GRAPEVINE, TX– Best Western International officially celebrated its 60th anniversary with approximately 2,100 hotel owners and owner staff members today at its 2006 annual convention held at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center here. Chairman of the board Raymond Johnston welcomed attendees by reinforcing the membership associations core values. “Best Western continues to grow and thrive, but we never want to lose sight of the core values that have brought us to this milestone, namely our entrepreneurial spirit; our flexibility, meaning the diversity of our properties, both in the U.S. and internationally; and owners willingness to help each other and prospering themselves in the process,” said Johnston, an owner from Palm Springs, CA. As Best Western enters its 61st year, the association is putting increasing emphasis on providing customer care. “Given our loyal customer base, we view this as an opportunity to really distinguish ourselves from our competitive set,” president/CEO David Kong told attendees. “If we can find ways to better meet guests needs and expectations, we can improve the brand image and be able to achieve even greater loyalty in a very crowded competitive marketplace.” Yet customer care is not restricted to the service guests receive while they are at the hotel, Kong noted. “Rather, it involves the entire hospitality experience. Does the guest feel cared for in the booking process, for example? Have we created an optimum experience at each touch point between Best Western and that consumer,” he said. Kong added that the time was right for brands like Best Western to re-emphasize this focus on the customer. “The business is having a very strong year in terms of occupancy and revenue and the prospects for continued success in 2007 are good. But we all know how cyclical the industry is, so we cant count on the market remaining this robust indefinitely. Accordingly, now is the time for our members to invest in upgrading their properties in anticipation of the inevitable downturn,” he said. Over 1,800 of Best Westerns 4,200 properties worldwide are outside of North America and are playing a more critical role at the brand than ever before. “Were in more than 80 countries,” Johnston noted. “These hotels generate a tremendous amount of revenue, but weve also begun to realize that the international representation has a secondary benefit as well. Many customers discover the brand internationally, develop a comfort level with us, and then when they travel to the U.S., they think of Best Western first.”
