Howard Johnson Launches Spirit Of America Program

PARSIPPANY, NJ— Originally intended to be rolled out in 2002, Howard Johnson International has launched its new Spirit of America program throughout the U.S. and Canada in an effort to boost tourism and hotel occupancy. Offering discounted room rates as low as $39, the Spirit of America program marks the brand’s first nationwide promotion. “Howard Johnson always has several regional promotions going on… but we felt it was a good time to have a national rate promotion for consumers worldwide,” said Mary Mahoney, president/CEO of Howard Johnson International. “We wanted to entice people to travel with Howard Johnson.” The program, which is available from Oct. 29 through March 31, 2002, will offer rates ranging from $39 to $59 and is currently being offered at about 75% of the brand’s properties. “We were looking at doing a promotion well before September 11,” said Mahoney. “But since 9/11 and all the emotion in the industry… we wanted to accelerate the launch and provide great rates and reason why Americans should feel good about getting on the road again.” Many franchisees, who have been hit with hard times since Sept. 11, jumped at the opportunity to participate in the program, and according to Christopher Trick, vp/marketing for Howard Johnson, “Almost 60% of our franchisees signed up in the first four days [the program was being offered], confirming we’re doing the right thing.” In order to participate, franchisees must offer 15% of their inventory at the promotional rates, up to last minute availability, throughout the entire duration of the program. Mahoney was quick to note that if a property is full, it does not need to “give up rack rate business for low price rooms,” but it does need to maintain a steady 15% discounted inventory throughout the entire promotional period. However, most franchisees are doing whatever they can to attract travelers during this difficult economy. Mahoney remarked that the brand’s airport hotels have been the hardest hit by the downturn in travel, particularly those in Newark and Los Angeles. Some leisure destinations, like Orlando and Branson, MO, are also “feeling the pinch,” she said, adding that these destinations are heavily dependant on leisure travelers, which have been shying away from vacations recently due to their fear of traveling. However, Howard Johnson hotels in New England have “had a strong fall foliage season,” she said, along with hotels in other leisure-oriented drive-to destinations, like Williamsburg, VA. “Our goal is that when people travel on the road they stay at Howard Johnson… and they come back and visit again in the spring and summer months,” she said. “We hope to fill 20% of the rooms that sat vacant last year.” To promote the new Spirit America program, the brand will be advertising in national print publications like USA Today, launching a broad Internet marketing program, developing an e-mail advertising campaign through its internal database, and creating a travel agent marketing program with companies like Sabre and Galileo.