Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, through its loyalty program Wyndham Rewards, has introduced a limited-edition candy collection called Flavors of the Open Road to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the historic Route 66. This move offers a novelty box that contains six destination-inspired confections alongside 30,000 loyalty points redeemable for hotel stays.
The Flavors of the Open Road collection, priced at $19.26 — a figure referencing the year the Mother Road was established — will be available exclusively on Wyndham Rewards' website starting August 20, with only 100 boxes produced. Each box features 2.5-ounce jars of candies that interpret regional specialties such as Chicago deep-dish pizza, Tulsa pecan pie, Amarillo smoked brisket, Albuquerque roasted green chile, Flagstaff prickly pear soft serve, and Kingman root beer float.
Beyond the culinary curiosities, each purchase includes a guide to local attractions, restaurants, and nearby Wyndham properties.
Image Credit: Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Destination-flavored Confections
- Novelty sweets that translate regional dishes into collectible formats create new space for travel brands to package place-based storytelling as edible merchandise.
- Loyalty-linked Limited Drops
- Scarce product releases bundled with rewards points can turn membership programs into experiential retail channels with stronger emotional and promotional value.
- Roadtrip Nostalgia Branding
- Heritage routes and anniversary milestones provide brands with culturally familiar themes for blending tourism, collectibles, and themed commerce.
Where This Applies
- Hospitality
- Hotel groups can extend guest engagement beyond stays by connecting loyalty ecosystems with themed products, local guides, and destination discovery.
- Confectionery
- Candy makers gain differentiation through unconventional savory and regional flavor profiles that appeal to collectors, travelers, and novelty-seeking consumers.
- Travel Retail
- Online-exclusive souvenirs tied to specific journeys suggest new models for selling trip-inspired goods before, during, or after travel experiences.
