Public launch of ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY

Public launch of ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY

Zurich, 12.04.2023 – Today, ASMALLWORLD AG announces the public launch of ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY, including the go-live of its new website, asmallworlddiscovery.com. The new service, a direct result of ASMALLWORLD’s strategic collaboration with Global Hotel Alliance, provides independent hotels with the opportunity to join the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty platform, which has more than 24 million customers. The Chedi Andermatt, ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY’s first hotel, is bookable through the GHA DISCOVERY platform as of today, and ASMALLWORLD has already signed three more hotels which will be going online shortly.

ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY launched today with the go-live of its new website, asmallworlddiscovery.com. The new service is an important part of ASMALLWORLD’s strategic collaboration with Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), of which ASMALLWORLD bought a 10% stake last year.

The GHA DISCOVERY hotel portfolio consists of 40 brands with more than 800 hotels. ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY has now been added and will serve as an umbrella brand for independent hotels joining the hotel portfolio.

This is the first time independent hotels will have had access to the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty platform and its 24 million customers, which, until now, was only open to multi-property hotel brands.

The Chedi Andermatt: ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY’s first hotel

As part of the public launch of ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY, The Chedi Andermatt, the first hotel of this new venture, was added to the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty platform. This means that the hotel will now offer its customers all of GHA DISCOVERY’s loyalty benefits, including the opportunity to earn and spend DISCOVERY Dollars, the loyalty currency of the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme. The Chedi Andermatt is also now fully bookable on the GHA DISCOVERY website and the GHA DISCOVERY app.

Three more hotels signed, preparing for launch in late April

In addition to The Chedi Andermatt, ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY has already signed three more hotels, which are currently preparing for a go-live later in April. These hotels are the Beau-Rivage in Geneva, the Resort Hotel Alex Zermatt in Zermatt, and the Mandrake in London. ASMALLWORLD is also in conversations with many other properties and the company expects more hotels to be added to its portfolio shortly, expecting it to reach 15 to 20 hotels by the end of 2023.

“We are thrilled to finally launch ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY for our participating hotels and GHA DISCOVERY customers. We truly believe in the value the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme brings to customers and hotels alike, which was a major driving force behind our acquisition of a 10% stake in GHA, and we look forward to bringing many more great independent hotels into GHA’s growing loyalty platform,” comments ASMALLWORLD CEO Jan Luescher.

ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY – empowering independent hotels

To support GHA with the expansion of the GHA DISCOVERY hotel portfolio, ASMALLWORLD’s newly created ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY soft brand was added to the existing GHA DISCOVERY hotel brands. The newly-created brand serves as an umbrella for independent hotels that wish to join the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty platform with the support of ASMALLWORLD.

ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY will act as a service partner for these independent hotels, providing them access to the GHA DISCOVERY network. For joining hotels, the main benefits come from three sources. First, independent hotels can expand their global reach by accessing the GHA DISCOVERY distribution platform and will profit from incremental revenue from more than 24 million existing customers. Second, GHA DISCOVERY is a cost-effective distribution channel, allowing hotels to reduce their dependency on third-party channels, specifically online travel agencies, and improve their margins. Third, hotels can offer their customers highly valuable loyalty benefits, including the programme’s unique DISCOVERY $, a flexible and valuable rewards currency that will increase customer retention.

ASMALLWORLD will receive a service fee on bookings made via the GHA DISCOVERY platform at any ASMALLWORLD DISCOVERY hotel. This will create a new source of income for ASMALLWORLD, which is set to increase with the expansion of the hotel portfolio in the future.

For more information, please visit www.asmallworldag.com.

The Chedi Andermatt – combining Swiss hospitality with Asian charm

The Chedi Andermatt, located in Andermatt, a town in southern Switzerland within the canton of Uri, combines authentic Alpine chic with Asian style elements to create a unique aesthetic in the heart of the Swiss Alps. The Chedi Andermatt boasts 119 rooms and suites, five restaurants and bars, a wine cellar, and a 2,400-square metre spa and wellness area, all of which are surrounded by world-class ski slopes, biking trails, hiking trails, and golf resorts.

The Chedi has already received GHA’s “Ultratravel Collection” distinction, which is reserved for GHA DISCOVERY hotels that have achieved and constantly displayed the highest standard of hospitality. This distinction comes on top of their 5-Star Award from Forbes Travel Guide and Falstaff Hotel Guide 2022 score of 98 out of 100, ranking the deluxe 5-star hotel as one of the 10 best hotels in Switzerland.

