Marriott International and Rakuten announce strategic partnership to enrich the travel experience of Japanese visitors

Marriott International, Inc. and Rakuten Group, Inc. today announced an industry-first strategic partnership set to elevate the travel experience of multitudes of Japanese visitors who travel around natively and worldwide.

A seamless, integrated travel experience

The agreement between Marriott and Rakuten will leverage the concentration of Rakuten’s digital know-how and capitalize on the recent growth of Japan’s digital economy, along with the worldwide level and rapid expansion of the Marriott Bonvoy indentation. The brand-new agreement is intended to establish a seamless, integrated travel experience and allow eligible members to enjoy benefits from both Marriott Bonvoy and the Rakuten loyalty program. The partnership will allow Marriott Bonvoy to connect directly with millions of Rakuten members, offer them unprecedented experiences and an assorted portfolio of Marriott Bonvoy’s 30 international hotel brands, and market directly to Rakuten’s customer base with content and promotions that are tailored for the Japanese traveller.

Rakuten is delighted to work with Marriott International to advance eligible Rakuten members the remarkable benefits of Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s industry vanquishing travel program, said Kazunori Takeda, Group Executive Vice President, President of Commerce Company, President of Ad & Marketing Company at Rakuten Group.

A global leader in internet services

Rakuten is a global leader in internet services that empower individuals, businesses, communities, and society, offering services in e-commerce, digital content, fintech, and communications. With over 100 million members in Japan, Rakuten’s multi-faceted consumer offerings centre on its network consists of surpassing 70 services, enhanced, and amplified through integration with its flagship loyalty program, Rakuten points. The Marriott Bonvoy portfolio encompasses more than 7,800 hotels and resorts across 138 countries and territories across the globe, involving more than 70 properties in Japan.

This partnership with Rakuten emphasizes their optimism for travel recovery, said Rajeev Menon, President, of Asia Pacific (excluding Greater China) at Marriott International.

With a sizable number of Japan’s population as a Rakuten member, the company can anticipate that this partnership would allow them to strategically acquire a larger share of a robust Japanese travel market and connect these travelers to their sprawling portfolio of global brands, Menon said.

He added that Marriott International is delighted to be working with Rakuten to advance the recovery of travel.

Proposed to launch in phases from later-November 2022, the alliance is set to open a world of benefits and elevate the travel experience for Japanese customers in the following methods:

• Coherent and unified digital travel experience: Registration in Marriott Bonvoy for eligible Rakuten members will be an accessible one-click process using existing Rakuten member data on the Rakuten platform.
• Exclusive benefits: Entitled Rakuten members will be able to enjoy the benefits of Marriott Bonvoy such as the ability to earn and redeem points, access to member rates, and other exclusive benefits that come with being a Marriott Bonvoy member
• Worthwhile Experiences: Once Rakuten members join Marriott Bonvoy, they will be able to access a variety of Marriott Bonvoy points redemption options for exclusive experiences such as family-focused events and private concerts through the Marriott Bonvoy Moments website.

About Rakuten

Rakuten Group, Inc. is a global internet service leader that empowers individuals, communities, businesses, and society. Established in Tokyo in 1997 as an online marketplace, Rakuten has expanded to offer services in e-commerce, digital content, fintech, and communications to almost 1.5 billion members across the globe. The Rakuten Group has over 25,000 people and operations in 30 countries and regions.

About Marriott International

Marriott International, Inc. is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and includes a portfolio of approximately 7,800 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 138 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts across the globe. The company extends Marriott Bonvoy, its highly awarded travel program.

About Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy encompasses Marriott International’s exceptional portfolio of 30 hotel brands – comprising the largest collection of luxury properties, an award-winning loyalty program, an online retail shop with 13 branded boutiques, Homes & Villas by Marriott International, and access to endless experiences – all obtainable through the Marriott Bonvoy Mobile app.