images, redemption flow, cost, and short commission structure. Include QR codes and a sample line item for folio add-on.
3. Offer concierge perks: Provide free familiarization (FAM) tours for concierge teams and staff rates for hotel employees so they can genuinely recommend your experience.
4. Agree on measurable KPIs: Bookings referred, folio add-ons sold, average spend per guest, and conversion rate from hotel referrals.
5. Use easy tracking: Dedicated promo codes, QR codes, or a simple referral form on your site to capture the guest's property and stay dates.

Marketing channels and messaging that reach points-driven travelers

Points travelers look for specificity and trust signals. Use the following channels and tailored messaging to surface your offers during the planning and booking windows.

Channels

• Concierge and front-desk distribution (brochures, digital folio add-ons)
• Hotel loyalty experiences marketplaces (Marriott Moments, World of Hyatt, Chase/Amex)
• Local listings and travel blogs (target TPG readers with geo-specific ads)
• PPC targeting keywords that include “points,” “award,” “free night,” and “TPG” + your city
• Partnership pages on hotel websites and in-room tablets

Messaging pillars

• Ease: “Bookable via your hotel folio” or “Redeemable as a hotel add-on”
• Exclusivity: “Available only to hotel guests” or “Limited to 10 slots per weekend”
• Points relevance: “Perfect for award-night travelers seeking a curated experience”
• Social proof: Show 4+ star reviews, affiliation logos, and concierge testimonials

Pricing, commissions, and packaging essentials

Aligning margins and expectations up front prevents missed opportunities. Here are realistic pricing structures:

• Folio add-ons: Sell at a small markup to hotels (e.g., cost $20, sell at $35) with a $5–$10 referral fee.
• Experience marketplaces: Price competitively; marketplaces often take a commission—build that into your margin.
• Concierge commissions: Offer a fixed referral fee per booking ($10–$25) or percentage (10–15%) depending on average ticket size.

Operational checklist before you launch

Quick operations to lock in so hotel partners and guests have a frictionless experience.

1. Set up a clear redemption process (QR code, voucher number, or folio line item).
2. Create a reservations channel for hotel concierges (email, phone, or partner portal).
3. Train staff on handling hotel referrals and noting “hotel name” on every booking.
4. Prepare a one-page FAQ for concierges covering price, duration, capacity, accessibility, and cancellation policy.
5. Enable digital check-in or contactless payment to match guest expectations.

KPIs & reporting: How to prove value to hotel partners

Be prepared with numbers. Hotels measure success by:

• Bookings referred (weekly/monthly)
• Average spend per guest (F&B, retail, tips)
• Conversion rate from referrals to paying guests
• Guest satisfaction (NPS or review rating)

Share a monthly one-page report with partners that shows these metrics and the incremental revenue the hotel sees from the collaboration. For scalable reporting and monitoring, consider playbooks like Observability & Cost Control for Content Platforms to help centralize KPIs and alerts across partners.

Real-world example (anonymized case study)

Example: A seaside boutique hotel in a TPG-featured city tested a “Chef’s Table + Late Checkout” package in Q4 2025 aimed at award-night guests. The hotel listed the experience on its booking add-ons and promoted it via email to loyalty members. Results in 90 days:

• 30 booked experiences (20% conversion of promoted segment)
• $75 average spend per experience; $2,250 incremental revenue
• Hotel saw a 12% lift in on-property dining spend from guests who booked the package

“Working with local partners helped us turn otherwise quiet midweek nights into valuable guest experiences and measurable F&B revenue.” — Hotel General Manager (anonymized)

Advanced strategies for 2026 and beyond

As loyalty marketplaces and AI-driven personalization ramp up in 2026, anticipate these developments and position your business to benefit:

• Experience tokenization: Expect more programs to let loyalty members buy experiences directly with points—create offers formatted for those catalogs.
• API integrations: Larger hotels prefer partners who can integrate availability via simple calendars or APIs. Consider a booking widget that can sync with hotel systems; see practical travel and tech trends in Travel Tech Trends 2026.
• AI personalization: Hotels will use AI to recommend guest activities. Provide structured metadata (duration, price, tags) so your experience can be surfaced by recommendation engines.
• Sustainability credentials: Travelers are choosing sustainable experiences—highlight local sourcing, low-impact practices, and community benefits.

Practical marketing calendar tied to TPG’s 2026 themes

Match your promotions to travel cycles inspired by the TPG list:

• Q1 (Jan–Mar): Promote urban cultural and festival experiences to TPG’s city picks.
• Q2 (Apr–Jun): Focus on outdoor and culinary packages for spring explorers.
• Q3 (Jul–Sep): Market family- and wellness-friendly packages for longer stays.
• Q4 (Oct–Dec): Offer holiday and slow-travel packages aimed at loyalty redemptions and end-of-year points burn.

Sample 10-step launch checklist (Ready-to-execute)

1. Choose 1–2 signature experiences to test.
2. Create pricing and a partner commission model.
3. Build a one-page partner kit and promo assets.
4. Pitch 3–5 local hotels and 1 concierge service.
5. List the experience on one loyalty marketplace (or Viator/Klook).
6. Set up QR-code redemption and tracking.
7. Train staff and concierge contacts with a 15-minute virtual FAM.
8. Run a two-week targeted ad campaign to “points” keywords.
9. Collect guest feedback and reviews after each experience.
10. Share monthly reports and iterate on price or duration.

Measuring success—what to expect in your first 90 days

Most local businesses see incremental revenue first, then awareness. Benchmarks to target in 90 days:

• 10–40 direct bookings from hotel referrals
• 10–20% lift in weekday foot traffic during promotion windows
• 3–5 verified reviews from guest experiences to use in marketing

Final considerations: compliance, accessibility, and guest experience

Keep these non-negotiables in place:

• Clear cancellation and refund policies for upsells
• Accessibility information (ADA compliance, dietary restrictions) on all listings
• Transparent pricing and gratuity handling
• Insurance and liability coverage for experiential activities

Why act now

TPG’s 2026 list signals where informed travelers are focusing their attention this year. With loyalty programs expanding experiences and award availability stabilizing, there’s an opening for nimble local businesses to capture high-value stays—if you present an easy-to-book, points-friendly option that hotels can sell to their members.

“Businesses that partner with hotels and speak the language of loyalty members will win more bookings, higher on-property spend, and stronger reviews.”

Actionable takeaways

• Audit TPG relevance: See whether your city or nearby destinations are on TPG’s 2026 list and identify the traveler motivations cited.
• Build one points-friendly package: Design it for hotel folio add-on or loyalty marketplace listing.
• Pitch three hotels: Bring a partner kit, tracking method, and a small commission offer.
• Track results: Report monthly using simple KPIs (bookings referred, incremental revenue, reviews).

Call to action

Ready to attract points-and-miles travelers in 2026? Claim or update your local business profile on yourlocal.directory to be found by hotel concierges, loyalty marketplaces, and informed travelers. Need help building a hotel partnership kit or listing your first experience on a loyalty marketplace? Schedule a free 20-minute strategy consult with our local tourism marketing team and get a custom launch checklist tailored to your neighborhood.

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