Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, has expanded its GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme with a new partnership with City Unscripted, strengthening its focus on personalised and experience-led travel.

The collaboration introduces a new category under GHA DISCOVERY Experiences — Local City Tours — designed to help travellers explore destinations in a more immersive and locally guided way. The move aligns with GHA’s “Live Local” concept, which encourages deeper engagement with cities beyond traditional tourism.

Through City Unscripted, travellers are paired with local hosts who tailor experiences based on individual interests such as food, culture, neighbourhood life, design, history, and hidden gems. Each experience is flexible and customised, offering a more personal alternative to standard guided tours.

The programme is currently available in 15 global cities, including Berlin, London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, Sydney, Madrid, Mexico City, Lisbon, Hong Kong, and Munich. These experiences combine iconic landmarks with lesser-known local spots, giving travellers a more authentic understanding of each destination.

As part of the partnership, GHA DISCOVERY members receive a 20% discount on City Unscripted experiences booked through the GHA website or mobile app. Additional benefits include priority matching with local hosts and a complimentary 30-minute pre-trip consultation to personalise the itinerary.

According to Jelena Kezika, VP Strategy at Global Hotel Alliance, the shift reflects a growing demand for meaningful travel experiences that help travellers build stronger connections with destinations and cultures.

Beyond this partnership, GHA DISCOVERY continues to offer more than 2,500 local experiences worldwide, including dining, spa, cultural activities, day-use stays, golf, and work-from-hotel options, many of which are available even without an overnight stay.

The alliance noted that dining remains the most popular category, followed by spa and wellness experiences, highlighting the growing trend of lifestyle-driven engagement with hotel brands.

Through this expansion, GHA reinforces its position in the evolving travel landscape, where loyalty programmes are increasingly focused on personalised, flexible, and immersive experiences rather than traditional stay-based rewards.