Choice Hotels International opens its 70th annual convention | News
Choice Hotels International, Inc, one of the world’s largest lodging franchisors, today opened its 70th annual convention, bringing together thousands of franchise owners, operators, vendors and industry peers for three days around the theme of “Making More Possible” for its owners and operators, helping them tap into new demand, improve performance and build long-term success.
Featuring sessions and experiences on AI-powered technology, revenue optimization and operational simplification, the convention underscores Choice Hotels’ continued mission to deliver value to franchisees by deploying intelligent, data-driven tools that streamline hotel operations, reduce friction and drive better performance at the hotel level. The company also invests in the tools, programs and experiences that build guest trust, personalize stays, drive loyalty and keep travelers coming back.
“This week is about one thing: making more possible together,” said Patrick Pacious, President and Chief Executive Officer. “At Choice Hotels, we work relentlessly to do three things for owners: help drive more revenue, deepen our personal connection and support for owners and operators, and leverage AI-powered innovation to help owners run their businesses more easily and efficiently – now and in the future. At the same time, we are focused on improving the guest experience – strengthening loyalty through Choice Privileges and using smarter technology and personalization to make every stay easier, more rewarding and more memorable. With interest rates stabilizing, the As demand trends continue to improve, the limited supply of hotel rooms and a strong events calendar in the US, it is an increasingly favorable time to operate a hotel and invest in the future.”
A redesigned revenue engine built to drive demand
A redesigned revenue engine takes center stage at the convention, designed to help franchise owners leverage higher demand and grow revenue results in key segments. The revenue engine is anchored by the revamped Choice Privileges loyalty program and enhanced by new commercial tools, including Choice Hotels EasyBid, an AI-powered Request For Proposal (RFP) platform designed to help owners respond faster and win more group business. Choice Hotels Business Direct is a soon-to-launch self-service solution for small and medium-sized businesses to book and manage stays directly on ChoiceHotels.com. Together with RAISE, a new AI-powered Rate Management Tool launching later this year, these capabilities work together to help owners price more effectively, act on opportunities faster, and unlock incremental revenue with greater efficiency.
Throughout the convention, franchisees can explore these AI-powered offerings through special learning sessions and an interactive AI Zone with live demonstrations designed to demonstrate how this technology simplifies operations, reduces costs and supports better performance at the hotel level.
Driving demand and delivering value for owners through guest loyalty
Choice Hotels continues to invest in strengthening demand and attracting more high-value customers to franchise owners’ hotels by deepening guest trust in its brands and converting more travelers into loyal, repeat visitors. As guests increasingly focus on getting more value for their money, Choice Hotels meets these expectations through trusted brands, consistent experiences and meaningful rewards. Central to this effort is the continued evolution of Choice Privileges, which now has more than 75 million members worldwide. Designed with the guest in mind, the program offers greater flexibility, value and personalization while encouraging repeat stays and better hotel performance. These efforts are supported by targeted marketing capabilities that enable more personalized messaging and offers, reaching the right guests at the right time and sustainably driving demand.
“In every segment, guests tell us the same thing: value matters,” said Dom Dragisich, Chief Growth and Strategy Officer. “They want more bang for their buck: the right amenities, the right location and a brand they trust to deliver a reliable experience. That ability to consistently deliver value – at any price – plays directly to the strength of the Choice Hotels portfolio.”
AI innovation designed to simplify hotel operations
As the travel landscape continues to evolve, Choice Hotels is investing in AI-powered innovations aimed at simplifying the way owners run their businesses. Conference programming highlights improvements designed to streamline workflows, reduce operational friction, and save time for owners and on-site teams. These tools aim to make day-to-day operations more efficient, allowing owners to focus more on delivering strong guest experiences while taking advantage of smarter, easier-to-use systems behind the scenes.
Global momentum across extended stay, luxury, core and international markets
Across extended stay, luxury and core brands, Choice Hotels entered 2026 with performance trends that reinforce strong development momentum across the portfolio.
Extended stay remains a key growth driver, building on its strongest year ever in 2025, with momentum continuing into the first quarter of 2026. The segment opened 66 U.S. extended-stay hotels last year and closed 93 franchise agreements last year. With U.S. extended-stay contracts up 15% year over year and 30,600 rooms in the pipeline by year-end, the company is well-positioned to further expand its footprint and meet continued demand from guests seeking value-driven extended-stay options.
In the luxury segment, the company opened 27 U.S. hotels in 2025 under the Ascend Collection, Cambria Hotels and Radisson brands, supported by early 2026 performance that underlines the strength of the company’s luxury and upper portfolio, including solid occupancy rates and continued rate resilience in the first quarter.
Across its core brands, Choice Hotels has awarded 247 U.S. franchise agreements by 2025, reflecting continued demand and leadership in the mid-market and economy segments, including strong momentum for Country Inn & Suites and Quality Inn. That strength is reinforced by global mid-market franchise deals growing 14% year over year – including a 50% increase in US deals for Country Inn & Suites – in addition to first quarter demand trends that reflect the continued relevance of well-positioned mid-market brands and the economy amid changing travel patterns.
Internationally, Choice Hotels continues to build momentum in key markets, supported by strong development activity, improved performance and increased operational control. In the first quarter of 2026, international net rooms grew 13% year over year, reinforcing the company’s growing global footprint. This momentum builds on record international development in 2025, when the company onboarded 130 new international hotels and expanded its portfolio to nearly 160,000 rooms outside the United States.
Canada continues to stand out as a key growth market, following Choice Hotels’ transition to a direct franchise model. In the first quarter of 2026, the Canadian company delivered its strongest first quarter growth in more than a decade, including RevPAR growth of 5.2% year-over-year on a currency-neutral basis, revenue growth of more than 20% and a 55% increase in the number of rooms in the pipeline, reflecting strong franchisee demand and improving hotel performance.
For more information about Choice Hotels and its family of brands, visit ChoiceHotels.com.
