Choice convention highlights upscale push

NORTH BETHESDA, Maryland – At Choice Hotels International’s 69th Annual Convention, President and CEO Pat Pacious focused on how the company’s growth has allowed it to attract a more resilient and higher income customer, including more business travelers who now represent 40% of all stays.

Its upscale and above brand portfolio grew rooms by 44% last year to more than 110,000 rooms with 4Q24 group business revenue jumping 45% year-over-year and transient business revenue in upper midscale rosing 20%.

Choice said loyalty membership has grown past 70 million with a revamped program that helped drive a 30% increase in redemptions and 13% growth in average length of stay.

Choice President and CEO addresses the 69th annual convention

The group witnessed a more than 6% year-over-year increase in converting lookers into direct bookers as a result of the website refresh, with upscale online booking conversion up more than 14% in the first quarter of 2025.

Other highlights:

• Area directors helped owners find over $25 million in potential operational cost savings last year, an average of $33,000 per participating property.
• A new food group purchasing program shows an average savings of 9% on food costs, based on market-basket comparisons since the program launched in July 2024 to March 2025.
• In extended-stay last year, Choice said its brands accounted for half of all economy and midscale extended-stay hotels open and under construction. Its midscale Everhome Suites brand is growing with 25 hotels projected to be open by the end of 2025. Choice added that its WoodSpring Suites brand continues to deliver gross operating profits above 55%.

Reimagined breakfast

Choice also announced a refresh of its complimentary breakfast program at Comfort and Country Inn & Suites by Radisson as part of its broader strategy to refine and differentiate its upper midscale brands.

The company is piloting new signature breakfast items, including a Comfort breakfast bowl and a Country Inn & Suites biscuit sandwich, at select properties. As part of this initiative, Choice has signed agreements with Florida's Natural and General Mills to offer guests orange juice and a selection of cereal brands.

The Comfort brand will launch a pilot of a Build Your Own Breakfast Bowl concept where guests can take their pick from a selection of ingredients that will include scrambled eggs, potatoes, peppers, onions, bacon bits, cheddar cheese and ‘Everything Bagel’ and ‘Nashville Hot’ seasonings.

Choice’s partnership with purchasing organization Entegra, which began in July 2024, showed an average 9% savings on food costs for participating hotels through March 2025 based on 'market basket' comparisons.