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It's been almost three years since The Blackstone Group acquired Motel 6 and Studio 6 from Accor SA, and the deal was a significant milestone for the brands, according to [...]

September 2008, in retrospect, doesn't seem like the ideal time to launch a new corporate identity, but Boomerang Hotels did just that. Now at its first anniversary, the parent company [...]

Recently, I returned from a trip to Israel where I witnessed niche franchising /hotel operations at its best. The U.S. has been the leader in developing franchising and innovations in [...]

Washington, D.C. -- The Choice Hotels International 55th Annual Convention's theme, "Achieving More Together," was more than a catchy slogan; it set the tone for three days of education, legislative organization and cohesion among all of the Choice franchisees. The convention's 65 separate breakout sessions revolved around revenue-generating and general improvement strategies to help the more than 5,700 franchisees in attendance at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Washington, D.C. "In spite of some pretty tough business conditions ... they are here, they are engaged and they are optimistic," said Steve Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels. "This a group that believes the turn is coming and they are ready and excited about that." For the first time in its history, Choice featured a legislative panel; it included Joyce; Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Assn.; Joe McInerney, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Assn.; and Matt Shay, chairman of the International Franchise Assn. Among the issues discussed were the Employee Free Choice Act, the Travel Promotion Act, ADA regulations and various other issues. The panel was meant as an update on the important issues affecting hoteliers, but also a call to action. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Joyce said he believes the collective voice of Choice franchisees will carry a lot of weight when it comes to policy decisions. He said he sees the panel being a regular feature of the convention going forward as Choice looks to increase its government involvement. "The environment is more fraught with potential legislation that can impact us than I remember in a long time," Joyce said. "We're going to get involved in associations and start carrying our weight." Brands update Throughout the convention, the message remained positive about where the industry is headed and how Choice brands currently are positioned. The company emphasized its brands are benefiting from trade down and will most likely continue to do so. "I think we're benefiting from folks who haven't used our brands before," Joyce said. "There's a real shift to a value orientation in lodging that I think has been missing over the last five or six years." No changes have been made to brand standards because the company thinks its brands were "appropriately sized in the first place," Joyce said. Instead, the company is focusing on educational opportunities and removing the properties that do not comply with standards in effort to create more consistency throughout their brands--giving those new customers an experience that draws them back. "The last couple of years allowed for more objective measurement," Joyce said. "Last year to this year, the company has moved appropriately to start drawing some firm lines and gradually begin pushing the bottom up from each brand ... We are actively engaged in not helping to terminate hotels--which there will be more termination--but trying to help those individuals get their hotels up to standards." In terms of development, the company expected to see a plethora of conversions at this point in the year, which it hasn't, but believes this will begin to happen once the financial world settles down. "Financing and pricing are still big question marks, but at some point there will be a break in the dike and then you will see a pretty strong flow of pent-up transactions because so few have occurred," Joyce said. "The one thing I'm a little disappointed in is that we would have gotten a lot more of our newbuilds going." Marketing and technology are other areas of focus for the company, which has stepped up efforts despite the recession. They are the first hotel company to have an iPhone application that will tell guests who download it exactly where every Choice hotel is located. "It's a smaller pie, but I think we're getting a bigger share of it because we stayed out there marketing, and we're benefiting from the orientation of our brands. You don't hear anyone yelling in a congressional hearing about Comfort Inn." By Chris Crowell ASSOCIATE EDITOR ccrowell@questex.com ONLINE EXTRA: For more coverage on the legislative panel at Choice Hotel's convention, visit www.HotelWorldNetwork.com, keyword "Choice."

