FAQ

The conference starts on Monday afternoon and continues two more days until Wednesday end of day.

Please consult our agenda.

This two-and-a-half-day event is designed to bring together airlines and hotels, as well as suppliers and other companies in the travel industry, to exchange information on new trends, achievements and innovations in travel loyalty. This is a meeting point of travel loyalty experts.

Year after year, we welcome full-service and low-cost airlines, members of the three global airline alliances, hotels, rental car companies, banks, booking platforms, IT suppliers and others. The event is open to anybody with an interest in the travel loyalty industry.

Kindly note that we do not accept any representatives from state-owned companies from Russia or Belarus, in line with international sanctions and as their policy contradicts the fundamental values of the travel industry.

Yes. Loyalty & Awards is a full in-person event without any hybrid elements - as we did notably each year throughout the Covid pandemic!

The only possiblity to benefit of the event is hence to attend in person.

All presentations and formal elements of the conference are run in English, without any translation service provided.

Loyalty & Awards features unparalleled great agenda content, but there are certain other elements that set us apart from any other event in the circus. Among them:

• Above all, we are not a commercial conference producer, but loyalty experts, organising only this one event each year. All our sweat and love goes into that event - and it transpires!
• Monday afternoon will be devoted to social activities in order to begin the loyalty conference with some informal networking, to make connections and to get to know Vancouver and the local culture a bit more.
• Delegates (at a personal level) having attended Loyalty & Awards 2022 in Madrid receive a discount of 10% off the registration prices, in recognition of your continued loyalty.
• We offer a 50% discount on the applicable registration fees for current customers of Global Flight's consulting services (current customers are defined as customers with a contract signed or having been invoiced since 01 October 2022)
• And last, but not least: Loyalty & Awards 2023 is again a 100% in-person event.

Provided the consent of the respective presenter, presentations will be made available after the event over the conference website in the member's area.

Kindly note that speakers are free not to grant that permission if they consider their content is too sensitive to be shared.

Loyalty & Awards 2023 will take place at the Hotel Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana, at the upper end of the famous Copacabana Beach. The 5-star hotel is part of Accor Hospitality Group.

It is located at  Av. Atlântica, 4240 in Rio de Janeiro, CEP 22070-002.

No, the registration fee includes everything related to the conference (attendance, workshops, social activities, lunches, coffee breaks, cocktails and participation in the Golden Loyalty Awards evening, including the Gala Dinner), but not the accommodation or transportation.

You are not obliged to stay in the hotel hosting the conference. You are free to choose any accommodation. However, our delegates can avail of an attractive group rate, valid for your stay between 05 and 15 October 2023 if you book your accomodation in the Fairmont Rio Copacabana, which hosts the event.

Staying at the venue (and booking the venue directly through the link provided) also entitles our first 60 guests confirming their booking to a special credit of 5,000 ALL reward points (with a cash value of 100 EUR when redeemed at Accor properties), on top of the normal points earning.

The hotel provides a wide range of services, from restaurants to spas, and its famous swimming pool.

Check out the details on the hotel website.

In order to benefit from a special room rate, a room reservation should be executed via the "Preparing for travel" section in your personal account area, accessible after being registered for the event.

In addition, if you are among the first 60 bookers, you will also get 5,000 ALL reward points (having a cash value of EUR 100 when redeemed at Accor properties points) as part of Accor's ALL loyalty scheme and offered by Global Flight, irrespectively of the length of your stay.

Note that third-party booking channels would not allow to accrue any points.

The negotiated room rates range between 988 BRL and 1,461 BRL per night (single) or 1,098 BRL and 1,571 BRL (double), depending on the room type.

These rates are valid from 05 to 15 October 2023, subject to availability. If you wish to extend your stay beyond these dates, public rates will apply.

Breakfast and free Wi-Fi are included for all our guests in these rates.

Rates are exclusive of a a non-mandatory tourism fee of 9 BRL per night. All other taxes are included to above rates.

The user-friendly app is your required tool during the event.

It will provide you with all needed event-related information in real-time.

The app will be downloadable as of 21 September and will be available only for registered delegates having received an invitation to access.

The Loyalty & Awards conference is organised by Global Flight - a management consulting company specializing in the area of frequent flyer and travel loyalty programmes. In the past Global Flight was a co-organiser of the Loyalty Conference and Loyalty@Freddie Awards conferences.

Please learn more info about Global Flight on our website.

If you have completed your registration to the event, you'll be able to see the attendees list in the run-up to the event. It is updated on a regular basis.

Delegates list is also available through the event app, available shortly ahead of the event.

Yes. In line with general GDPR rules, the conference organisers never share any personal details (incl. contact details) with third parties without the written consent of the delegate.

