Singapore – Super app Grab and Marriott International, Inc. has today announced a wide-ranging strategic partnership that will see both companies integrating their offerings to bring premium hospitality experience into the hands of consumers in Southeast Asia. This will the global hotel brand’s first extensive integration with a super app platform in Southeast Asia, as well as Grab’s most comprehensive agreement with a hospitality group to date.
Under the terms of the parties Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Marriott International will integrate into Grab’s platform in phases across food delivery, payment, transport, loyalty, and rewards, as well as advertising. Marriott International will also have access to Grab’s sizable customer base via GrabFood, GrabPay, and GrabAds, enabling them to serve a growing pool of customers who are increasingly transacting online.
Meanwhile on Grab’s side, GrabFood will feature approximately 600 restaurants and bars from Marriott International’s portfolio in six different Southeast Asian markets. In addition, customers will be able to conveniently pay for their dining experiences through GrabPay at selected Marriott International hotels. Customers will earn GrabRewards points for all transactions on the Grab platform, which can be converted to Marriott Bonvoy points and vice versa.
Marriott Bonvoy is the travel program of Marriott International that encompasses the company’s global portfolio of 30 hotel brands and premium home rental offerings, Homes and Villas by Marriott International. Once in place, Grab customers will be able to redeem their converted points for exclusive member benefits at over 7,400 hotels and resorts in 135 countries and territories.
APAC President of Marriott International Rajeev Menon said the collaboration is one way we the company is designing a more seamless travel experience by leveraging the expertise of a super app in the region
“Marriott International is constantly looking for ways to innovate and bring value to travelers and Marriott Bonvoy members as part of our partnership strategy,” said Menon.
Meanwhile, Group Managing Director for Operations at Grab Russell Cohen commented, “We are excited to partner with a world-renowned hospitality group like Marriott International that is at the forefront of delivering customer-first hospitality experiences. The breadth of our collaboration reflects our value as a platform of choice in supporting global brands on their digitalization journey in the new normal, and in particular, represents a milestone for our fast-growing GrabAds business.”
Other initiatives within the partnership include:
- GrabPay: Piloting in Q1 2021, first in Singapore, travelers will be able to make cashless payments through GrabPay at participating Marriott International hotels. F&B outlets that accept GrabPay can soon also access Grab’s Merchant Discovery feature to notify guests in the vicinity of participating hotels about ongoing promotions and events. This will help businesses increase sales, grow customer loyalty, and drive more foot traffic to physical outlets.
- GrabAds: Grab and Marriott International will jointly create impactful marketing campaigns that are relevant and personalized to customers. With GrabAds’ solutions, Marriott International can connect with customers in a targeted way through audience data, integrated marketing communications across touchpoints, and track campaign performance in real-time.
- GrabRewards: Starting in Q1 2021, Grab customers and Marriott Bonvoy members will be able to enjoy two-way points transfer. This will allow consumers to convert GrabRewards points to Marriott Bonvoy points and vice versa, enjoying flexibility and benefits on GrabRewards, Southeast Asia’s largest rewards platform by users, with nearly 800 merchants.
Both companies will also launch more loyalty initiatives in the coming months, including dining rewards at Marriott’s F&B outlets.
The strategic partnership will begin in Singapore in November 2020, with Marriott International and Grab to roll out more products and services across Southeast Asia in multiple phases.
