The Protea Hospitality Group's director of sales, marketing and revenue, Danny Bryer, said that the earning of Avios points at Protea Hotels and African Pride Hotels is linked to the company's own Prokard Rewards Programme, which is the first loyalty programme established in South Africa.
Silver, Gold and Platinum Prokard members receive double value if they are Avios Travel Rewards Programme or British Airways Executive Club members; in that they earn Avios points as well as Prokard Rands on their accommodation spend every time they check into a Protea Hotel or African Pride Hotel.
Prokard Rands works on a 1:1 basis, while one Avios point is earned for every R10 of a guest's accommodation spend.
To qualify for Avios points, guests need to quote both their Prokard and their Avios Travel Rewards Programme or British Airways Executive Club membership numbers to hotels during check in.
Bryer said that the partnership is a natural one between a loyalty programme that has more than 5 million members globally and Africa's largest hotel group.
"When the Avios Travel Rewards Programme launched here recently, the Protea Hospitality Group was the obvious choice of accommodation partner because of our strategic spread, our brand standards and our own successful loyalty programme and membership base.
"We know Avios shares those same brand values, which is why we've gone the extra mile in giving our Prokard members from Silver upwards a 'double dip' earning both Prokard Rands and Avios Points on their accommodation spend, which is a very attractive rewards programme benefit and one like no other in the South African travel industry.
"We look forward to a long partnership with Avios that will showcase not only the best of South Africa, but the leading hotel group on the continent too."
Nick Pilbeam, director of new markets and business development of Avios Group, said: "We're very excited to partner with the Protea Hospitality Group and offer South Africans a chance to collect Avios points in some of the top hotels in the country. This partnership gives our members great value for money by offering them the opportunity to earn Avios points to use towards flights with British Airways as well as to earn Prokard Rands when they check into a Protea Hotel or African Pride Hotel."
