LAS VEGAS — Choice Hotels International kicked off its 68th annual convention in Las Vegas yesterday, highlighting the company’s competitive position and its plans to help owners and operators capitalize on the growing demand for leisure and business travel. President and CEO Patrick Pacious did speak to the Wyndham acquisition the company pursued while updating the audience on the integration of the Radisson Hotels America brands—that "was the rationale behind a much larger acquisition that we pursued.
"We are going to continue to make bold moves on your behalf," Pacious told the 6,600 attendees. "Look, we're all in this together and we all win together. While the recent acquisition did not come to fruition, we remain committed to finding new ways big and small to drive your operating costs down, your profitability up and to capitalize on the exciting opportunity that is before us."
With more than 6,600 registrants, including more than 1,100 exhibitors, the three-day conference is one of Choice’s largest ever. It has more than 100 educational and brand sessions as well as a trade show.
“Choice is a leader in technology and innovation, brand creation, brand renewal and franchisee retention,” Pacious added. “And when we look to the future, we see a portfolio of brands that are getting stronger together: By investing in Upscale, we have become the challenger brands to watch. By being good stewards of our core brands, we are driving our Midscale performance. And by innovating from the front, we will continue our leadership position in Extended Stay.”
Pacious highlighted how Choice is a different company today with a stronger system for all. In the last five years, direct online revenue grew by 23 percent and revenue per property increased 13 percent during the same time period. Additionally, the number of Choice Privileges members grew from 40 million to 65 million (as of end of Q1 2024). He also highlighted Choice’s accelerating growth in 2023, including:
- Increasing Likelihood to recommend scores on average by 13 points across all brands.
- Deploying its best-in-class conversion capabilities to execute 135 conversion openings.
- Harnessing the integration of Radisson Hotels Americas to improve digital traffic and bookings and lower OTA fees for hotels in its system.
- Signing an agreement with AAA to be the first new Preferred Hotel Supplier in a decade.
The company is revising its Choice Privileges rewards program, from transactional to experiential, to build an emotional connection between guests and its brands. This includes a new agreement to sponsor Trackhouse Racing for the 2024 NASCAR Cup season and offer exclusive access to members.
Additionally, the company is investing in refreshing its digital platforms, unveiling a new look for ChoiceHotels.com later this year that’s tailored to highlight each brand and feature richer imagery and content.
“We are focused on being a long-term value-creator for all of you – the owners of Choice-branded hotels. When I look at how far we’ve progressed together, I’ve never been more optimistic about the future,” said Pacious.