Over 200 million members drive global business development
SINGAPORE and SHANGHAI, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — H World Group (NASDAQ: HTHT; HK: 01179), one of the world’s leading hoteliers, upgraded its H Rewards program to extend its successful direct marketing membership business model in China to its overseas hotel operations. This will further enhance the Group’s operational efficiency and add new momentum to its global strategy.
To support the H Rewards upgrade, H World Group moved to a unified global distribution platform, integrating inventory management, connection of direct marketing channels, price control and membership matters across the Group’s domestic and overseas operations. H World Group has successfully connected its hotel booking and distribution platforms in China and overseas with unified standards. Over 200 million members will be able to cross-book the Group’s domestic and overseas hotels through the platform and link their membership benefits worldwide. This will provide a continuous flow of guests to the Group’s hotels around the globe. At present, 80% of H World Group’s hotel bookings are made through the unified global distribution platform, with 76% coming from H Rewards members.
With this loyalty program upgrade, H World Group added personalized services to attract more new members. For example, Chinese travelers staying at H World Group hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa will have access to Chinese-language menus, Chinese-speaking staff and other services. The Group aims to digitize the traditional hospitality industry. Its overseas guests will experience the added efficiency of digital self-check-in machines, delivery robots, a free wireless portal and smart TV.
H Rewards is an autonomous customer-driven direct-marketing platform. “To stand out in the global hotel industry, digitalization and technological capabilities are key,” said Liu Xinxin, President of H World Group. “The Group leverages technology to deliver an innovative experience, creating a closed loop of differentiated services while remaining customer-centric. These are some of the key drivers of our success in China, and have attracted a large number of customers to become members. We are now extending our successful business model in China to our global hotel business.”
With strong branding, industry-leading end-to-end digitalization, and its own guest-driven traffic platform, H World Group has developed a unique business strategy of “Brand + Technology + Traffic”.
H World Group is also committed to sustainable development. It launched the Green Living project to actively encourage members to reduce waste by converting cancellation of certain services into membership points, which can be used to offset accommodation fees.
About H World Group
Originated in China, H World Group Limited is a key player in the global hotel industry. At the end of 2022, H World Group operated 8,543 hotels in 17 countries, covering 31 hotel and apartment brands from budget to luxury markets. It had 809,478 rooms in operation, providing consumers with a diverse range of accommodation experiences. H World’s business includes leased and owned, manachised and franchised models. Under the lease and ownership model, H World directly operates hotels typically located on leased or owned properties. H World applies a consistent standard and platform across all of its hotels. As of December 31, 2022, H World operates 13 percent of its hotel rooms under lease and ownership model, and 87 percent under manachise and franchise models
