From Breaking the Glass Ceiling to Breaking Hotel Ground: Wyndham Announces Program to Support Advancement of Women-Owned Hotels

News provided by

Aug 04, 2021, 09:00 ET

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Aug. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,000 hotels across nearly 95 countries, announced a new program, "Women Own the Room" designed to advance and empower female entrepreneurs who are interested in hotel ownership. Wyndham's Women Own the Room program is intended to be a resource to help overcome common barriers women face in hotel development and to help them effectively open and run their hotels. The program is built on the pillars of:

Owned by woman owner, Harneet Sandhu, the recently opened La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Spokane Downtown

Delivering comprehensive financial solutions
Offering personalized operational guidance and support
Establishing an inclusive community for networking and education

"As the hotel industry resets and recovers from one of the most difficult periods in its history, we all have a unique opportunity to help advance and champion diversity in hospitality to help our industry prosper. At Wyndham - where diversity, equity, and inclusion are key cornerstones of our culture - we recognize the chance to do our part by helping to open more doors for women in our industry," said Chip Ohlsson, chief development officer, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

Commencing this fall, Wyndham will launch a series of events with topics to include:

Why the time is right for women to get into hotel development
How to select sites and perform feasibility assessments
Guidance and tips on securing financing for your hotel
Personal stories of female hotel developers that successfully broke the mold

"Wyndham is also committed to helping female owners secure financing through our network of debt and equity partners and will continue to explore and implement new and creative ways to support female hoteliers through the use of our balance sheet," said Michele Allen, chief financial officer, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

Together with these educational and networking events and commitment to use its balance sheet to support women hotel owners, Wyndham is also launching a development incentive program that will provide meaningful Wyndham financing, plus complimentary or expanded first-year operating services to support the success of hotels developed by women.

"Introducing more women entrepreneurs to hotel ownership is great for women, and great for our industry. Our industry is stronger with a variety of people that bring varying backgrounds and points of view. Programs like this move the industry forward," said Rosanna Maietta, President & CEO, American Hotel and Lodging Foundation.

Wyndham strives to maintain a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion across its organization, and the launch of this program to introduce more women to the hotel industry is a natural extension. For the third year in a row, the company received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign's Equality Index, designating Wyndham for leading in equality. The company was also named by DiversityInc as a noteworthy company for two consecutive years for its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Considering developing a hotel? Get in touch to learn more here. To get involved and stay up-to-date on Women Own the Room's upcoming events, sign up here.

About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world's largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with approximately 9,000 hotels across nearly 95 countries on six continents. Through its network of approximately 798,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 21 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading

provider of hotel management services. The Company's award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers 89 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.

Program Contact:

Bella Silverberg
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
+1 (973) 753-7168
[email protected]

Media Contact:

Scott Carman
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
+1 (973) 753-6590
[email protected]

SOURCE Wyndham Hotels & Resorts