Hotel & Motel Management - February 18, 2008 - (Page 36)

36 Special Report HOTELWORLD H&MM February 18, 2008 www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition Limited-service brands build on global success By Elaine Yetzer Simon SENIOR EDITOR n today’s shrinking world, one of the fastest ways for a hotel company to grow— and grow stronger—can be to expand internationally. This is especially true in the limited-service segment. “There’s tremendous growth opportunity in certain international markets,” said Anthony Berger, c.o.o. of Wyndham Hotel Group. “It affords us the opportunity to diversify our portfolio so that when a certain geographic market or certain segment grows faster than others, we can participate. We don’t have all our eggs in WYNDHAM HOTEL GROUP I one basket.” Berger said the fact that Wyndham has three divisions to draw from—Wyndham Hotel Group, Wyndham Vacation Ownership and RCI—gives the company an advantage. The company’s limited-service brands are Super 8, Days Inn, Baymont Inns & Suites, Howard Johnson Express Inn, Wingate by Wyndham, Travelodge, AmeriHost Inn and Knights Inn. “We think that given our presence in multiple segments and multiple geographies and the fact that we have three business units really gives us a unique and very solid foundation to grow Europe is one of Wyndham Hotel Group’s main targets for international growth. The company already has this Days Inn property in Dublin, Ireland, in its portfolio. around the globe,” Berger said. Choice Hotels International, which has 1,137 hotels open outside of the U.S., plans to grow consistently and conservatively in international markets, said Mark Pearce, v.p. of international operations. Speciﬁc areas the company is targeting are Canada, Mexico, Central America, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, India, continental Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company’s limited-service brands are Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotels, Econo Lodge and Rode- Pearce CHOICE way Inn. “These areas have proven over time to be proﬁtable, strong-growth and strongdemand markets with companywide international royalty income more than tripling and operating income growing tenfold while room supply increasing 10 percent since 2000,” Pearce said. Berger said growth in new areas is one of Wyndham’s main goals. Growing in new geographies internationally, from a site growth standpoint, will account for the largest chunk of the company’s growth in the future, he said. “We think travel and tourism in certain markets are growing very rapidly and we’ve targeted those areas for growth,” Berger said. “Not only is travel in China growing hugely, but the Chinese are traveling more and more outside the country, so they are becoming an exporter of travel, a feeder market.” Wyndham is targeting Asia, See Limited-service | page 38 The Comfort Inn Kensington in London is part of Choice Hotels’ global portfolio, which numbers more than 1,100 hotels outside of the U.S. CIRCLE NO. 103 CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL http://www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition http://www.vistarez.com http://www.vistarez.com http://www.vistarez.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - February 18, 2008

Hotel & Motel Management - February 18, 2008 Contents ALIS Attendees: Bumpy Road Ahead Denihan Expands with James Hotel Purchase AAA Updates its Diamond Rating Guidelines Perspective Letters to the Editor Legal FAQ Satisfaction Trends Sales Clinic HotelWorld Update Trends & Stats Locally Grown Food Gains Popularity Companies Cultivate International Ties Wireless Internet Access Opens Up Possibilities Ice Machine Care Improves Efficiency, Performance The Importance of F&B to Leisure Travelers Lamps/Lighting Transactions Events Ad/Editorial Index Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - February 18, 2008

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