Thailand-based Minor Hotels has taken a 10% stake in an alliance of independent hotel brands for $3.2 million.
The deal was struck with Global Hotel Alliance, which brings together 33 brands with more than 550 hotels in 77 countries.
GHA uses a shared technology platform to drive incremental revenues and create cost savings for its members – which includes Minor Hotels’ core brands.
The alliance’s Discovery loyalty scheme has 13 million members producing $1.7 billion in room revenues in 2018.
The business plans to double those numbers in the next few years, as independent brands look to collaborate “to share the common challenge of competing with the ever-consolidating major brands and third party distribution providers”.
Minor Hotels has more than 160 hotels and resorts in 23 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, South America, Africa and the Indian Ocean.
The company has been a member of GHA since 2007, first entering with the Anantara brand.
“Minor Hotels took the opportunity to support the alliance which is currently investing in new CRM and shared technology to build on the success of the Discovery loyalty programme,” the firm said.
Minor Hotels CEO Dillip Rajakarier will join the GHA board of directors.
Rajakarier said: “Since joining the GHA in 2007, we have grown and developed our own brands and continue to acquire new ones, and membership of GHA fits well with our multi-brand strategy.
“GHA has consistently demonstrated the value of global customer reach and a strong CRM and loyalty programme for our hotels, and so we are delighted to be able to take our place as a shareholder in the business, with the opportunity to help guide its growth over the coming years.”