Marriott Bonvoy today announced changes to its Ambassador program that will take effect in 2023.
The spent requirement is changing from $20,000 to $23,000, an increase of 15%, and by mid-2023, all Ambassadors are again assigned a personal concierge in their time zone that can handle guests’ requests.
You can access Marriott’s page for the Ambassador program here.
READ MORE: Marriott Bonvoy Rate & Bonus Points Offers
2022 Qualification Requirements:
- 100 nights + $20,000
2023 Qualification Requirements
- 100 nights + $23,000
You have to remember that $23,000 is, at minimum, $26,000 in on-property spending because it excludes taxes/fees/resort/destination and all other junk fees.
UPDATE: Marriott’s Email To Ambassadors:
Announcement from Marriott:
Travel is surging with family and friends reconnecting and fulfilling their passions in life, while sometimes blending business and leisure travel on longer trips.
To ensure the program is delivering the highest level of service to its most loyal members when it is most important, Marriott Bonvoy is announcing an enhancement for Ambassador Elite members to help make travel planning easier and trips more fulfilling within in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio.
In mid-2023, Ambassador Elite members will be assigned personal ambassadors based on the language and time zone that matches their preferences. Personal ambassadors will work directly with members to assist with planning travel involving the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. The program is also expanding its self-service preference tool. Ambassador Elite members will be able to voluntarily share additional information about what is important to them to further enhance the personalized service they will receive.
Personal ambassadors will perform a variety of assistance including booking or changing hotel stays and services, such as spa and golf appointments and dining reservations, as well as helping facilitate other specific requests members may have, such as tickets for tours and activities, dining options, and ground transportation.
Personal ambassadors will be available during their working hours and our ambassador service team will be available should members require assistance at other times. Until the assignment of personal ambassadors, the current ambassador service remains in place. Additionally, beginning January 1, 2023, the minimal Annual Qualifying Spend requirement for Ambassador Elite status will be $23,000 USD. There will be no change to the 100+ Elite Night Credits requirement. Ambassador members who have spent the minimum of $20,000 USD and have a minimum of 100 ENCs in 2022 will retain their status through February 2024.
Recent Reader Question About The Ambassador Program:
Reader Question: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Tier Possible Without $20,000 Spend?
Recent Ambassador Program Developments:
- Marriott’s Misleading Email: “It’s Here! Reach Ambassador Elite Status Faster.”
- Marriott Ambassador Requirement Returns To 100 Nights & $20K In 2022
- Marriott Bonvoy Suspends Personalized Ambassador Service
- Marriott Bonvoy Ends Personalized Ambassador Email Service On March 1, 2021
- Marriott Asks To Stop Emailing Ambassadors Because Accounts No Longer Monitored
- Marriott & SPG Ambassadors Moving From 200 To 300 Clients?
Conclusion
It is good that the personal ambassadors are back rather than members having to contact a general email address for all requests.
Whether this works as intended entirely depends on how many accounts each ambassador is assigned to.
When the program was launched back in the Starwood times, each associate handled less than 100 guest accounts, which increased to 300 in the late 2010s under Marriott. Unfortunately, this meant that response times and quality both decreased significantly.
So, the question next year will be whether the Ambassador program is worth the $23K.