Koko Global Hospitality Unveils KokoFriends with tripla Inc.

Koko Global Hospitality (KGH), a leading hotel management firm with 26 properties in Thailand, proudly announces the launch of KokoFriends, an innovative guest loyalty program developed in partnership with Japan's tripla Inc., a renowned hospitality technology provider.

KokoFriends is designed to create a win-win ecosystem for both hotel owners and guests. The program incentivizes direct bookings and frequent stays, offering a range of exclusive benefits while helping independent hotels reduce their reliance on high-commission online travel agencies (OTAs). In today's competitive hospitality landscape, independent hotels face mounting pressure from OTA commissions and the challenge of building direct relationships with guests. The average commission for OTAs typically ranges from 15% to 25%. Through a shared loyalty network of 26 properties, including 16 Kokotel hotels and 10 independent-owned brands, KokoFriends empowers hotel owners to drive direct bookings, enhance guest retention, and significantly lower OTA dependency.

The program is powered by tripla's "tripla Book" direct booking system and "tripla Connect" marketing automation platform. As of July 2025, tripla Book has been implemented across 3,645 facilities, increasing official website booking ratios from 17% to 39%. The platform also supports multi-currency payments and multiple languages, ensuring a seamless experience for both domestic and international travelers.

Guest Benefits and Membership Tiers

KokoFriends follows a tiered membership structure that rewards guests for direct bookings and frequent stays. Membership is completely free, with benefits increasing at each level:

• Good Friend: Members receive a welcome gift and access to rental items, along with exclusive discounts on room rates and cafe dining, plus late checkout.
• Close Friend: Includes all Good Friend benefits, with the added perk of early check-in.
• Best Friend: Unlocks complimentary room upgrades and a welcome drink.
• Wow Friend: The top tier offers guaranteed early check-in and late checkout, complimentary daily breakfast, and a free night voucher as a birthday gift.

"As we celebrate our 10th anniversary and operate more than 20 hotels, building a membership system for our loyal members was an urgent and important challenge for our company," said Rei Matsuda, Founder and CEO of Koko Global Hospitality Co., Ltd. "tripla, which offers both membership and CRM capabilities, was the perfect match our needs."

"KokoFriends is more than a loyalty program, it is a way of treating guests as true friends. This initiative reflects our mission to deliver 'wow' moments, which ultimately drives revenue for hotel owners. With KokoFriends, we are providing a powerful and cost-effective marketing channel that empowers hotel owners to take back control of their guest relationships and revenue streams. We are confident this program will be a key driver of profitability and sustainable growth for all our partner properties."

Mr. Kazuhisa Takahashi, CEO of tripla Inc. said, "By providing an intuitive membership system and loyalty program to KGH, a group rapidly expanding into markets such as the Philippines and Japan, we hope to further accelerate digital transformation within the global hospitality sector."

KGH projects a 160% increase in direct bookings within the first year. Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its network to 1,000 properties across 10 countries on six continents by 2035.

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