Washington, D.C. -- Although the drive to advocate for a strong franchise system in the hospitality industry continues, the Asian American Hotel Owners Assn. has eased off the pedal a bit and instead taken a path toward the nation's capital. It was fitting that the 2009 AAHOA national convention, which marked the 20th anniversary of AAHOA, was held in the shadows of the Capitol building in the National Harbor suburb of Washington, D.C. Owning more than 22,000 hotels, AAHOA's 9,300 members recognize the effect their numbers have on the economy and, in turn, their voice in Washington. "When you find causes that are like-minded, we have the ability to solidify," said Tarun Patel, chairman of AAHOA. "That's where we take off our franchisee/ franchisor hat and say 'no, we're [collectively] members of the lodging industry that are concerned about this. Let's go after this.'" With its large footprint, AAHOA is poised to represent lodging by helping lawmakers better understand the industry's contribution to the U.S. economy and lobby for or against legislative issues that could have a direct impact on the hospitality business. "We must not become complacent; it is now when we must build our future," Tarun Patel told members during the convention. "We have the ability to make an impact in Washington to protect our community for generations to come." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The AAHOA 2009 convention featured a panel on lobbying in America, where Norman Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute; and Thomas Boggs, chairman at Patton Boggs law firm, told members how they can be more effective lobbyists. "You should be out there, as critical elements of the American economy, expressing your interests in making sure your industry thrives and the economy continues to thrive. There are a lot of ways to do that," Ornstein said. "It's in your collective interest to make sure, whether it's on issues that affect India itself and its relations with the United States and the world, or issues that affect the hospitality industry at a time when things are tough ... when the notion that bankers who are taking public money and going to meetings at fancy resorts creates a backlash ... making it clear there is a price to be paid for that kind of reaction. Instead, Congress should step back and look for ways to encourage the hospitality industry as part of this economic fabric. These are all things that you can do." "The message that has got to be gotten across to Congress is that it's about jobs," Boggs added. "Any kind of inference that comes from public officials that people should not be engaged in hospitality activities is harmful to jobs." Neither Ornstein nor Boggs seemed concerned that the Employee Free Choice Act would be positioned to garner enough votes to pass the Senate as it stands. AAHOA has taken a strong stance against the bill, and the speakers' opinion on the subject pleased AAHOA members. "Right now, I don't think it has 50 votes in the Senate, but it could get up to the 50- to 55-vote range if the sponsors make some significant concessions," Boggs said. "It's not that many votes short, but it's short enough that it simply will not pass in its current form," Ornstein added. "We know there are some businesses out there that have been looking for a compromise, but it's compromise that labor has not been willing to accept, and they won't accept it until they believe they can't win anything else. After grading a number of franchisors in its 2008 annual progress report, AAHOA took a different angle this year and invited brands to submit reports of accomplishments they have made in efforts to build strong brand-owner relationships. Overall, AAHOA board directors said the franchisee-franchisor relationship has improved over the past decade in general. "Today, we're in one of the better places we've ever been," Tarun Patel said. Former chairman Ashwin "Ash" Patel said the relationship has a lot to do with the economy. When development is flourishing, he said, the "scale tends to slide." But when the economy is taking a toll on both sides, franchisors seem to be more sensitive to cashflow issues and are more cognizant of franchisees concerns. "In the economic situation we're in right now, we're both in trouble," Ash Patel said. "If we don't both work for middle ground, someone's going to lose. And eventually both parties are losers." By Jason Q. Freed SENIOR EDITOR jfreed@questex.com

H&MM's 2009 Franchising Fees Guide Brand Parent company Segment America's Best Inns & America's Best Upper Suites Franchising economy Americas Best Value Inn Vantage Hospitality Limited by Vantage Group service [...]

Relationships in society are often strained for financial reasons. An unpaid sports bet can end a friendship and the inability to keep up with bills can ruin a marriage. This [...]

Succeeding, if not just surviving, in a down economy is especially challenging for high-ticket franchises like the hotel industry. The starting point in a strategy to increase occupancy is to [...]

Atlanta -- Mike and R.C. Patel resurrected the Budgetel Inns & Suites franchise in 2007, making it the first minority-owned franchise in the U.S. Now, America's Best Franchising is taking [...]

Three vacation-ownership developers with a timeshare resort in San Antonio are the first Shell Vacations Systems franchisees. Partners Gary Buckley, Ian Sarna and Meril Rivard of Salado Creek Villas are [...]

Atlanta -- It's rare for a hotel franchising company to spend much time at its annual business conference discussing a brand that has no history with the company. But that [...]

Silver Spring, Md. -- Aiming to claim more of its share of the increasingly lucrative all-suites segment, Choice Hotels International is adding a ninth brand to its franchising lineup. The [...]

AmericInn International LLC announced the franchise signing and development plans for the new AmericInn Lodge & Suites of McAlester, Okla. The 58-room AmericInn broke ground in November and is expected [...]

Hotel franchisees often shortchange themselves by not negotiating effectively with franchisors to ensure they obtain the best franchise agreement possible. They often assume that franchisors have fixed positions and there [...]

* InterContinental Hotels Group's Americas franchise sales group executed a record-breaking number of franchising contracts and relicensing agreements in the second quarter. At midyear, IHG had signed 255 agreements. There [...]

While brand standards can help make hotel companies strong, franchisors will be flexible about certain design elements, according to developers and owners who have experience with multiple brands. 'Most brands [...]

Northbrook, Ill. -- Shell Vacations LLC completed its initial franchise offering for Shell Vacation Systems and soon will be able to offer franchises in several states. Shell Vacations also said [...]

National Report--Franchisees don't agree if a hotel company's brand can get too big, but they do agree that there is good growth and bad growth. 'A brand can get too [...]

I attended a breakout session at a prominent hotel conference last year that discussed current problems in the hotel industry. Much to my surprise, the moderator of the panel said [...]

Denver -- Hotels near the airport in the Mile High City are performing better than the market as a whole, and hoteliers are expecting business throughout the city to improve [...]

