ROCKVILLE, MD—Choice Hotels International Inc. continues to expand its international footprint with 40 hotel openings planned this year in Latin America and Spain. This includes introducing the first Choice Hotels brands in Spain and Colombia, as well as opening hotels in Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico and Panama, adding nearly 5,000 rooms.
This growth is highlighted by the following:
- Spain: Sixteen Ascend Hotel Collection properties were introduced through Choice Hotels’ recent alliance with Sercotel, a leading hotel operator and franchisor based in Spain. Another eight Ascend properties are expected to open before the end of the year.
- Brazil: Three Sleep Inn hotels and one Quality Inn hotel were opened by Atlantica Hotels, Choice Hotels’ master franchisee in Brazil. In addition, two Comfort hotels, one Clarion hotel and one Quality Suites hotel are expected to welcome guests by year-end.
- Colombia: One Clarion hotel opened and two Ascend properties are expected to open in December, all through the Sercotel alliance.
- Mexico: Choice Hotels Mexico has opened two hotels under the Comfort and Sleep Inn brands. A Comfort Inn hotel is expected to open in December.
- Panama: An Ascend Hotel Collection property opened through Sercotel.
- Ecuador: Developer Real Hotels & Resorts opened an Ascend Hotel Collection property, its second in the country.
“We continue to expand and reach new markets all over the world—from Bogota, Colombia, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Barcelona and Madrid, Spain,” said Mark Pearce, SVP, international division, Choice Hotels. “Our tremendous progress shows our international strategy is working. We continue to forge relationships with high-quality, multi-unit developers and operators for long-term agreements in strategic markets.”
Along with the 40 openings this year, the international pipeline continues to grow. Choice Hotels Mexico recently signed an exclusive multi-unit agreement with SI Operaciones, a Mexican private equity fund, to develop 20 new-construction Sleep Inn hotels by 2023.