Why Hotel Loyalty Only Works When Guests Come Back

Hotel loyalty gets talked about a lot. This conversation focuses on how it actually works.

In this episode of No Vacancy, Glenn Haussman speaks with Chris Hartley, CEO of Global Hotel Alliance, about what loyalty looks like when you stop chasing vanity metrics and start paying attention to repeat behavior, engagement, and direct bookings.

Chris explains how GHA approaches loyalty across a global portfolio of independent brands — where cooperation matters more than competing for attention and where repeat stays tell you far more than raw membership numbers.

They recorded this conversation during ALIS in Los Angeles. Chris made the trip in from Dubai. Glenn got snowed in on Long Island, watching conference badges from afar and missing time with the industry.

Topics include:

• Why repeat stays matter more than total member counts

• How GHA defines and tracks “active” loyalty members

• Why international, multi-brand stays outperform single-brand loyalty

• Shifting business away from expensive third-party channels

• How independent hotels compete globally without inventing new brands

• Why direct bookings and engagement keep accelerating

Sponsored by Unifocus — technology that drives value. Learn more at Unifocus.com.