LAS VEGAS—Approximately 5,000 attendees were on hand for the start of the 61st annual Choice Hotels International conference, where the company revealed the overarching strategy behind its new identity, which includes a new logo, as well as a number of other marketing initiatives.
Held at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino here, President and CEO Steve Joyce touted the strategy. “And, while our look is different, the new Choice Hotels is not simply about launching our new logo. It’s about differentiating ourselves in the marketplace, redefining what we stand for, and making an emotional connection with guests,” he said.
Joyce also cited the company’s first-quarter results, which include a RevPAR jump of nearly 10%, and a 20% spike in revenue for its revamped website. In addition, Joyce said CRS revenue contribution is at 48% in 2015.
The company also unveiled a new role entitled the Ultimate People Person, for which it is searching for candidates. “The sole job of the Choice Hotels People Person will be to travel across the U.S. to help bring attention to, and celebrate, the priceless in-person connections we make when we travel, whether it’s friends, family or colleagues,” said Joyce.
Other Choice initiatives referenced by Joyce include a continued effort to enhance and enrich the company’s mobile efforts as well as aggressively expanding into new upscale markets.