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Hilton Colombo Residences Events and Conferences Manager Nirekshe Perera, Hilton Colombo Residences General Manager Karim Schadlou and Hilton Colombo Residences PR Manager Minoli Senanayake - Pic by Upul Abayasekara
By Shannine Daniel
Hilton Colombo Residences recently announced that from 1 January 2016 it has begun to award wedding couples an opportunity to earn points via the Hilton HHonors wedding incentive program.
The points earned can be used to redeem their honeymoon in any of the Hilton Hotels worldwide that are participating in this offer.
Hilton HHonors is Hilton Worldwide’s hotel rewards program that has four tiers, Blue, Silver, Gold and Diamond, which are based on a guest’s loyalty. Guests in each of these categories are eligible to benefits and can also receive free stays in 10 distinct brands within the Hilton Worldwide chain of hotels, based on their points.
With the aim of driving more wedding banquets into the hotel portfolio, this points system has been extended to weddings where a couple spends a minimum of $ 5,000 and is guaranteed to earn 50,000 Hilton HHonors points.
Within Sri Lanka the average cost of a wedding that has 150 to 180 guests, amounts to about $ 6,000 therefore potential customers will be guaranteed to receive 60,000 points.
Not all hotels are involved in giving away HHonors points but they are involved with the HHonors program, so customers can redeem their points in any Hilton Worldwide hotel of their choice and therefore they are given the opportunity of having their honeymoon anywhere in the world, revealed Hilton Colombo Residences General Manager Karim Schadlou.
Hilton Colombo Residences Manager of Conferences and Events Nirekshe Perera revealed that many wedding couples spend vast amounts of money on photographers, videographers, bands, and many other things in order to have the perfect wedding, most often compromising their honeymoon.
“This is the icing on the cake,” stated Schadlou. “If someone wants to go on a honeymoon we give them the opportunity.”
Hilton Worldwide boasts 4,300 properties in more than 90 countries around the world, therefore offering their potential customers a wide choice depending on the number of points that they have earned and also their flying capabilities if they wish to travel overseas. They will have the opportunity to stay at any Hilton Hotel within a range of 10,000 to 90,000 points.
The process for enrolment is simple, the couple will register as Hilton HHonors members by the hotel team, and once all payments for the wedding are finalised, the team will process the points to be earned. It is prudent to make such payments one month prior to the date of the wedding, asserted Schadlou.
“Enrolment is free and there are no other additional costs, these costs are absorbed by the hotel,” he added.
“No sooner than you pay the full amount for your wedding, the points will be accredited and then you can book your ticket for where ever you want to go,” stated Hilton Colombo Residences Manager of Conferences and Events Nirekshe Perera.
Hilton also offers its customers the added benefit of gaining flyer miles as it is has over 60 airline partners.