Choice Hotels continues to increase
its presence in the Caribbean with eight hotels already open and three more under
development in the region. “The opening of the Clarion International hotel
in Curacao marks the continuation of a corporate initiative to expand the
presence of Choice branded hotels in the Caribbean,” said Ron Burgett,
national vice president of franchise sales and development. “Our focused
sales and development efforts have really paid off.”

Current Choice properties open in the Caribbean include: Quality Inn
Governors Harbour, Bahamas; Comfort Suites Paradise Island, Bahamas; Quality
Inn Nassau, Bahamas; Comfort Suites Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands;
Quality Hotel, Santo Domingo Dominican Republic; Clarion Hotel Santo
Domingo, Dominican Republic; Comfort Suites, Turks & Caicos Islands
Providenciales; and the Comfort Inn San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“I think hoteliers are realizing the benefits of partnering with one of the
world’s largest hotel franchise companies,” Burgett added. “All the
properties in the Caribbean region benefit from Choice’s high-producing
central reservations system, a regional marketing co-op that serves all
Choice Caribbean properties, operations training and quality assurance
management.”

“Choice Hotels’ marketing and development efforts in the Caribbean are now
coming to fruition,” said Patrick Thomas, director of Caribbean development.

“We’re now seeing multiple development interest in many of the islands.”
Part of Choice’s efforts to expand its presence in the Caribbean region
includes the creation of a minority incentive program, which offers
financial incentives to African-American, Hispanic/Latino and Native
American entrepreneurs who franchise a Choice branded hotel and hold a 51%
ownership stake in the franchise.

“Increasing the number of Hispanic/Latino hotel owners in our system is a
key corporate initiative,” said Raul Fuentes, manager, emerging markets and
customer segmentation.

“The incentive helps potential minority franchisees
take advantage of a powerful opportunity to build a business that can become
a solid foundation for future growth and success”.

Representatives from Choice Hotels will be on hand at the Caribbean Hotel
Associations’ Marketplace event to answer questions and discuss development
opportunities in the region.  The event will take place January 15 - 17 in
San Juan Puerto Rico.
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