• Monday: Business casual (make sure to wear adapted and comfortable clothing for the social activities - we will inform notably the participants of the football activity seperately about corresponding requirements)
• Tuesday & Wednesday: Business casual/attire
• Tuesday night (gala dinner): Business attire

We are happy to offer sponsorship opportunities, which give you the possibility to gain exposure to a global loyalty community throughout the year. Please contact our Sales Director, Anna Khomukha for further details.

Please see our team page to find the appropriate person for your request.

The Golden Loyalty Awards are the industry recognition awards in the travel loyalty industry, judged by a panel of industry experts, which makes them particularly valuable to the winners. Each year, we recognise innovations in different categories which have best managed to combine creativity with delivered results. A judging panel of experienced loyalty professionals will review and assess all nominations received and will select the winners in an independent selection process which will be announced on Tuesday evening, 10 October 2023, during the gala dinner.

Please refer to the website for all details.

The Awards are judged by a panel of industry experts that change every year. This year's judges in the airline/partner categories include:

• Manuj Jain, Head of Loyalty, Air India
• Beatriz Polo, Head of Loyalty, Iberia
• Sven Neweling, Head of CRM Strategy and Loyalty Programs, Deutsche Bahn
• Ravindra Bhagwanani, Managing Director, Global Flight

The judges for the Award in the Supplier category as well as for the Lifetime Achievement Award are:

• Xavier Lucas, Principal Software Engineer, Alaska Airlines
• Kristi Gole, EVP Strategy, Global Hotel Alliance
• Linus Benjamin Bauer, Founder & Managing Director, Bauer Aviation Advisory

The four main categories are open to all operators of a loyalty program. Each operator can nominate a maximum of one nomination per category, but can submit multiple nominations across several categories.

In order to validate nominations, nominees need to have registered at least one executive representative to attend the event by 04 August 2023.

The supplier category is open to all sponsors of the event, spending a minimum of 1,000 EUR on sponsorship items.

Nominations for the Operator and Supplier categories are a self-nomination process, i.e. no nominations in the name of somebody else can be submitted. 

No specific restrictions apply to nominate for the Best Lifetime Achievement award. Nominees may nominate themselves or another person.

Program operators shall submit their nominations by 04 August 2023.

Entries in the Supplier category and for the Best Lifetime Achievement Award can be submitted until 01 September 2023.

The registration fee includes everything related to the conference: conference attendance, workshops, Monday afternoon social activities, lunches, coffee breaks and cocktails, as well as your participation in the Golden Loyalty Awards evening, including the Gala Dinner.

No discount is granted if certain of these elements are not attended by delegates.

The registration fee as well as the partner programme fee can be paid by credit/debit card or via bank transfer. For a bank transfer, you'll be able to download your invoice after having created your account on the website.

Cancellations made within 48 hours of registration are entitled to a full refund.

You may cancel one or more delegate place(s) at the event on your booking at any time, but no refund will be given to delegates having registered at the airline/partner rate. Delegates at the supplier rate only are eligible for a 50% refund if notification is received by 02 October 2023.

Registrations for the gala dinner only are eligible for a refund if notification is received by 24 September 2023.

Strictly no refund will be given for no-shows.

Please refer to the T&C.

The registration fee doesn't include any transportation.

Yes, there are different types of discount applicable to the registration fee.

Group discounts for Airlines/Loyalty Program Operators/Partners - One complimentary seat per two (2) paid delegates from the same company. This offer is combinable with any other discounts/offers, unless otherwise stated.

Loyalty discount - Delegates having attended Loyalty & Awards 2022 in Madrid receive a discount of 10% (discount applicable to individuals, not companies). 

Global Flight discount - Airlines/partners having worked with Global Flight on a consulting basis since 01 October 2022 are entitled to a 50% discount. This discount applies to all companies either having been invoiced or having signed a project contract during that period. 

Discounts apply on the applicable fee at the time of booking.

No, we don't offer any partial attendance fee. We hope you will spend 2.5 days with us benefiting from all possible features and possibilities the conference provides, but if you are not able to attend the entire conference, no further discount will apply.

Two types of registration fees are offered, the lower one being reserved to operators of a loyalty program and their program partners (defined as a company purchasing loyalty currencies to offer them as B2C incentive to its end customers). The higher rate applies to all other companies.

The final assessment about which category a delegate belongs to is with the organisers.

The registration for the conference consists of 2 steps:

• Creation of a member account on the conference website (one account per registration)
• Registration and payment of fee

In your member's area on the website you will be able to:

• Modify some account details
• Add your spouse for the gala dinner
• Access to the hotel reservation
• See the list of attendees (in the run-up to the event)
• Contact the attendees via our networking tool (in the run-up to the event)
• Access to presentations and pictures of previous events

It is certainly worth planning some extra time in Rio as there are plenty of things to do.

Get inspired about potential ideas to extend your stay here.

Our delegates can also benefit of special rates at selected Accor properties throughout the country. Take advantage of it in order to discover one of the most fascinating countries in the world!

