WorldHotels AG is a global brand that is dedicated to empower true independence of hotels around the world representing 350 of the world's most unique independent hotels. With 49 years of excellence in the industry, the company's mission is to provide sales & distribution solution and consultancy to upscale hotels of character and distinction. By reaching over 50 countries and six continents, the group targets savvy business and leisure travelers that seek an authentic and local experience when choosing a hotel.
WorldHotels backs independent hotels with the power of a global brand while allowing them to retain their individual character and identity. WorldHotels solutions allow hotels to keep their independency through providing the power of a global brand with a comprehensive range of products and services that include global marketing, sales, training services, quality experience measurements, hotel business consultancy, operational support, e-commerce services and state-of-the-art distribution and technology.
It also encourages its members to discover their individual story or purpose, their ‘WHY,’ to bring their brand values and their emotional blueprint to life. Each hotel’s differentiation will be integrated as a tailor-made narrative selling point into operations, service delivery and sales and marketing resources and a full program provides solutions to fully integrate the hotel’s WHY into every touchpoint of the property.
In 1970, the Frankfurt-based Steigenberger Hotel Group launched a reservation system to help Europe’s independent hotels compete in an increasingly aggressive global market. By the end of the decade, Steigenberger Reservation Service, later known as SRS Hotels, was firmly established as a global player in the hospitality industry.
The 1980s was a decade of great technological advancement for SRS Hotels. As a pioneer in reservation technology, it developed its own reservation system, named Trust.
SRS stepped into the 1990s with a rapidly increasing portfolio. The reservation system Trust was eventually connected to the world’s airlines Global Distribution Systems (GDS). In 1998, the company changed its name to SRS-WorldHotels.
The new millennium brought about substantial progress for the group. In 2005, the organisation was rebranded and became WorldHotels. At the end of 2007, KP Capital became its majority shareholder. This step further enhanced and streamlined WorldHotels service offerings which include the reservation systems, Trust International and InnLink LLC, as well as the sales management company, NEXUS World Services. Together, these companies operate today under the same umbrella company IHS founded by KP Capital. In July 2013, Battery Ventures, an international private equity company based in Boston, Massachusetts, acquired 100 per cent of the shares of IHS from KP Capital. With a focus on technology and innovation worldwide, Battery Ventures empowers IHS GmbH and its brands to remain in the forefront of cutting-edge technology offerings, building on the group’s customer-centric focus and driving continued growth. In late 2015, the technology companies of IHS GmbH were acquired by sabre and WorldHotels formed its own entity.
In 2017, WorldHotels was acquired by Associated Luxury Hotels, the parent company of Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI)[1], the leading independent global sales organization serving the North American meetings and incentive marketplace.
WorldHotels’ solutions allow hotels to keep their independence by providing the power of a global brand with a comprehensive range of products and services that include global marketing, global sales, training services, quality experience measurements, hotel business consultancy, operational support, e-commerce services and state-of-the-art distribution and technology.
Geared to both business and leisure travelers, the WorldHotels Collection is classified into three tiers:
Today, independent properties are experiencing a triple squeeze: Established hotel chains experiment with “independent” concepts for younger travelers. The online world is becoming more and more complex and OTAs are putting a lot of pressure on them. Furthermore, home-sharing services such as Airbnb are taking market share away from them. That is why WorldHotels’ mission is to provide sales & distribution solution and consultancy to independent mid- and upscale hotels all over the world.