Global Hotel Alliance celebrates 20th anniversary with record-breaking 2024 results
UAE-headquartered Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024 by delivering its best-ever results. The milestone year saw record-breaking performance across all key metrics, further establishing GHA’s position as a leader in the global hospitality landscape.
Here are some key highlights:
- Member engagement grows, as repeat stay revenue increased 15% to $1.6 billion
- Sought-after cross-brand stay revenue up 28% to exceed $370 million
- 3.2 million new members join GHA DISCOVERY pushing total to 30 million, up 18%
- D$ redemption almost doubles to D$20 million, with December setting new record
Total revenue generated by the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme soared to $2.7 billion, a 16% increase from the previous $2.3 billion record set in 2023. Repeat stay revenue climbed 15% to $1.6 billion (up from $1.4 billion in 2023), highlighting the growing engagement of loyal members, while cross-brand stay revenue surged by nearly one-third, reaching $370 million (up from $289 million in 2023), driven by members staying in a different brand than where they enrolled.
The year also saw remarkable growth in loyalty programme membership and engagement. Enrolments reached 3.2 million, up 18%, taking total GHA DISCOVERY membership past the 30 million threshold. DISCOVERY Dollar (D$) redemption nearly doubled to D$20 million, with the 2024 holiday season witnessing a record D$2.6 million redeemed in December alone, as members splurged on hotel stays and a range of experiences, from dining to spa days, and more.
Chris Hartley, CEO of GHA, said: “GHA’s 20th anniversary year was its best yet. We’ve achieved exceptional growth across all performance indicators, setting a strong foundation for sustained success in 2025 and beyond.”
In 2024, GHA welcomed seven new hotel brands to its portfolio while existing brands continued to expand, collectively adding 68 new properties to the GHA DISCOVERY programme. New additions included Cheval Collection, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, Lore Group, Unike Hotels, Sunway Hotels & Resorts, Andronis Hotels, and Paramount Hotels. These brands have broadened the horizons for GHA DISCOVERY members, offering more choice across a diverse range of destinations such as the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, the US, Greece, Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Malaysia, and the UAE.
In 2024, GHA entered a partnership with the leading curator of vacation rentals, Plum Guide, granting members access to a vetted portfolio of over 40,000 high-end vacation homes worldwide.
Chris Hartley, CEO of GHA, commented: “As we celebrated our 20th anniversary in 2024, we reached a record $2.7 billion in total revenue, grew cross-brand revenue by 28% and welcomed seven new independent brands; these achievements reflect how far we’ve come in two decades, and in particular the exceptional value we generate to our hotel brands.”
Global travel accelerates again
International travel dominated GHA revenue in 2024, rising to 67% of the total, up from 60% in 2023. This surge highlights the accelerating pace of global travel, fuelled by key feeder markets such as the US, where 73% of member spend was on international stays. Destination-wise, Thailand had 93% of its revenue from international stays (up from 90%), Portugal at 87% (slightly down from 88%), and the Netherlands at 85% (up from 83%). Hong Kong, SAR and China recovered strongly, leaping into fifth position at 82%, overtaking the UAE, which secured sixth place with 76%.
US and UK travellers remain the top spenders
The US and UK once again claimed the top spots as the most important feeder markets, with GHA DISCOVERY members based in these countries generating a combined $367 million in international stay revenue – up sharply from $316 million in 2023. Germany retained third place with $83 million (up from $67 million), followed by Australia at $72 million (up from $56 million) and China at $66 million (up from $45 million).
Destination demand trends
Thailand retained its crown as the most popular destination in terms of international stay room revenue, driven by members based in the UK and US (each generating $11.8 million) and China ($10.6 million), while the UAE kept its second-place position, favoured by members from the UK ($22.4 million), Russia ($13.7 million) and Germany ($10 million). Singapore came in third, with travellers in China ($16.5 million) and Australia ($13.5 million) flocking to the destination, and Italy was the fourth most popular location, thanks to members based in the US ($28.4 million) and Germany ($4.7 million).
Direct booking channels dominate
GHA’s direct web and app booking platforms powered forward in 2024, with room revenue going up by 37% year-on-year, room nights up 35%, and bookings climbing 42%. Engaged members’ preference for GHA channels was clear, with average spend per booking 88% higher than other channels, up from 65% in 2023.
