Choice Hotels International has seen a considerable amount of system growth, with the addition of 128 newly opened franchised properties during the fourth quarter of 2012.

Further, the company has executed a total of 214 new domestic contracts within the fourth quarter of 2012, a 67 per cent increase over the same period of the prior year.

Some 46 of these new additions, which previously operated as Jameson Inns, opened in mid-December under the Quality Inn, Comfort Inn and Econo Lodge flags across the southeast and mid-west regions of the United States.

These openings represented the largest single conversion transaction in the company’s history, excluding the acquisition of an entire brand.

The fourth quarter openings included hotels in 33 US states and 11 countries, adding nearly 10,000 guestrooms to the company’s existing 495,000 rooms.

Choice Hotels welcomed these additional properties under a spectrum of flags - Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Clarion, Quality, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and Ascend Hotel Collection.

Year-to-date, the company has opened a total of 308 hotels.

“The fourth quarter hotel openings and development agreements reflect the tremendous appeal of the Choice Hotels array of brands,” said David Pepper, senior vice president of global development for Choice Hotels International.

“We expect to continue that momentum through 2013 with further expansion, particularly in the upscale segment with more highly desirable destinations for Ascend Hotel Collection and the ongoing development of Cambria Suites in key urban markets.”