Choice Hotels International Executives Highlight Growth Prospects At America's Lodging Investment Summit
28 January 2010 - 3:13AM
PR Newswire (US)
Choice Hotels Leaders Share Perspectives on 2010, Direct Online
Channels and the Select Service Segment SILVER SPRING, Md., Jan. 27
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Executives from Choice Hotels
International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) highlighted the franchisor's
extensive opportunities for growth and shared their insights on its
business operations at the eighth annual America's Lodging
Investment Summit, held this week in San Diego, California.
Speakers from Choice Hotels included President and Chief Executive
Officer Stephen P. Joyce, Senior Vice President, eCommerce and
Global Distribution Mary Beth Knight, and Vice President of
Emerging Brands, Kevin Lewis. Joyce highlighted the many
opportunities for Choice Hotels in 2010 during Tuesday's opening
session, the Hotel Leaders Outlook Panel. "Our value-oriented
family of brands, which offer consumers a range of complimentary
amenities and services at a great rate, continue to be ideally
positioned to attract new guests to Choice Hotels properties," said
Joyce. "Our financial strength enables us to deliver our
franchisees increased property-level support by investing in a
range of key programs to drive more guests to their hotels, improve
long-term brand loyalty and help them be successful. At the same
time, with a strong balance sheet we are in the enviable position
to be able to simultaneously invest in and expand our emerging
brands and global footprint." Knight focused on the ongoing
enhancements Choice Hotels is making to its strong global
reservations and online distribution system. "We are continuing to
leverage and optimize the strength of our direct online channels,
which includes the upcoming launch of a new ChoiceHotels.com
Website," noted Knight. "The site will feature innovative booking
and hotel selection options that will improve the guest experience
and is designed to increase conversion rates and deliver more
reservations to our franchisees' properties. As the first hotelier
to launch a global application for the iPhone, we are continuing to
expand the range of support we provide for mobile applications,
including smartphones and mobile devices." Lewis underscored the
company's commitment to the long-term growth prospects of its
Cambria Suites brand in the select-service segment. "The upscale
Cambria Suites brand continues to secure rave reviews from today's
travelers while being enthusiastically received by developers,"
commented Lewis. "An award-winning design, first-rate guest suites,
and amenities that make travelers feel like they are at home
enables Cambria Suites to stand out from the select-service crowd.
With Choice Hotels significant commitment and support to move deals
forward in order to expand the brand's footprint, the future for
Cambria Suites is extremely bright." About Choice Hotels Choice
Hotels International, Inc. franchises more than 6,000 hotels,
representing more than 485,000 rooms in the United States and more
than 35 other countries and territories. As of September 30, 2009,
more than 700 hotels are under construction, awaiting conversion or
approved for development in the United States, representing more
than 59,000 rooms, and more than 100 hotels, representing
approximately 9,400 rooms, are under construction, awaiting
conversion or approved for development in more than 20 other
countries and territories. The company's Comfort Inn, Comfort
Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay
Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn
brands serve guests worldwide. In addition, via its Ascend
Collection membership program, travelers in the United States,
Canada and the Caribbean have upscale lodging options at historic,
boutique and unique hotels. Additional corporate information may be
found on the Choice Hotels International, Inc. Web site, which may
be accessed at http://www.choicehotels.com/. Cambria Suites,
Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Clarion, Sleep Inn, MainStay
Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and
Ascend Collection are proprietary trademarks and service marks of
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (C) 2010 Choice Hotels
International, Inc. All rights reserved. DATASOURCE: Choice Hotels
International, Inc. CONTACT: David Peikin, Senior Director,
Corporate Communications of Choice Hotels International, Inc.,
+1-301-592-6361, Web Site: http://www.choicehotels.com/
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