• International stays drive 69% of room revenues; US, UK and Germany lead as top feeder markets, with UAE, China, India, and Singapore recording strongest growth
  • Cross-brand revenue jumps 40%
  • GHA DISCOVERY membership grows to 35 million, with enrolments up 36%
  • D$ reward redemptions up 30%

Dubai, UAE: Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, has reported a robust start to 2026, delivering strong double-digit growth across all key performance indicators in the first quarter, driven by the continued momentum of its award-winning loyalty programme, GHA DISCOVERY.

Total hotel revenues reached $921 million in Q1 2026, a 24% increase over Q1 2025, while total room revenue climbed to $738 million, up 27% year-on-year. Total room nights surged 34% ahead of Q1 2025, highlighting strong global travel demand across GHA’s expanding portfolio.

Cross-brand revenue - a key indicator of programme engagement - grew 40% to $135 million, as members increasingly stay across multiple brands within the alliance.

Membership growth also accelerated, with new enrollments rising 36%, bringing total GHA DISCOVERY membership to 35 million globally.

Loyalty engagement driving incremental revenue

DISCOVERY Dollar (D$) redemptions continued to grow with a 30% increase over Q1 2025, with redeemers spending approximately 6 times in cash on those stays and spending 4.5 times more vs non-redeemers on an annual basis, reinforcing both member engagement in the programme and the favorable economics to hotels on redemption stays.

International travel remains dominant

International stays continued to be the primary growth driver, accounting for 69% of total member room revenue in Q1 2026, underlining the global nature of GHA DISCOVERY’s membership base and sustained appetite for cross-border travel.

The top five feeder markets for international stays - the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, China and Russia - generated $202 million, representing 41% of total international stay revenue, demonstrating the concentration of high-value demand within key source markets.

Global travel patterns

Top stay destinations: Thailand, Spain, Singapore, and Italy were the leading markets for member stay revenue, reflecting strong demand across both resort and urban gateway destinations. The United Arab Emirates was another top-performing destination in January and February; however, in March travel patterns in parts of the Middle East began to show signs of softening, in line with broader regional dynamics. 

“We saw particularly strong performance in key Middle Eastern destinations at the start of the quarter, with some moderation later on as regional conditions evolved. Our globally diversified footprint continues to provide resilience, allowing us to balance shifts in demand across markets,” said Chris Hartley, CEO of Global Hotel Alliance.

Top feeder markets: The United States (+22%), United Kingdom (+23%), Germany (+21%), and China (+43%) remained the dominant source markets, continuing to underpin global demand across the GHA network. Other markets with strong growth for international room revenue year-on-year include United Arab Emirates (+63%), India (+40%) and Singapore (+35%). 

Distinct travel flows by market

Travel patterns varied by origin, with US and UK members favouring European destinations, European members showing strong demand for long-haul destinations, and Australian and Asian members gravitating toward Southeast Asia hubs.

“These results reflect the continued evolution of GHA DISCOVERY as a powerful platform for driving revenue growth and deeper member engagement,” said Hartley.

“We are seeing strong momentum across all metrics - from revenues and room nights to cross-brand activity and membership growth. The scale we are achieving, combined with the continued strength of international travel demand, positions our hotel brands to capture increasing share and deliver more meaningful experiences to our members.”

For more information visit Global Hotel Alliance and GHA DISCOVERY.

GHA DISCOVERY is complimentary to join, and travellers can sign up online or download the GHA DISCOVERY app. They can also connect on Instagram, Facebook and WeChat.

Media contact:
Global Hotel Alliance
Andrea Krenn                                                                          
M: +971566818025                                                                 
E: andrea.krenn@gha.com

About GHA and GHA DISCOVERY:

Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) is the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands with over 50 brands and 1,000 hotels across 100 countries. Its award-winning loyalty programme – GHA DISCOVERY – provides 35 million members with recognition, D$ rewards and exclusive experiences across its hotels and partners, both with and without a stay.

Through membership in GHA, brands expand their global reach, drive incremental revenue and reduce dependence on third-party channels, all while maintaining management independence and individual positioning. For more information, visit globalhotelalliance.com or ghadiscovery.com.