For more information, visit www.thechediandermatt.com
 

Beau-Rivage Genève – an iconic hotel since 1865

The Beau Rivage is a luxury 5-star hotel located in the heart of Geneva. With its exceptional location facing Geneva’s jet d’eau (water fountain) and firmly anchored both in the past and present, Beau-Rivage Genève is one of Geneva’s landmark luxury hotels, and its 52 rooms and 43 suites, with their remarkable style, ensure that you have a unique experience in the heart of this global city. Welcome to the elegance and sophistication of a period building, its yesteryear charm passionately preserved, for over 150 years.

The Beau Rivage’s Le Chat Botté restaurant, which received a Michelin star in 2015 and is rated 18 out of 20 in the 2012 Gault Millau restaurant guide, serves traditional French cuisine in an extraordinarily elegant dining hall.

For more information, visit https://www.beau-rivage.com/

Resort Hotel Alex Zermatt – luxury at the foot of the Matterhorn

The Resort Hotel Alex, located in Zermatt, a town in southern Switzerland within the canton of Valais, is a luxury 4-star hotel steeped in tradition in what is surely the world’s most special mountain destination. Conveniently located in the centre of the village, the Resort Hotel Alex has 84 rooms, including 23 expansive suites, two restaurants, a bar, a smoking and whiskey lounge, a large wine cellar, a spa & wellness area, a fitness room, an indoor tennis court, a squash court, and a badminton court, all within and around an extravagant, mountain-style chalet. On top of this, it is located just steps away from world-renowned hiking trails and ski slopes at the foot of the world-famous Matterhorn.

For more information, visit https://www.hotelalexzermatt.com

The Mandrake – luxury in the heart of London’s Fitzrovia

The Mandrake is a multi-award-winning, luxury 5-star hotel centrally located within London’s iconic West End. Designed to cocoon and comfort, the hotel boasts 33 luxurious bedrooms, including three opulent suites and an award-winning Penthouse, providing guests with the utmost pleasure during their stay. The hotel is also home to an extensive collection of art, which includes works by both established and emerging artists, ensuring a truly captivating experience. The hotel's restaurant, Yopo, offers a culinary journey that celebrates the flavours and traditions of South America.

For more information, visit https://www.themandrake.com

About GHA DISCOVERY

Launched in 2010, GHA DISCOVERY is the world's largest loyalty programme for independent hotel brands, currently featuring more than 800 hotels, resorts and palaces across 40 brands. The 24 million members enjoy VIP recognition, thoughtful benefits, and generous rewards at home or away. 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.

The GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme has received global distinction, with 19 prestigious awards received over the past decade for the loyalty programme. The programme also has brands that consistently place among the top hotel brands in the world, according to Travel & Leisure and CN Traveler.

For more information, visit www.ghadiscovery.com

The ASMALLWORLD Group:

ASMALLWORLD is the world’s leading travel & lifestyle community, focusing on experiences: the modern-day definition of luxury.

Centred around the ASMALLWORLD social network, the company operates a digital travel & lifestyle ecosystem that enables and inspires members to travel better, experience more and make new connections.

Members of the ASMALLWORLD social network connect through its app and website, where they can meet other members, engage in online discussions, receive travel and lifestyle inspiration and enjoy a wealth of travel privileges.

Members also meet in person at over 1’000 global ASMALLWORLD events every year, ranging from casual get-togethers in major cities around the world, access to exclusive launches, shows, galas, soirees, exhibitions, major global sporting events and larger flagship weekend experiences hosted in iconic destinations such as Saint-Tropez and Gstaad.

Other businesses in the ASMALLWORLD travel & lifestyle ecosystem include:

ASMALLWORLD Collection, a high-end online hotel booking engine focused on the world’s most admired hotels, offering the unique “ASMALLWORLD VIP Rate,” which allows customers to enjoy exclusive travel benefits at no extra cost.

ASMALLWORLD Private, a high-end travel agency offering personalised travel curation services.

ASMALLWORLD Hospitality, a hospitality consulting and management consultancy that supports owners and developers of hospitality assets throughout the different lifecycle stages of their assets, including acquisition, development, operations and exit.

First Class & More, a subscription-based smart luxury travel service that allows members to enjoy luxury travel at insider prices.             

The World’s Finest Clubs, the world’s leading nightlife concierge offers its members VIP access to the most exclusive nightlife venues around the world.

For more information, please visit:

www.asmallworldag.com

www.asw.com

www.asmallworldcollection.com

www.asmallworldprivate.com

www.first-class-and-more.de

www.first-class-and-more.com

www.finestclubs.com

www.asmallworldhospitality.com

www.north-island.com

Contact:

ASMALLWORLD AG
Jan V. Luescher, CEO
Seidengasse 20
8001 Zurich
Switzerland
info@asmallworldag.com

Disclaimer

The statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements". Such can be identified, for example, by the use of the words "may", "will", "should", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "project", "target", "seek", and “aim”, or the negative of these words or comparable expressions.

Forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Issuer or its industry to be materially different from any future results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

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