ROCKVILLE, MD—Choice Hotels International Inc. has signed a 10-year extension of its existing master franchising agreement with Choice Hotels Japan and expects to open more than 30 new Comfort hotels in the market by 2033. Choice Hotels Japan has been the exclusive franchisor of the Comfort brand in the country since 2003 and has a current portfolio of more than 60 hotels in key markets, including Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka and Sapporo.
The first seven of the new Comfort hotels are planned to open over the next three years in large cities including Kyoto, Matsuyama and Nagoya. This expansion is expected to bring the number of rooms in the Comfort portfolio to more than 15,000 by 2025.
To commemorate the master franchising agreement extension, a signing ceremony was held in Tokyo, which included Choice Hotels International President/CEO Patrick Pacious and Choice Hotels Japan President/Representative Director Takeya Muraki.
“International growth is a major focus for us, and Japan is one of the world’s fastest-growing travel destinations, so we’re thrilled to increase our presence in this highly sought-after global market,” said Pacious. “We look forward to building on our long-standing relationship with Choice Hotels Japan as we continue to grow Comfort’s presence and further integrate our digital business delivery platforms.”
In the first half of 2019, Choice Hotels International grew its portfolio of rooms and hotels located outside the U.S., increasing by 4.1% and 5.4%, respectively, from June 30, 2018.