PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyndham Hotel
Group (WHG), the world's most diverse and largest hotel company
based on number of hotels, today unveiled its vision for the
democratization of travel, bringing the hospitality industry one
step closer to providing great value and quality experiences at
every price point. WHG's roadmap for the strategic transformation
of its iconic brands is aimed at elevating the travel experience
for millennials and the diverse global middle class.
The product of an 18-month study focused on 50 recognized hotel
brands along with the primary decision drivers of thousands of
business and leisure travelers around the world, WHG's global
transformation will reposition and revitalize its 16 economy,
midscale and upscale brands to meet the needs of travelers
regardless of their budget or traveling style. From rejuvenated
interiors and refreshed marketing campaigns to enhanced perks
targeted to the kinds of travelers each brand welcomes, guests will
begin to see changes throughout WHG as early as summer 2016. (For a
complete overview of the transformations underway, click here).
"We believe travel is about creating lasting memories, but
given what's currently available in the market, travelers are
forced to compromise enriching experiences because of price,"
said Josh Lesnick, WHG's chief
marketing officer. "It's time for the hospitality industry to
get democratization right – it's not just about value for money,
it's about the freedom to explore your world the way you want.
Wyndham Hotel Group's transformation enables that freedom."
Driving the democratization of travel
WHG's
transformation is unlocking the untapped opportunity to serve the
everyday traveler, whose needs and preferences are often more
nuanced than the existing 'economy' options available to them.
Travel and tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries
globally, with its contributions to the global GDP expected to rise
from $7.2 trillion to $11 trillion
over the next decade as the global middle class more than doubles
from 2 billion to 4.9 billion. With its powerhouse portfolio of
nearly 8,000 hotels worldwide in the economy, midscale and upscale
segments, WHG is well-poised to meet these demographic tailwinds
and lead the hospitality industry in empowering guests to have
great experiences at a great value.
"We're transforming at a time when the $7.2 trillion global travel and tourism industry
is growing faster than the global economy, fueled largely by
millennials and an increasingly travel-curious middle
class," said WHG chief executive officer Geoff Ballotti. "With Wyndham Hotel
Group's unmatched scale and the breadth of our portfolio, no one is
better positioned to meet this demand and champion the everyday
traveler."
To uncover what matters most to the everyday traveler, WHG
partnered with Siegel+Gale, a highly recognized brand strategy and
experience firm, to understand guests' preferences and priorities
and design brand experiences tailored to elevate midscale and
economy hotel stays by delivering both the wonders of travel and
great value. The research yielded key insights into traveler
expectations that informed WHG's transformation, including a more
nuanced "one size does not fit all" approach to economy hospitality
and an emphasis on a great experience over status. These insights
created the foundation for new brand promises for owners and guests
built on differentiated values and guiding principles to drive more
memorable experiences for travelers.
"We're unlocking the potential of our iconic brands,"
said Ballotti. "It's time."
Unleashing the power of 16 brands
Building on the
momentum of its revamped loyalty program, Wyndham Rewards, WHG
clearly defined each brand creating meaningful identities to meet
the needs of every kind of traveler, bringing to life a brand
personality as unique as that of its guests: from re-energizing
American classics such as Super 8 (new brand promise: 'An
American Road Original') to enriching guest expectations at
Travelodge (new brand promise: 'Your Basecamp for
Adventure') to award-winning Microtel Inn & Suites by
Wyndham (new brand promise: 'Brilliantly Efficient'). Guests
can look forward to changes that capture these brand experiences,
from redesigned interiors to distinctive touches that differentiate
each welcome, from websites to the moment they enter their rooms.
(For a preview of the refreshed brand identities, click here.)
"Not all economy and midscale hotels are alike, just like no
two travelers are alike," said Lesnick. "We've taken our 16
brands and redefined them to stand for something that matters to
the kinds of guests we welcome so there's something for every kind
of traveler, regardless of their budget. To Wyndham Hotel Group,
hotel rooms aren't just boxes, they're the gateway to lasting
memories."
WHG is also investing in:
- Upgrading backend technology: WHG is the first hotel
company of its scale to roll-out a secure, cloud-based property
management system with automated revenue management capabilities to
the majority of its portfolio. More than 300 hotels are converting
to this best-in-class system each month; hotels that have adopted
it have seen an increase in RevPAR.
- Saying goodbye to the subpar and ushering in the new:
WHG has never been more focused on improving the quality of its
portfolio, having increased the number of substandard quality
properties removed over the past two years while adding more than
650 new-construction hotels to its pipeline, including hotels under
its LEED-certifiable Days Inn and Super 8 prototypes along with its
award-winning Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham and Wingate by
Wyndham brands.
- New perks and partnerships: WHG's award-winning loyalty
program, Wyndham Rewards, has seen 5MM new members since the roll
out of the industry's only simplified, single-tier redemption, and
has just added an "elite" program for the masses that offers
discounts on local experiences for no additional points at its top
destinations around the world. WHG is also stepping up partnerships
with apps, services and even chefs to upgrade guest experience and
increase satisfaction without compromising price or quality, such
as cold brew parlors at select Wyndham
Grand properties, or discounted admission to
participating Six Flags theme parks.
Added Ballotti: "This transformation is just the beginning of
our journey to not only solidify our position as one of the most
formidable players in hospitality, but to champion the everyday
traveler and the experiences they deserve."
About Wyndham Hotel Group
Wyndham Hotel Group is the
world's largest hotel company based on number of hotels and is one
of three hospitality business units of Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE:
WYN). As both a leading hotel brand franchisor and hotel management
services provider, the company's global portfolio consists of
nearly 8,000 properties and approximately 679,100 rooms in 73
countries under the following brands: Dolce Hotels and Resorts®,
Wyndham Grand®, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®, Wyndham Garden®
Hotels, TRYP by Wyndham®, Wingate by Wyndham®, Hawthorn Suites by
Wyndham®, Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham®, Ramada®, Ramada
Encore®, Baymont Inn & Suites®, Days Inn®, Super 8®, Howard
Johnson®, Travelodge® and Knights Inn®. Wyndham Rewards, the
company's guest loyalty program, offers more than 45 million
members the opportunity to earn and redeem points at thousands of
hotels across the world. For more information, visit
www.wyndhamworldwide.com.
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SOURCE Wyndham Hotel Group