Yes and no. The security situation has drastically improved over the last few years but, as basically in most major cities, especially small crimes (pickpockets) are still common place, including at tourist hotspots such as Copacabana. It is recommended to limit the valuables you carry with you in public places and to play corresponding attention. Police is though well present in these places.

However, you should avoid touring on your own through some of the poorer neighbourhoods ("favelas"). However, joining guided tours to these places is certainly something you can consider.

Social activities are Brazilian-themed group activities that are planned on Monday afternoon, after the opening keynote. Attendees will divide into smaller groups based on the chosen activity. These afternoon activities will facilitate informal networking in a relaxed environment and start the conference with some unique-to-Rio experiences!

The number of places for each activity is limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis as part of the registration process for the event.

If you've already registered for an activity and closer to the event you realise that you won't be able to participate, please send us a message so somebody else would get a chance to participate. Thank you!

Yes, the social activities are included in the registration fee, but places are limited and given out on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registering late might mean that you can't participate anymore in the acitivity of your choice or even in no activity at all. No discount is granted in that case.

Registration for a social activity takes place during the registration process for the event.

If you've already registered for an activity and closer to the event you realise that you won't be able to participate, please send us a message so somebody else would get a chance to participate. Thank you!

If your registration is already confirmed and you want to change your social activity, it will not be possible to do it online. Please contact the organisers at eventmanager@loyalty-and-awards.com in that case and we'll do our best to reaccommodate you.

No, you are not obliged to participate in a social activity.

But if you've already registered for an activity and closer to the event you realise that you won't be able to participate, please send us a message so somebody else would get a chance to participate. Thank you!

Taking into account that the number of places for each activity is limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis as part of the registration process for the event, we do recommend not to postpone the registration to a social activity if you plan to participate.

On the other hand, if you've already registered for an activity and closer to the event you realise that you won't be able to participate, please send us a message so somebody else would get a chance to participate. Thank you!

The Maracanã activity includes an active football match on the ground. You should therefore plan for corresponding equipment, adapted to the rather hot temperatures (shorts, shirt, socks, sneakers - no football shoes needed).

You will have the opportunity to access a changing room at the stadium.

The L&A run is our new "inofficial" pre-conference social activity - for the most sportive ones among you.

We invite you to join us on Monday morning for a 8-km run on Copacabana as Rio (and their sportive cariocas) wakes up to a new day.

Our runners will receive a running shirt, courtesy by our Official Hotel Partner ALL - Accor Live Limitless, after the run (limited to 50 shirts). For the run as such, they should hence take an own shirt.

Upon registration, kindly indicate your presence at the L&A run. We also kindly ask you to be on time on Monday morning as we'll be leaving at 06:00am sharp from the hotel lobby.

Please contact our Director of Sales, Anna Khomukha.

You can find the confirmed sponsors list on our website.

Rio de Janeiro is served by two airports. Both are located in the North of the city.

• Galeão (GIG) - international flights

Around 40min by taxi or Uber to join the Fairmont Copacabana (depending on the traffic).
Uber are quite cheaper and very convenient to move around the city. A one-way trip from the airport to the hotel costs around BRL 100 / USD 20 (Uber Black). At GIG, Uber pick-up is at Terminal 2, 2nd Floor.

• Santos Dumont (SDU) - domestic flights

Around 20min by taxi or Uber to join the Fairmont Copacabana (depending on the traffic).
A one-way trip from the airport to the hotel costs around BRL 50 / USD 10 (Uber Black).

From both airports, public transport is not really an alternative, unless you are highly familiar with the city.

Please refer to the Access tab for detailed information.

Some major hotspots of Rio de Janeiro, such as Copacabana of course, are within walking distance.

All others can easily be reached by public transport or taxi/Uber. Please address at the hotel reception for any assistance you may need.

The Fairmont Copacabana has a private indoor parking on site.

Parking is priced:

• 12 Hour Period = R$ 50,00 + 10% + 5% ISS per car
• Above 12 Hours = R$ 100,00 + 10% + 5% ISS per car

All parking needs must be requested at least 10 days before the event, subject to availability. Valet service included. If wishes, the extra valet parking attendant may take the vehicle to the parking lot.

You can download a visa invitation letter in your member's area after having completed your registration. This letter might be used to prove the purpose of your travel when applying for a visa with the local Brazilian authorities in your country.

Please check the details regarding the visa requirements on the corresponding website.

Kindly note that the planned introduction of electronic visas for citizens of Australia, Canada and the United States of America has been postponed to 10 January 2024. Citizens of these countries can hence enter Brazil without any visa for Loyalty & Awards 2023. (The initially discussed visa requirement for citizens of Japan had been abolished completely.)

Yes, free WiFi is available during the conference days, in the meeting rooms and in the exhibition space, even if you don’t stay at the hotel. The connection information will be available at the registration desk.