Choice Hotels International Concludes 68th Annual Convention, One of its Largest Ever

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May 09, 2024, 09:00 ET

Highlights included the relaunch of Park Inn by Radisson, the reintroduction of the SOAR program to create hotel ownership opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs, and awards for top hotels

NORTH BETHESDA, Md., May 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week, Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH) concluded its 68^th Annual Convention in Las Vegas, NV, one of the largest to date. Over the course of three days, Choice provided owners and operators with a roadmap on how together they will capitalize on their competitive position to capture the growing demand for travel. Choice announced the relaunch of Park Inn by Radisson and its strategic repositioning into the premium value space. The company also reintroduced the SOAR program and reaffirmed its over twenty-year commitment to create hotel ownership opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Choice Hotels President and CEO Patrick Pacious with Premier Legacy Award winner Bob Patel of Omaha Hotels, Inc., and Choice's Chief Development Officer David Pepper at the 68th Annual Convention.

"This year's convention was about celebrating the new level of success that Choice and its franchisees have achieved together," said Choice Hotels President and CEO Patrick Pacious. "I've never been more optimistic about our shared future. With our brands well positioned to capture even more of the growing travel demand, we have a tremendous opportunity in front of us."

During the event, Choice awarded and celebrated the top-performing hotels through Choice's Premier Awards and the Best of Choice Awards, the company's most coveted accolades.

Premier Award Winners

Kunal Dave of Laxmi Hotels Group (Premier Developer Award): Dave has been a Choice owner for over a decade and currently owns more than 25 Choice hotels spanning Economy, Midscale, Upper Midscale, and Extended Stay. He excels at repositioning and rebranding properties to drive up revenue and profitability.
Bob Patel of Omaha Hotels, Inc. (Premier Legacy Award): Patel began his relationship with Choice over 15 years ago by purchasing an Econo Lodge in Janesville, Wisconsin. Today, he has 15 Choice hotels under the Comfort, Country, Sleep Inn, Quality Inn, and MainStay Suites brands. A longtime member of the Wisconsin Hotel Association, he is passionate about mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs.

Best of Choice Winners

Like the Premier winners, the Best of Choice award recipients were selected for their demonstrated commitment to superior guest service and operational excellence. The best international properties and the best hotel per brand in the U.S. were selected.

Cambria Hotel Traverse City – Traverse City, Michigan
Clarion Hotel Oslo – Oslo, Norway
Clarion Inn Conference Center – Gonzales, Louisiana
Clarion Pointe Sulphur Springs – Sulphur Springs, Texas
Comfort Hotel Nagoya Meiekiminami – Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Comfort Inn & Suites Lakewood By JBLM – Lakewood, Washington
Comfort Inn Blackshear Highway 84 – Blackshear, Georgia
Comfort Suites near Penn State – State College, Pennsylvania
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Belleville, Ontario – Belleville, Ontario, Canada
Country Inn & Suites By Radisson, State College (Penn State Area), PA – State College, PA
Econo Lodge – Lenoir City, Tennessee
MainStay Suites Carlisle-Harrisburg – Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Park Inn by Radisson San Jose, Costa Rica – San Jose, Costa Rica
Quality Hotel Blumenau – Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Quality Inn Ingleside-Corpus Christi – Ingleside, Texas
Radisson Hotel Colorado Springs Airport – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Radisson Individuals, the Hotel Casa Don Luis by Faranda Boutique – Cartagena, Colombia
Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza Hotel – Montevideo, Uruguay
Sleep Inn Winfield-Teays Valley – Hurricane, West Virginia
Suburban Studios Washington, Pennsylvania – Washington, Pennsylvania
The Halifax Tower Hotel & Conference Centre, Ascend Hotel Collection – Halifax, Nova Scotia
The Ingot Hotel Perth, Ascend Hotel Collection – Belmont, Western Australia
The Inn at I'On – Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
The Radisson Blu Aruba – Palm Beach, Aruba
The Radisson Blu Toronto Downtown – Toronto, Canada
The Rodeway Inn – Ainsworth, Nebraska
Woodspring Suites San Antonio Stone Oak – San Antonio, Texas

About Choice Hotels®
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. The challenger in upscale and a leader in midscale and extended stay, Choice® has over 7,500 hotels, representing more than 630,000 rooms, in 46 countries and territories. A diverse portfolio of 22 brands that range from full-service upper upscale properties to midscale, extended stay and economy enables Choice^® to meet travelers' needs in more places and for more occasions while driving more value for franchise owners and shareholders. The award-winning Choice Privileges® rewards program and co-brand credit card options provide members with a fast and easy way to earn reward nights and personalized perks. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com.

SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.