Choice To Create Upscale Hotel Collection

Choice Hotels International today announced the launch of a program to create a collection of independent upscale properties that will have access to its reservation and distribution system as well as its rewards network.

The hotel company, which operates largely in the midprice and economy tiers, now is targeting upscale boutique or historic properties in North America and the Caribbean to become a part of its Ascend Collection. Hotels that affiliate with the collection will keep their own names and identities but will get marketing support from Choice and will join its reservations and distribution system, which now handles more than 5,600 hotels worldwide. Hotels also will participate in the Choice Privileges rewards program.

The collection is a shift from Choice's Clarion Collection, which also focused on branding of member hotels. North American and Caribbean properties in that collection will be moved to the Ascend Collection by Oct. 31.

"We've been very successful with the Clarion Collection program, delivering nearly 40 percent of the system's domestic room revenues in 2007," Stacy Ragland, vice president of operations for the Ascend Collection, said in a statement. "By sharpening our focus with more targeted support for these upscale properties, we anticipate strengthening owners' return on investment and reservation contribution."

Choice also intends to conduct outreach regarding the Ascend Collection targeted to its third-party intermediary accounts, including corporate and government travel accounts.