OCTOBER 7, 2008. In a year when hoteliers are happy if revenues are not declining, Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) members are feeling the benefit of double¬digit revenue growth, coupled with significant cost reductions in their CRS business.

Powered by Micros' ORS & MyFidelio products, gha.net has delivered an additional 40,000 room¬nights to its members in 2008 compared with the same period in 2007, representing average revenue growth of over 25%. While bucking the revenue trend, members additionally benefit from distribution cost reductions of up to US$25 per booking, which is especially comforting as the prospect of a global recession looms.

Based on this success, Omni and JurysDoyle will be switching CRS later this year and Marco Polo and Anantara early in 2009, which will bring all GHA's ten members onto the same CRS platform, enhancing its ability to drive cross¬brand revenues through its marketing activities and its proprietary web¬site www.globalhotelalliance.com. Moreover members now enable the booking of each other's hotels through their own brand web-sites, instantly expanding the choice of hotels for their customers, and keeping revenues within the GHA family.

Chris Hartley, GHA's CEO thinks that difficult times make an alliance proposition even more compelling. 'Look at the airlines, which are strengthening their alliance relationships to protect themselves from escalating costs and falling revenues', he says, 'the hotel industry has to face similar challenges, as we share many of the same customers. GHA provides a haven for independent brands, especially during these turbulent times. We help our members not just to be leaner on the cost side, but more efficient in their marketing and distribution activities. And we do this without diluting the individuality or independence of their brands'.

GHA's successful model is being reflected in a growing demand for membership and Hartley expects to be announcing new members in the coming months: 'The GHA model is gaining recognition in the industry as an ideal panacea for small and mid¬size brands, and particularly so as we enter uncertain times', he adds.