The UAE-headquartered Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) – the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands – has seen a bullish Q1 performance, with repeat-stay room revenue and room nights now back to 2019 levels.
International stays grew strongly from November 2022 onwards, said GHA CEO, Chris Hartley.
“Building on GHA’s stellar performance in 2022, the outlook for 2023 is even stronger, with Q1 figures revealing growth beyond pre-pandemic levels as travel demand accelerates and GHA DISCOVERY members fully leverage the loyalty programme’s many benefits across our growing portfolio of hotels.”
Hartley was speaking at GHA’s annual conference, held in South Africa for the first time. Leaders of 40 hotel brands, representing 800 hotels in 100 countries, gathered at Sun International’s The Table Bay hotel in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront from April 12-14 to discuss the positive global travel industry outlook in 2023.
The host location was selected after Sun International, joined GHA in 2022, providing the 24 million members of the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme expanded choice on the African continent.
GHA hotel brands operate 7 364 rooms across 57 hotels in Africa. The top five member source markets for GHA properties in Africa are the US, South Africa, the UK, France and Russia.
Hartley said: “With Africa being a key growth market for GHA, and now that Sun International is part of the alliance, it is fitting that we stage our event in South Africa to bring the potential of this region into focus.”
Many of the other hoteliers noted during a media conference their plans to expand into Africa and South Africa, indicating the hospitality sector’s potential to grow the economy and create jobs, but added that ease of visa access for workers and travellers had to be addressed.
Graham Wood, COO of Sun International, shared the hotelier’s optimistic view of growth for the sector, pointing out that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the domestic leisure sector, followed by business travel (including conferences) had led Sun International’s recovery.
He pointed out that, prior to COVID, the customer base comprised 85% international and 15% domestic visitors. However, in 2023, the ratio has shifted to 76% international and 24% domestic.
Wood added that the group’s international travel sector was growing “stronger and stronger”.
Major trends influencing travellers’ decisions
During the two-day GHA conference, Q1 research conducted in 94 key markets by the hospitality alliance revealed major trends influencing traveller mindsets this year:
- The research found consumers are increasingly making travel decisions based on new inspiration sources, such as TV series or social media.
- Blended travel, such as remote work or tagging holidays on to business trips, is a trend that is here to stay.
- Against a backdrop of rising inflation, travellers want to make the most of their trips and expect quality in return for rising prices.
- Since the pandemic, there has been growth in celebratory trips and people are looking to make up for lost time with trips that will create moments and memories for themselves, with friends or with family members.
- New leisure travel genres are emerging too, from trips with positive impact and sabbaticals to subscription models, with consumers willing to pay for exclusive hotel benefits.
