Radisson Franchises Can Now Earn Gold Points

NEW YORK— Radisson Rewards Gold Points are not just for consumers and end-users anymore. Now, via a new business-building initiative being rolled out by Minneapolis-based Radisson Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, franchisees adding new locations will also be able to earn and redeem points in the new program. It was mounted as an incentive to help grow the company’s portfolio of branded properties by some 15% year-over-year. And as of Jan. 1, Radisson will be out to make some big points with potential franchise owners by extending an offer of one million Radisson Rewards Gold Points for each new property added to its ranks throughout 2001. Labeled as the Million Gold Points Giveaway, “the promotion has been developed to drive and support our ambitious growth plans as we focus on adding more than 60 key hotels in major markets around the world in 2001,” according to Radisson Development President Peter Blyth. The company currently lists 418 franchised locations in 50 countries around the world. As Blyth and Radisson Hotels & Resorts President/COO Jay Witzel noted at the recent International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show, here, plans call for the addition of perhaps three dozen of the new sites to be located across North America, another 15 or so to be situated in Europe and the remaining 12 to 15 properties targeted for Asia and Latin America. According to terms of the initiative, which Blyth noted may be extended by Carlson to its Regent International, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson and Park Hospitality brands following its one-year trial implementation with Radisson, any new franchisee entering into a standard license agreement in the year 2001 will instantly earn one million Gold Points. As Blyth pointed out, newly minted “Gold Points millionaires” who have entered into a standard license agreement with the company can opt to redeem this “currency” for a variety of Radisson/Carlson-related rewards including a one-week cruise aboard the six-star Radisson Diamond. “Not that we feel this incentive program is absolutely necessary to our growth plans,” Blyth said. “We believe our [franchising system]sells on its own merits. In particular, we can point to our leadership position in delivering sales through our reservations system… currently at a 46% rate.” Blyth added: “We expect this program to generate some controversy, primarily because nothing like this has ever been done before. However, this program will undoubtedly lend even greater prominence to Radisson Rewards, more than any the program has so far enjoyed.” Serving up his own viewpoint on the new franchisee incentive program, Witzel maintained it will ultimately “turn what had been a strictly transactional relationship into an obvious value-added transaction.” In line with this “owner rewards” program, Radisson has created a new interactive development website— radissondevelopment.com— in addition to rolling out plans to double the size of its development sales team in order to triple the company’s overall growth throughout North American destinations.