Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, has unveiled remarkable results for its GHA Discovery loyalty program in 2025. The program achieved an unprecedented $2.3 billion in revenue, showcasing not only its financial success but also a significant shift in traveler behavior, with major implications for destinations like Osaka and the wider Kansai region.
A Record-Breaking Year for GHA Discovery
In a landmark announcement, GHA reported its strongest year to date for the GHA Discovery program. The alliance, which connects over 800 hotels across 40 diverse brands, saw its revenue soar to a record-high $2.3 billion.
Beyond the impressive financial figures, a key highlight was the dramatic increase in “cross-brand stays.” This trend shows that members are increasingly using the loyalty program to explore different hotels within the GHA portfolio, rather than staying with a single brand. This indicates a growing appetite among modern travelers for varied and unique experiences, a core strength of the GHA Discovery program, which rewards members with exclusive experiences and a simple, transparent currency, DISCOVERY Dollars (D$).
Understanding the Trend: The Rise of the Experiential Traveler
The success of the cross-brand stay model is no accident. It reflects a fundamental change in what travelers seek. Today’s tourists, especially in the post-pandemic era, prioritize authentic and diverse experiences over simple brand loyalty. They want to feel connected to their destination, and staying at different types of hotels—from a luxury city-center property to a serene resort—is part of that journey.
GHA Discovery has successfully tapped into this desire. By uniting unique brands under one loyalty umbrella, it encourages exploration and discovery, empowering travelers to “brand hop” and tailor their accommodation to different stages of their trip.
What This Means for Osaka and the Kansai Region
This global trend has significant and positive implications for Osaka, especially with the city hosting the World Expo in 2025. The Kansai region is home to several GHA member hotels, including those under the Pan Pacific Hotels Group, and through its partnership with One Harmony, brands like Okura Hotels & Resorts and Nikko Hotels International.
Increased Inbound Tourism
The global strength of the GHA Discovery program acts as a powerful marketing channel for its member hotels. As millions of GHA members worldwide look for new destinations to explore, properties in Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe become highly visible options. The record revenue indicates a large, active, and high-spending member base that is now more likely to consider Kansai for their next trip.
Encouraging Longer and More Diverse Stays
The rise in cross-brand stays is particularly beneficial for a region as diverse as Kansai. A traveler attending the Expo in Osaka might stay at a city hotel like Hotel Nikko Osaka for convenience, then use their loyalty benefits to experience a traditional stay at a hotel in Kyoto or a resort hotel in Kobe. This encourages tourists to extend their stay in the region, distributing economic benefits more widely.
A Competitive Edge in a Crowded Market
The success of GHA demonstrates the power of a collaborative loyalty platform. For independent and smaller hotel brands in Kansai, being part of such an alliance provides the global reach and marketing power needed to compete with giant international hotel chains. It allows them to retain their unique identity while benefiting from a shared, loyal customer base.
Future Outlook: A New Chapter for Kansai Hospitality
The GHA Discovery 2025 report is more than just a set of numbers; it’s a barometer for the future of travel. We can anticipate several developments:
- Heightened Focus on Loyalty Programs: Other hotel groups and independent hotels in the Kansai region may be prompted to enhance their own loyalty offerings, focusing more on experiential rewards and flexible benefits to attract and retain customers.
- Growth in “Bleisure” Travel: With the World Expo drawing a massive international business audience, the trend of combining business with leisure travel will accelerate. GHA’s diverse portfolio is perfectly positioned to cater to this, allowing a visitor to stay at a business-oriented hotel during the week and a leisure-focused one over the weekend.
- Deeper Collaboration: The success of the alliance model could inspire further collaboration among tourism providers in the Kansai region, from hotels to tour operators and cultural institutions, to create more integrated and appealing travel packages.
In conclusion, GHA’s record-breaking year is a clear signal that today’s travelers are adventurous, experience-hungry, and digitally savvy. For Osaka and the Kansai region, this presents a golden opportunity to welcome a new wave of global visitors ready to explore everything the area has to offer.
