Wyndham Grows Soft-Branded Trademark Collection, Adds Value for Independent Hoteliers

World's largest hotel franchisor taps into powerful conversion engine, welcomes independent hoteliers to benefit from support and power of scale behind the brand

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Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Jun 08, 2020, 08:32 ET

PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts - the world's largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,300 hotels across 90 countries - is expanding its soft-branded Trademark Collection by Wyndham®, the fastest-growing brand in the Company's portfolio, with new hotels across the U.S., Canada and Germany.

Cantilever Hotel, a Trademark Collection by Wyndham hotel in Ranier, Minn., is one of the newest hotels to join the Wyndham portfolio.

The brand's latest openings include Cantilever Hotel, a Trademark Collection by Wyndham hotel in Ranier, Minn.; The Eureka Inn, a Trademark Collection by Wyndham hotel in Eureka, Calif.; Lakeview Signature, a Trademark Collection by Wyndham hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; and H+ and H4 Trademark Collection hotels in Leipzig, Germany. The Bridgewater Hotel, a Trademark Collection by Wyndham hotel in Fairbanks, Alaska is scheduled to open next month.

"Trademark Collection continues to grow rapidly with independently minded owners around the world," said Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. "That growth is not only a testament to Trademark's value as one of the most compelling soft branded options out there for independent hoteliers, but also the value of Wyndham, which brings recognition, distribution and loyalty in a time when travelers are looking to names and brands they trust for their future vacations."

Trademark Collection's global pipeline comprises more than 8,400 rooms. The brand recently celebrated the start of construction on a new Trademark Collection by Wyndham hotel in Leavenworth, Kan., which will be a creative re-adaptation of a former parochial school and is expected to open in the third quarter of 2020.

Backed by Wyndham
Trademark Collection by Wyndham is the Company's fastest-growing brand, and experienced a 19% growth in rooms year-over-year as of December 31, 2019. The growth comes at a time when soft brands have strong appeal for independent owners seeking the support of a branded partner as the travel industry prepares for recovery of domestic, leisure travel. With Trademark Collection, hoteliers gain access to Wyndham's 83 million Wyndham Rewards loyalty members and the company's global distribution network without having to sacrifice their properties' own unique branding and identities. As a leader in economy and midscale lodging, Wyndham is uniquely positioned to champion hoteliers in these segments, helping them compete in an ever-changing distribution environment with brand-backed support.

With over 15,000 independent economy and midscale hotels in the U.S., converting independent hotels to Wyndham brands remains an important source of consistent rooms. Wyndham has a proven track record of growing net rooms during lodging cycle downturns, fueled by the strong value proposition across its portfolio of well-known brands. In the first quarter, Wyndham's conversion pipeline increased 8% globally year-over-year.

Owner-First Approach
The success of its owner base is critical to Wyndham's business, and the Company is taking an owner-first approach to endurance and recovery in the wake of COVID-19 crisis. Wyndham is assisting owners by suspending certain fees, providing payment relief and deferring property improvement plans for nonessential brand standards in an effort to reduce operating costs in the near term while the industry recovers. The Company also took efforts to secure government assistance for franchisees, partnering with industry organizations to advocate on their behalf while guiding them through available relief, like the CARES act.

To support its franchisees as travel picks up again, Wyndham previously announced a long-term, multi-faceted initiative in the U.S. to build confidence among guests. The initiative, dubbed "Count on Us^SM" will immediately focus on further elevating health and safety protocols at Wyndham hotels in the wake of COVID-19, shoring up critical supply chains and introducing new standards, training and guidelines grounded in guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Wyndham has also expanded its relationship with industry leader Ecolab on requiring consistent use of Ecolab's EPA-approved disinfectants in guestrooms and public spaces nationwide.

For information on developing a Trademark Collection hotel, please visit development.wyndhamhotels.com.

About Trademark Collection by Wyndham
Each of Trademark Collection by Wyndham's upper-midscale-and-above hotels around the world – from landmark hotels in Germany and Switzerland to its flagship hotel, The Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Ky. – boast three common attributes: character, charm, and individuality. Launched in 2017, Trademark Collection is the first soft-brand geared to three- and four-star hotel owners passionate about upholding their hotels' independent spirit and designed for everyday travelers seeking distinctive, attainable accommodations in sought-after destinations. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com/trademark.

About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world's largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with 9,300 hotels across approximately 90 countries on six continents. Through its network of over 828,000 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 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The 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 83 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.

SOURCE Wyndham Hotels & Resorts