Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, has started its 20th anniversary year on a high note, reporting robust Q1 results across all key performance indicators.

Exceeding expectations, total hotel revenues for Q1 2024 jumped to $649 million, up 17% compared to Q1 2023, while total room nights picked up 20% and the Average Daily Rate (ADR) across its portfolio of 800 hotels nudged up 2%.

The GHA Discovery loyalty programme continued to grow in popularity, with new enrolments increasing 28% in the first three months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

At the same time, redemptions of the programme’s rewards currency, Discovery Dollars (D$), rocketed 109% year-on-year, led by members based in Spain, Singapore and China respectively.

Further underlining the success, the total cross-brand revenue, driven by members staying in a different brand to where they enrolled, increased 32% to $86.2 million in Q1, with hotel brands benefiting the most including Anantara, Kempinski, Pan Pacific and Parkroyal.

Since launching just over two years ago, D$206 million have been issued to GHA Discovery members, and with D$1 equal to $1, which has created a stimulus for travel within the alliance, and has helped drive more direct bookings for hotels, which are up 40% on GHA channels over 2023.

Nearly two-thirds of those direct bookings are now made on the GHA Discovery app.

Q1 2024 also demonstrated some key market and member trends:

International stays made by the 26 million GHA Discovery loyalty programme members dominate: 68% of hotel room revenues were generated by international stays, led by properties in the Maldives (99% of revenue from international stays), Thailand (94%) and Hong Kong (86%).

US and UK members highly influential: 72% of the room revenue from US GHA Discovery members and 89% of the room revenue from UK members came from their international stays.

The US is the most important feeder market for GHA hotel brands, generating $52 million in international room revenue in Q1 2024, followed by the UK with $37 million. This collective $89 million represents 26% of total international stays room revenue.

Repeat stays room revenue from US members in Q1 2024 increased 33% compared to Q1 2023, while repeat stays from UK members rose 20% year on year.

2024 destination hotspots revealed: The most preferred international destinations for each major feeder market were: Saint Lucia for US members; the UAE for members in the UK and Germany; Thailand for members in Russia; Hong Kong for members in mainland China; and Singapore for members based in Australia.

“As we enter our 20th anniversary year, GHA is not only delivering impressive numbers, but tangible business growth to our hotel brands. Our Q1 results also underscore our commitment to providing our GHA Discovery members with unparalleled choice and flexibility; the surge in new enrolments and record-breaking redemptions of D$ reflect their level of engagement with the programme” said GHA CEO Chris Hartley.

Since GHA was launched in 2004, the alliance has grown exponentially to represent a collection of 40 brands with more than 800 hotels, resorts and palaces in 100 countries, and the 26 million members of its GHA Discovery loyalty programme, first launched in 2010, now drive $2.3 billion in revenue and 10 million room nights (as of 2023).

Recent milestones include the reimagination of GHA Discovery, including the launch of Discovery Dollars (D$), in December 2021; NH Hotel Group joining the alliance in 2022, enhancing the GHA offering with 350 properties in 30 countries across three brands; and the 2023 launch of Green Collection, empowering members to make conscious travel choices.

GHA has diversified its loyalty offering with two new partnerships too, joining forces with ultra-luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 2023 to reward cruisers with D$ and status, and vacation rental platform Plum Guide in March this year, rewarding members who stay at any of their 38,000 remarkable vacation homes.

In a move that further broadened the choice for GHA Discovery members, GHA welcomed the Lore Group in February, adding five design-led hotels housed in landmark buildings across Amsterdam, London and Washington DC, along with Cheval Collection which joined in April, offering luxury serviced apartments across Edinburgh, London, and Dubai.

“Looking ahead, building on two decades of success, we remain dedicated to delivering exceptional value and experiences, ensuring that GHA continues to be the preferred choice for independent hotel brands and their customers.” concluded Hartley. 

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