ASMALLWORLD makes final payment for acquisition of 10% stake in Global Hotel Alliance

Zurich, 12.05.2022 – Today, ASMALLWORLD AG made the final outstanding payment to complete the acquisition of a 10% stake in Global Hotel Alliance in the form of 351’562 ASMALLWORLD shares. As of today, Global Hotel Alliance will thus become a shareholder in ASMALLWORLD AG with a shareholding of 3%. The shares originate from a capital increase from authorised capital which was finalised today.

ASMALLWORLD AG has issued 351,562 shares to Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) today and thus settled the full payment for the 10% stake in the company. Of the agreed purchase price of USD 4.5M, the cash portion of USD 3.5M had already been transferred on 7 April 2022. With the receipt of the ASMALLWORLD shares today, Global Hotel Alliance has become a shareholder of ASMALLWORLD AG with a 3% stake, underlining the strategic nature of this cross-shareholding partnership.

The transferred shares originate from a capital increase from authorised capital which was executed today. Shareholders had previously agreed to the increase of authorised capital at the Annual General Meeting on 29 April 2022. The capital increase uses a portion of the company’s authorised capital and excluded the subscription rights of all other shareholders. Listing and first trading day of the newly created shares will be 13 May 2022. The capital increase leads to an increase in ASMALLWORLD’s ordinary share capital from 11,367,153 to 11,718,715 shares, with a nominal value of CHF 1.00 each. The company's authorised capital was reduced from 2,000,000 to 1,648,438 shares.

Global Hotel Alliance creates new revenue streams for ASMALLWORLD

The enhanced partnership and strategic investment will create multiple new revenue streams for ASMALLWORLD. The company will receive a service fee for GHA’s elite customers joining ASMALLWORLD. Furthermore, ASMALLWORLD will have the opportunity to sell additional products and services to this valuable customer group once they become part of the ASMALLWORLD social network. GHA and ASMALLWORLD also plan to offer various ASMALLLWORLD products to over 20 million non-elite GHA DISCOVERY members which will generate additional sales from GHA’s large member base. Together with these new revenue streams, and its stake in the future growth of GHA, this investment is expected to significantly expand ASMALLWORLD's earning potential over the next few years and further accelerate its profitable growth.

GHA DISCOVERY - a hotel loyalty programme with more than 20 million customers

When the integration of NH Hotel Group into the alliance is completed in 2022, GHA will be a network of 40 independent hotel chains boasting over 800 hotels in 100 countries, all sharing a common loyalty platform. GHA DISCOVERY's hotels include internationally-renowned luxury brands such as Kempinski, Anantara, Corinthia, Pan Pacific, Capella and Nikki Beach. GHA DISCOVERY is the world's largest loyalty programme for independent hotel brands. When NH Hotels Group merges its NH Rewards loyalty programme into GHA DISCOVERY in mid-2022, GHA DISCOVERY will have more than 20 million members.

The GHA DISCOVERY programme allows members to collect and spend rewards across the entire GHA hotel network. Based on the number of stays, nights or spend per year, members may also obtain one of multiple status levels, which offer additional hotel benefits such as room upgrades and faster earning of rewards.

Initially, ASMALLWORLD will provide access to its services for GHA DISCOVERY's elite tier members and support GHA with the delivery of the programme. The companies will also offer additional ASMALLWORLD products and services to the entire GHA DISCOVERY customer base.

This press release and further information can be found at www.asmallworldag.com.

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 www.globalhotelalliance.com

 

About GHA DISCOVERY

Launched in 2010, GHA DISCOVERY is the world's largest loyalty programme for independent hotel brands, currently 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 accumulate points to be used 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.

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 which 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 of 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 Preferred Rate” which allows customer to enjoy exclusive travel benefits at no extra cost

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

ASW Hospitality, a hotel management company that operates and manages the iconic North Island resort in the Seychelles

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" or "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 which 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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