National Report--Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn and Candlewood Suites franchisees said the deal in which InterContinental Hotels Group is to acquire the Candlewood brand for $15 million is good for [...]

I read Jeff Higley's article ['Inaugural AAHOA summit addresses franchising issues'] on the front page of [the August issue of] H&MM. It meant a lot for me that you featured [...]

Atlanta -- InterContinental Hotels Group plans to add a sixth brand to its portfolio by acquiring Candlewood Suites in a three-way deal with Hospitality Properties Trust that would result in [...]

Jim Adams was promoted to vice president of franchise development for Suburban Franchise Systems. Compiled by Elaine Simon, [...]

I'm writing in response to Mike Malley's perspective ['Profits, not griping, enhance the franchise system,' August, page 8]. I understand he was unable to attend [the Asian American Hotel Owners [...]

Atlanta--InterContinental Hotels Group will franchise its upper-upscale brand in the United States and Canada for the first time as part of an effort to double the number of InterContinental Hotels [...]

Disclosure and transparency are terms that spring up often, especially in our current economy and the post-Enron corporate world. However, disclosure and transparency are more than open books shared with [...]

* For the first time in the United States and Canada, InterContinental Hotels Group will franchise the InterContinental brand. IHG plans to double the size of the brand throughout the [...]

National Report--The low-rate Internet guarantees offered by five hotel companies to encourage travelers to book on their Web sites are good for franchisees too, according to hotel owners and operators. [...]

Choice Hotels International is offering a cash incentive to be used for exterior renovations by new franchisees who convert their non-Choice brand properties to the company's Econo Lodge brand. Combined [...]

Miami Beach, Fla. -- Minorities were encouraged to become hotel owners and operators during the seventh annual Multicultural Tourism/Hotel Ownership Summit & Trade Show presented in July by the National [...]

US Franchise Systems promoted Jonathan Benjamin to vice president, franchise sales. Compiled by Elaine Simon, [...]

Newtek Small Business Finance will offer financing to new and existing franchisees of Cendant Corp.'s hotel group. Newtek is authorized to conduct Small Business Administration loans in all 50 [...]

Cendant Corp., which became famous first for the diversity of its lodging brands and then for the diversity of its lines of businesses worldwide, has embarked on a new initiative [...]

The Asian American Hotel Owners Assn. held a summit last month in Atlanta that in the words of Fred Schwartz, its executive director, was to 'enhance the franchising system.' The [...]

Atlanta--The role of franchise-advisory councils was the common thread that wove its way throughout the Asian American Hotel Owners Assn.'s inaugural Franchise Advisory Councils & Member Representative Summit. The theme [...]

It's time for hotel owners and operators from all brands and backgrounds to form one voice--a voice with more power and substance behind it than other owner-based organizations. That's why [...]

An event of seemingly no major importance to the industry is taking place later this month. And that's the problem. The National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers [...]

Liquidated damages Editor's note: The following two letters are in response to three articles about liquidated damages: 'Contracts can boost reflagging costs,' March 17, page 4; 'Franchisors evaluate liquidation clauses,' [...]

Readers of Hotel & Motel Management responded to our online survey about how to make liquidated damages more fair. Others wrote to us. Below is a sample of those letters. [...]

ORLANDO -- There are 600 markets in the United States Choice Hotels International would like to have representation in, and company executives plan to expand into those markets via fair [...]

'Franchisors can't deliver the business they used to. Their value isn't as great as it once was because of things like the Internet. Their power has been usurped. In the [...]

Days Inn, one of the largest hotel brands owned by Cendant Corp., has 1,900 hotels worldwide and enjoys unparalleled brand awareness in its segment *. Despite the brand's successes, President [...]

White Plains, N.Y.--A group of Sheraton franchisees and several Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide executives negotiated a settlement about various operational and brand issues and are moving forward with the [...]

Phoenix--Wingate Inns International franchisees were pleased to hear about the brand's growth plans from Cendant Corp. executives at the brand's biennial conference in early May. The plans include improvements in [...]

Long Beach, Calif.--By using the same strategy they used to build the Country Inn & Suites brand into a 300-plus system, executives at Carlson Hotels Worldwide hope to double the [...]

Mark Young was promoted to senior vice president of hotel services for Cendant Corp.'s Ramada Franchise Systems. Compiled by Elaine Simon, [...]

Selecting a brand for a hotel in a market is determined primarily by average daily rate, but owners and franchisors also look at the performance of the market, competition and [...]

Many elements comprise fair franchising, but the details of each element aren't always black and white. 'Most franchisees would say that franchisors are fair when you're making a lot of [...]

The fair-franchising concept might not be quite the oxymoron 'uncomplicated government' is, but executives said it's difficult to come up with franchising practices that make brand owners and their licensees [...]