On Jan. 2, travel agents participating in Starwood's SPG Pro
program will switch to Marriott International's Fam-Tastic discount
rates, which the company says are typically lower than SPG Pro's.
The change will give agents bigger discounts for personal
stays and lift the limit on how many personal stays agents can have each year,
Marriott said. Marriott currently limits agents to five stays per year.
Agents will no longer earn Starpoints for bookings, though
they will retain their Starpoint balances.
Professional meeting planners will still get Starpoints for
booking meetings but will receive Plan-Tastic discount rates for personal
bookings.
The changes reflect Marriott’s continued efforts to
integrate Starwood Hotels & Resorts and its programs with Marriott's.
Marriott, which acquired Starwood last year, has estimated
that the Marriott Rewards and Starwood SPG loyalty programs will be fully
integrated by the end of next year.