Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has introduced the “Women Own the Room” program designed to advance and empower female entrepreneurs who are interested in hotel ownership. The program is intended to be a resource to help overcome common barriers women face in hotel development and to help them effectively open and run their hotels.
The program is built on the pillars of:
- Delivering comprehensive financial solutions
- Offering personalized operational guidance and support
- Establishing an inclusive community for networking and education
“As the hotel industry resets and recovers from one of the most difficult periods in its history, we all have a unique opportunity to help advance and champion diversity in hospitality to help our industry prosper,” said Chip Ohlsson, chief development officer, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “At Wyndham, where diversity, equity and inclusion are key cornerstones of our culture, we recognize the chance to do our part by helping to open more doors for women in our industry.”
Commencing this fall, Wyndham will launch a series of events with topics:
- Why the time is right for women to get into hotel development
- How to select sites and perform feasibility assessments
- Guidance and tips on securing financing for your hotel
- Personal stories of female hotel developers that successfully broke the mold
“Wyndham is also committed to helping female owners secure financing through our network of debt and equity partners and will continue to explore and implement new and creative ways to support female hoteliers through the use of our balance sheet,” said Michele Allen, CFO, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
Together with these educational and networking events and commitment to use its balance sheet to support women hotel owners, Wyndham is also launching a development incentive program that will provide meaningful Wyndham financing, plus complimentary or expanded first-year operating services to support the success of hotels developed by women.
“Introducing more women entrepreneurs to hotel ownership is great for women, and great for our industry,” said Rosanna Maietta, president/CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Foundation. “Our industry is stronger with a variety of people that bring varying backgrounds and points of view. Programs like this move the industry forward.”
Wyndham strives to maintain a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion across its organization, and the launch of this program to introduce more women to the hotel industry is a natural extension. For the third year in a row, the company received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Equality Index, designating Wyndham for leading in equality. It was also named by DiversityInc as a noteworthy company for two consecutive years for its commitment to diversity and inclusion.