Last week, the Otelier team joined thousands of hoteliers, franchisees, and partners in Las Vegas for the 69th Annual Choice Hotels Convention – an energizing event built around the theme Powering the Future. We came away thankful for the opportunity to participate in so many conversations about innovation, efficiency, and growth across your properties.
From main stage announcements to one-on-one conversations at our booth, one thing was clear: Choice is doubling down on empowering owners with the tools, data, and programs needed to thrive in a fast-changing environment. Below are our top takeaways from the event – and how Otelier is helping franchisees take action.
Leadership emphasized Choice's expanding presence in the upscale segment. Following its acquisition of Radisson Hotel Group Americas, Choice’s upscale portfolio now represents over 110,000 rooms, or nearly 20% of the total system. The Ascend Collection alone has surpassed 400 global properties, reflecting increasing owner and guest demand for distinctive, experience-driven hotels.
“We're the ones to watch in upscale,” said David Pepper, Chief Development Officer, according to coverage in Hotel Management. “It’s a real opportunity for us to grow in the upscale space.”
Choice followed up the convention this week with a strong Q1 earnings report, including a 44% increase in net income and continued RevPAR outperformance across its midscale, economy, and extended-stay segments.
“With our more diversified avenues of growth, a more resilient customer profile, and a meaningfully strengthened brand portfolio… we have established an even stronger foundation for near-term stability and long-term growth,” Pacious noted in the report.
The energy at the Otelier booth matched the tone of the event – forward-looking, fast-paced, and focused on helping hoteliers run more efficient, profitable operations. We discussed with Choice franchisees how Otelier’s OpsSuite helps automate some of the most time-consuming, manual processes across hotel operations, including: