Best Western To Label Properties By Tier

Best Western International this week announced that its owners have approved a new product descriptor program, under which the chain will subdivide its North American properties within the midprice tier.

Beginning next year, Best Western will begin to brand its hotels in three categories: Best Western Premier, Best Western Plus and Best Western. Premier hotels will be those similar to upper-level select-service properties, Plus notes those in the middle of the tier, and the plain Best Western name will remain on those in the bottom of the midprice tier, according to the company.

"The descriptor program will turn the diversity of our portfolio into the strength that it should be, and as part of our long-term strategy, it will ensure an increase in consumer confidence, in loyalty and will drive superior revenue to our hotels," Best Western president and CEO David Kong said in a statement.

Best Western said it based the program on data collected by its sales clients, a survey of 2,400 travelers and 80 town hall meetings with its owners. It complements other recent image-boosting initiatives, including an overhaul of the chain's reward program, new design prototypes and removing more than 500 hotels from its system, according to Kong.