IHG Hotels & Resorts has struck a major loyalty tie-up with PAYBACK, Germany’s largest consumer rewards programme, in a move that significantly raises the stakes for corporate travel buyers and frequent business guests in one of Europe’s most lucrative travel markets.
The deal opens the door for PAYBACK’s 35 million members, a base that dwarfs most standalone hotel loyalty schemes in the country, to accrue rewards when staying at any of IHG’s 7,000-plus properties globally. For business travellers based in Germany, it marks a notable shift in how stays at brands such as InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, voco and Holiday Inn can be converted into everyday value.
Under the terms of the partnership, IHG One Rewards members in Germany will be able to choose, via the IHG One Rewards app or IHG.com, whether they wish to earn IHG One Rewards points or PAYBACK points on qualifying stays. PAYBACK points banked through hotel bookings can then be redeemed across an expansive web of retail, grocery and lifestyle partners, a flexibility that is likely to appeal to road warriors keen to put business mileage to use closer to home.
The agreement underlines the growing strategic weight Germany carries within IHG’s European footprint. The group currently operates 190 hotels across the country, with a further 52 properties in the pipeline, a development pace that reflects sustained corporate demand in cities including Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin and Hamburg.
Mario Maxeiner, Managing Director, Northern Europe at IHG Hotels & Resorts, said the link-up reinforced the importance of the German market to the FTSE 100 hotelier. “We’re delighted to announce our partnership with PAYBACK, one of Germany’s most trusted loyalty programmes,” he said. “It strengthens the importance of the German market to IHG and enables us to engage German travellers in a more relevant and personalised way.”
He added that the collaboration was designed to deliver value well beyond traditional travel rewards. “Beyond traditional travel rewards, the collaboration delivers added value for guests, boosts visibility for our owners, and highlights the strength of IHG’s masterbrand in building high-value, market-centric partnerships that drive growth.”
For corporate travel managers, the tie-up offers a fresh incentive to steer programme spend toward IHG properties in Germany, with travellers now able to pick the currency that best suits their lifestyle. It also signals a broader trend across the hotel sector, where global operators are increasingly looking to embed themselves within local rewards ecosystems rather than rely solely on their own loyalty currencies, a strategy that has gained traction as hoteliers compete harder for share of wallet in a recovering business travel market.