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

For this #NoVacancyNews, I spoke 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.

We recorded this conversation during ALIS in Los Angeles. Chris made the trip in from Dubai. I got snowed in on Long Island, where I'm still slightly bitter days later, watching conference badges from afar and missing hanging with everyone.

We cover: 🔁: Why repeat stays matter more than total member counts 📊: How GHA defines "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

Special thanks to Unifocus — technology that drives value. Check them out at Unifocus.com.