UAE-headquartered Global Hotel Alliance has reported strong Q2 results across all key performance indicators positioning the world’s largest alliance of independent hotels brands for a positive second half of the year.
Strong growth in hotel revenues, room nights, GHA DISCOVERY membership enrolments and redemptions of the loyalty programme’s DISCOVERY Dollars (D$) all took centre stage in Q2, reflecting increased appetite for stays and experiences across GHA’s diverse portfolio.
Here are some highlights from the company’s report:
- Room nights growth of 13.4% in Q2 and up 17.3% year to date
- Total H1 revenues $1.3 billion versus $1.1 billion in H1 2023
- GHA DISCOVERY enrolments surge 20% in Q2 pushing membership to 27 million
- Cross-brand revenues in H1 2024 were $176 million up 31% while direct bookings were up 40% over H1 2023
- DISCOVERY Dollar (D$) redemptions 85% higher in Q2 2024 than in Q2 2023
- International stays dominate member room revenue for H1, with the Maldives, Thailand and Portugal performing well and the UAE is the most popular destination
Driven by the growing number of GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme members, room nights surged 13.4% in Q2, with H1 growth of 17.3% compared to 2023. At the same time, room revenue shot up 10% in Q2 versus Q2 2023.
According to GHA, total H1 room revenues reached $1.3 billion compared to $1.1 billion in H1 2023. Turning the spotlight on Q2, 67% of room revenues, generated by GHA DISCOVERY members, were driven by international stays, dominated by the Maldives (99% of member revenues from international stays), Thailand (92%) and Portugal (89%).
Based on company data, in terms of feeder markets for international stays, the UK and US continue to dominate. GHA DISCOVERY shared that members in the US delivered more total room revenue than any other market ($110 million) with 72% of that attributed to overseas trips, while UK members generated the second highest total room revenue ($69 million), 87% of which was international.
The report also highlights that the UAE came out on top as the most preferred international destination for GHA DISCOVERY members in H1 when measured by room revenue, with Italy, the UK and Russia as its top feeder markets. Singapore was the second most popular destination, driven by members in China and Australia.
A stand-out performer in Q2 was enrolments in GHA DISCOVERY – swelling some 19.5%, with total membership hitting a record high of more than 27 million by the end of H1.
As membership and stays both rise at a rapid rate and with more D$ in circulation than ever before, redemption of the programme’s digital currency went up by 85% in Q2 2024 compared to the same period last year.
Growth across the entire GHA and GHA DISCOVERY ecosystem delivered incremental benefits to the alliance’s hotel brands, as cross-brand revenue gains have revealed. They picked up 31% to reach $176 million in H1 2024 versus $135 million in H1 2023.
GHA said that its direct website and app bookings increased by 40% versus H1 2023, with average spend per member 57% higher on GHA DISCOVERY’s direct channels compared to other third-party channels.
These results demonstrate how GHA hotels are receiving incremental revenue from GHA DISCOVERY members earning D$ at one property and redeeming them as part of their stay at another.
“Our stellar H1 numbers reflect the huge demand for leisure travel and the strength of our expanding portfolio. We are now entering a phase of sustained growth, buoyed by our unique multi-brand loyalty programme that continues to diversify its offering of new hotels and destinations,” said GHA CEO Chris Hartley.
“This performance also demonstrates the value we bring to our hotel brands and the strong engagement of our loyal members. We look forward to building on this momentum as we move into the second half of the year with July and August already looking very strong.”
