(Posted 18th July 2024)
- 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
UAE-headquartered Global Hotel Alliance has reported robust 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.
Room nights and hotel revenues surge
Driven by the growing number of travel-hungry 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.
Room revenues driven by international stays
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%).
The UK and US deliver most businessIn terms of feeder markets for international stays, the UK and US continue to dominate. GHA DISCOVERY 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 ($69 million), 87% of which was international.
Most popular destinations revealed
The UAE came out on top as the most preferred international destination for GHA DISCOVERY members in H1 when measured by room revenue, with Italy, the UK and Russia as its top feeder markets. Singapore was the second most popular destination, driven by members in China and Australia.
GHA DISCOVERY membership and D$ spend hit new heights
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 rocketed 85% in Q2 2024 compared to the same period last year.
Cross-brand revenues and direct bookings continue to rise
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 $135 million in H1 2023.
GHA direct website and app bookings increased by 40% versus H1 2023, with average spend per member 57% higher on GHA DISCOVERY’s direct channels compared to other third-party channels.
These results clearly demonstrate how GHA hotels are receiving incremental revenue from GHA DISCOVERY members earning D$ 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 before adding: “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.”
GHA’s Q2 and H1 success marks another milestone in the year the alliance celebrates its 20th anniversary. Since GHA was launched in 2004, it has grown exponentially to represent a collection of 40 brands with more than 800 hotels, resorts and palaces in 100 countries, while the 27 million members of its GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme, first launched in 2010, generated $2.3 billion in revenue and 10 million room nights in 2023.
