ROCKVILLE, Md.—Choice Hotels International, Inc. is looking to capitalize on its long-term, strategic investments to its brand portfolio and technology infrastructure as it seeks to capture an even greater share of corporate travel. The company will launch a new nationwide advertising campaign on June 17 that reinforces its commitment to welcoming both business and leisure travelers.
“We’re proud of our history as the hotel company families turn to for vacations and road-trip stays—and that won’t change,” said Pat Pacious, president and CEO, Choice Hotels. “The company is ready to build on our success by demonstrating to business travelers that we’ve invested in everything they want and need—especially in our flagship Comfort brand and upscale Cambria brand. Our upcoming ad campaign will be the capstone to these investments and signal that we’re open for business, whether that ‘business’ is meeting with clients or attending a family reunion.”
The corporate travel market is expected to reach $1.7 trillion by 2023, and Choice has made investments across its portfolio to tap into this growing market. The company has committed approximately $725 million to its upscale Cambria brand, which is designed for the time-starved, modern business traveler. On the midscale side, Choice’s multi-year, $2.5 billion joint investment with its franchisees has made Comfort its most competitive midscale brand in the corporate market. The Comfort hotels that completed renovations as part of the brand’s transformation by the end of 2018 more than doubled their business travel revenue growth in the first quarter of 2019. The all new-construction Sleep Inn brand launched a new logo. Lastly, one of Choice’s fastest-growing brands, WoodSpring, anticipates having more than 300 WoodSpring hotels open and serving extended-stay guests around the country by the end of next year.
In addition to brand enhancements, Choice Hotels has invested in its technology infrastructure to help franchisees capture more government and corporate business. Virtual Pay functionality on its consumer-facing website allows corporate travel managers to book reservations and eliminating the need for each traveler to have a corporate credit card. Choice’s Group Management Platform simplifies the process of planning and booking group travel, allowing guests to make reservations for groups, review details at a glance, select various payment options, confirm reservations, send customized emails inviting guests to book, and make room modifications at any time.
In addition, Choice’s automated solution that maintains rate parity is designed to help hotel owners capture room nights from federal and military travelers by offering rates that meet or beat per diem guidelines.
