Choice Hotels International has opened 478 domestic and international properties in 2014.
The outlook for future growth is also robust based on the 566 new domestic franchise agreements signed by the company last year, and 159 of the signed contracts were for new construction hotels, a more than 70 percent increase over the same period in 2013.
“It has been a landmark year on the development front for Choice Hotels, most notably with new construction agreements and the expansion of our development clientele as driving forces,” says David Pepper, senior vice president of global development for Choice Hotels International. “Developers recognize the smart growth and brand strategies we have in place, plus they know that now is an excellent time to invest and expand with us. We look forward to maintaining this strong growth trajectory through 2015.”
Ten new construction development agreements were signed in 2014 with Love’s Hospitality, the hotel development and management division of travel center conglomerate Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores. Upscale business traveler brand Cambria also opened five new hotels in destinations such as Washington, DC; White Plains, New York; and Plano, Texas. This year, two more Cambria properties are scheduled to open in Manhattan in addition to the brand’s flagship property in Rockville, Maryland across from Choice Hotels International Headquarters.
In 2014, Choice Hotels signed 70 new construction franchise agreements for the Comfort family of brands across all market types including major U.S. cities such as New York City, Austin, Philadelphia, Denver, Houston, and Pittsburgh. The upscale Ascend Hotel Collection also continues to expand. The concept, which allows hotels to maintain their autonomy while benefitting from Choice Hotels’ distribution channels and technology, is generating significant new construction interest with 11 new construction agreements signed in 2014 for the Ascend Hotel Collection, most of which are located in New York City.
