Amigos de Paradores: 30 years of a pioneering loyalty club

The Amigos de Paradores program turns three decades and the chain celebrates with telling numbers: over one million members and nearly 100,000 new signups in the past year. According to Hosteltur, the club was born in 1996 as one of the first loyalty programs in the Spanish hotel sector, targeting travelers seeking heritage, gastronomy and nature.

To me, this anniversary proves something important: when a loyalty program aligns with the brand's identity, it stands the test of time. Amigos de Paradores is not just a discount, it's a community that grows both domestically and internationally. One hundred thousand new memberships in a single year is no small feat, especially in a world where OTAs and aggregators fight for every customer.

But the real value of these clubs lies in the data they generate. If Paradores knows how to leverage that million-strong profile to personalize offers and anticipate trends, it has a competitive weapon many independent hotels would envy. The trick is not just to capture, but to retain and convert. And 30 years is a long time to learn that.