Amalgamated Holdings Limited (AHL) is set to re-join the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) from early-2013, an organisation the chain was a founding member of.
AHL’s Rydges Hotels and Resorts was one of the inaugural brands behind GHA’s creation in 2004, but did not stay to witness the expansion that has seen GHA grow to over 15 unique brands with hotels on six continents.
Nine years later, Rydges along with brand partners QT Hotels and Resorts and Art Series Hotels will once again be a GHA member, benefiting from GHA’s extensive customer network, including GHA Discovery, the alliance’s shared loyalty program with nearly three million members.
The three brands owned or managed by Amalgamated Holdings Limited, Australia’s leading leisure and entertainment group consists of 44 hotels with 7,100 rooms located in 21 destinations in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
AHL’s Group Managing Director, David Seargeant expressed his enthusiasm about becoming a GHA member.
“We were involved in the early days of GHA, when it was just a concept, and we saw the potential then; but in the meantime, GHA has grown and matured to become a real revenue-generator for its members and so we are excited about being back,” he said.
“Of their three million members globally, GHA Discovery already has 140,000 members in Australia and New Zealand, and they will all now enjoy recognition at our hotels. Meanwhile our 350,000 PriorityGUEST Rewards members will be able to receive rewards and recognition throughout the GHA hotel network globally.”
Rydges has replaced Mirvac Hotels and Resorts in GHA, following the sale of the business to Accor hotels earlier this year.
GHA’s CEO, Chris Hartley said he was delighted to welcome Rydges back along with its new brand partners.
“When we lost Mirvac due to the Accor takeover, we couldn’t have imagined a better scenario than to entice Rydges back into GHA,” Hartley said.
“We’ve come a long way since our pioneer days, and we are now confident in our ability to deliver measurable value to our members, through both cost efficiencies and new revenue streams.
“This makes GHA membership a compelling proposition for regional brands like Rydges. And of course Australia and New Zealand is a critical component of any global network; and the broad AHL portfolio ensures we maintain a solid presence in those markets”
AHL hotel brands integration into GHA will be completed in early 2013, and they will officially become members on 1st April 2013.