THE LEELA PALACES, HOTELS AND RESORTS HAS REIMAGINED ITS GUEST LOYALTY PROGRAM – LEELA DISCOVERY TO MEET EXPECTATIONS OF TODAY’S DISCERNING TRAVELLERS

The brand embraces consumer demand for more flexibility on how they earn and spend rewards, at home or away, with the redesign of Leela DISCOVERY, offered in partnership with Global Hotel Alliance.

by Suman Gupta

Mumbai, 21^st December 2021: The reimagination of Leela DISCOVERY, offered in partnership with Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) has been officially launched to meet the needs of evolved travellers with more rewards, recognition and opportunities to experience hotels and resorts at home or away. Operated by GHA, the programme, which embraces new travel and lifestyle trends, encompasses more than 500 hotels across 35 brands in 85 countries, serves more than 11 million members and is the world’s largest loyalty programme for independent hotel brands.

An extensive member feedback study conducted by GHA and new consumer behaviour showed that travellers are asking to be rewarded instantly and fairly, not just for nights stayed but also for spend, in a clear and straightforward way. Today’s consumers like to feel part of the community and the chance to enjoy hotel experiences close to home. Leela DISCOVERY is modelled around three member-centric concepts: a new digital rewards currency, DISCOVERY Dollars (D$); Recognition, with more tiers and multiple ways to progress and benefits from the first stay; and Live Local, inviting members into the hotels even without a stay, through offers and experiences, from pool access to spa days to dining and more.

“Keeping our guests at the centre of everything we do, our guest loyalty program Leela DISCOVERY has been redesigned to meet their expectations for instant recognition and rewards. The program has introduced industry’s first digital rewards currency, DISCOVERY Dollars, enabling members to earn from their very first stay and redeem on future stay spends. We are looking forward to delivering enhanced and more memorable experiences to our patrons with the newly added benefits and features of this program.”, said Mr. Anuraag Bhatnagar, Chief Operating Officer, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts.

Beyond rewards and benefits, Leela DISCOVERY better leverages the emerging role of hotels and resorts as community and lifestyle hubs, tapping into consumer appetite for connection to people and places and encouraging them to spend locally, giving a much-needed boost to the hospitality sector and local economies.

“Ultimately, the new GHA DISCOVERY programme will help the revival of popular international destinations while building local travel communities. We are taking a very forward-looking approach to loyalty, not only meeting the needs of today’s consumers but giving them a good reason to spend, supporting the organic rebound of travel and hospitality as a key part of the global economic revival in 2022.” said Chris Hartley, Chief Executive Officer, Global Hotel Alliance.The conscious travel movement, accelerated by the pandemic and embraced by GHA and its hotel brands, with an onus on giving back to communities and the environment, is reflected in a special promotion to mark the relaunch of the program.

Applicable to member bookings made on the GHA DISCOVERY website or mobile app between 8^th and 31^st December 2021 for travel completed by 30^th June 2022, the program will contribute USD1 per booking to charities supported by alliance brands. With this initiative, each new reservation at The Leela on these portals will contribute $1 towards Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, an organization supported by the brand.

Key benefits of the new programme include:

• DISCOVERY DOLLARS (D$): An all-new digital rewards currency where members earn D$ at any property of The Leela and GHA member brands for use on future stays. At check-out, D$ earned on previous stays can be used towards the hotel room, room upgrades, dining, spa treatments, or other extras. Members can earn D$ from day one, and the percentage earned on eligible spend increases with membership tier status, starting at 4% and rising to 7%.

• EXPANDED MEMBERSHIP TIERS: The new GHA DISCOVERY tiers are Silver, Gold, Platinum and Titanium. New members achieve Silver status upon joining the programme and are entitled to benefits from their first stay. Tier progression is easier and faster to access, thanks to an extra tier added and more flexible criteria. Members can move to the next tier in three ways – the number of nights/stays, spend across eligible purchases, or the number of hotel brands stayed in. Titanium members can also benefit from status sharing, with the option to gift their tier to a friend or family member each year.

• LIVE LOCAL: Tapping into the staycation trend, Live Local gives members access to GHA properties in their hometown through Stay Offers for well-deserved breaks; Local Offers for short bursts of enjoyment without a stay, such as access to the beach, gym or pool, or special deals on dining and wellness; plus Experiences – bespoke member-only activities that immerse them in their local culture or community, from tours and classes to events and nature-bound expeditions.

Leela DISCOVERY is complimentary to join, and travellers can sign up online on http://www.theleela.com/loyalty.

About The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts: Headquartered in Mumbai, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts is owned by a Brookfield Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund and operates ten award-winning properties in major cities and leisure destinations across India. These include the flagship hotel in the capital city of New Delhi, Bengaluru, Bhartiya City Bengaluru, Chennai, Udaipur, Jaipur, Gurugram, East Delhi, Goa, Mumbai and Gandhinagar. The Leela celebrates each hotel through its unique location, art, culture and cuisine with thoughtful services, celebratory rituals and immersive experiences. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts was twice voted the World’s Best Hotel Brand by Travel + Leisure USA World’s Best Awards 2021 and 2020.  The brand is well poised to embrace the next phase in its growth trajectory with upcoming projects which include business hotels in Hyderabad. An epitome of true Indian luxury hospitality, The Leela is committed to providing guests with unforgettable stays in settings that capture the essence of India. The brand has a marketing alliance with US-based Preferred Hotels & Resorts and is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance.

For more information, please visit our website http://www.theleela.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Global Hotel Alliance (GHA): Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) brings together a unique collection of independent hospitality brands with GHA DISCOVERY, a multi-brand loyalty programme leveraging a shared technology platform. Through membership in GHA, brands expand their global reach, drive incremental revenue, and reduce dependence on third-party channels, all while maintaining management independence and individual positioning. GHA represents a collection of 35 brands with over 500 hotels in 85 countries serving 11 million members. The award-winning GHA DISCOVERY programme generates approximately $2 billion in revenue and more than eight million room nights annually. GHA’s brands currently include Anantara, Araiya, Avani, Campbell Gray, Capella, Corinthia, Discovery Destinations, Divani, Doyle, Elewana, Fauchon, GLO, JA Resorts, Kempinski, Leela, Lungarno, Marco Polo, Mysk, Niccolo, Nikki Beach, NUO, Oaks, Outrigger, Pan Pacific, PARKROYAL COLLECTION, PARKROYAL, Patina, The Residence by Cenizaro, Shaza, Sukhothai, Sun International, Tivoli, Ultratravel Collection and Viceroy. For more information, visit http://globalhotelalliance.com.

About GHA DISCOVERY: Launched in 2010, GHA DISCOVERY is the world’s largest loyalty programme for independent hotel brands, featuring more than 500 hotels, resorts and palaces across 35 brands. Members enjoy VIP recognition, thoughtful benefits and generous rewards at home or away. Recently the programme has evolved to include an additional tier and flexible paths to upgrade through nights/stays, eligible purchases or number of brands stayed, making it easier and faster for members to reach elite status. Unlike more traditional programmes, GHA DISCOVERY does not ask members to count points towards their next upgrade. Instead, members earn and spend DISCOVERY Dollars (D$), an exclusive rewards currency. They also enjoy members-only Experiences curated by each hotel and have access to properties close to home, without a stay, through member-only Local Offers.