BWH Hotels has announced it will bring more than 4,000 hotels and 18 brands under a single loyalty program and global masterbrand, WorldHotels.

The portfolio-level global rebrand to WorldHotels is expected to better reflect the breadth, diversity, and modern appeal of the group and create greater clarity for travellers and hotel owners.

This year, 2026, marks the group’s 80th anniversary of the world’s first Best Western, which opened in California in 1946.

Since then, BWH Hotels has grown immensely, with 18 unique brands across three hotel groups, including WorldHotels, Best Western Hotels and Resorts and SureStay Hotels.

“We have a hotel for virtually every travel occasion, but many travelers only know a portion of our portfolio,” said WorldHotels President and Chief Executive Officer, Larry Cuculic.

As the company’s portfolio expands across luxury, boutique, upscale, extended-stay and economy segments, the group said research indicates many travellers are aware of only part of its offerings.

Central to the transformation is WorldHotels Rewards, a unified loyalty program launching in early January 2027 that consolidates Best Western Rewards and WorldHotels Rewards, with approximately 70 million existing members combined.

Cuculic said the new simplified program will include three streamlined membership tiers and maintain all current benefits and members will retain their existing points value and enjoy additional opportunities to earn points through a connected global portfolio and simplified rewards experience.

The group has also invested heavily in its digital platforms, launching a new website (WorldHotels.com) and a redesigned mobile app available for download starting in January, according to the company.

“WorldHotels gives us a clearer way to tell our story,” Cuculic said. “By connecting our brands, loyalty program and digital capabilities together under one masterbrand, we’re making it easier for travelers to understand who we are today, while enabling our hoteliers to better compete on a global scale and preserving the independence and individuality of our 4,000 hotels.”

According top the company, the transformation is also expected to scale the knowledge of its thousands of independent hoteliers, bringing together neighborhood insights from on-the-ground hotel teams and making those local experiences easier for travellers to discover across the portfolio.

The group has confirmed individual property identities, signage and iconic flags will remain unchanged. The WorldHotels platform is expected to include cross-portfolio discovery and increase direct relationships with guests and visibility for hotel owners worldwide.

“This transformation is about making it easier for travellers to understand who we have become as a hospitality company, while creating more opportunities for hotel owners across our region,” said WorldHotels Australasia Managing Director, Rod Munro.

“Today, many travellers know only part of our story. Under WorldHotels, we’re bringing together the full breadth of our portfolio, from trusted everyday travel through to distinctive luxury and lifestyle experiences, under a name that better reflects our global reach.

“For our hotels in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, this means greater visibility, stronger loyalty engagement, enhanced technology and access to a global platform built to drive demand and support long-term growth. Just as importantly, our hotels will continue to deliver the authentic local experiences and independent character that guests value and that differentiate our region.”

The portfolio’s upscale and luxury hotels will now be unified under WorldHotels Collection, a global platform for independent properties that preserves the individuality of a property. WorldHotels Collection comprises six categories: WorldHotels Luxury, WorldHotels Elite, WorldHotels Distinctive, WorldHotels Crafted, WorldHotels Backdrop and WorldHotels Residences.

“The future of luxury hospitality isn’t about standardisation. It’s about helping exceptional independent properties compete and grow on a global stage, while remaining true to their identity,” said WorldHotels Collection President Ron Pohl.

“WorldHotels Collection sits at the intersection of independence and scale, giving owners access to the commercial power, technology and demand drivers of a major hospitality network while maintaining the tailored, local experiences today’s travelers are seeking.”

The WorldHotels transformation is said to position the company to further “support hotel owners with enhanced commercial opportunities, technology and guest acquisition tools while driving greater consumer awareness of its diverse accommodation offerings”.

The group has also invested in a new proprietary discovery platform built from more than 10,000 hours of insights gathered from hotel teams around the world featured on its new website and redesigned mobile app.

Potential guests can discover hotels, neighborhoods and experiences across the portfolio with an easy-to-use interface to manage booking and loyalty activity.

The group said by connecting local expertise, loyalty and digital discovery on a single platform, WorldHotels will increase visibility and direct-booking opportunities for hotel owners.