Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH), the second largest hotel franchise company in the world, recently opened a new regional office in Singapore. The new office oversees development, franchise services and sales and marketing for Choice`s international brands—Comfort, Quality, Clarion and Sleep Inn—throughout Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Heading the office is Bruce McKenzie, vice president, Asia-Pacific region. McKenzie reports to Bruno Geny, senior vice president, International, who is based at the company`s Silver Spring, Maryland headquarters.

“This new location gives Choice Hotels the immediate resources needed to efficiently expand our services throughout the Asia-Pacific market,” McKenzie noted.

With the integration of Flag Hotels in Australia and other future development plans, McKenzie expects Choice Hotels` Asia-Pacific portfolio to grow from 71 to more than 300 properties by the year 2000.  “Hotel franchising is a concept I believe has great potential in the Asia-Pacific,” he said.

The Singapore office will be the main point of contact for hotel development and franchise services while the sales and marketing activities will continue to operate out of the company`s Sydney office headed by Edwina Korallus, vice president of sales and marketing, Asia-Pacific. The Asia-Pacific development office in Newport Beach, California was closed as a result of the new office in Singapore.

Choice franchises almost 5,000 hotels, inns, all-suite hotels and resorts open and under development in 36 countries, marketed under the brand names Comfort, Quality, Clarion, Sleep Inn, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and MainStay Suites. For more information about Choice visit our web site at www.choicehotels.com.

Comfort, Quality, Clarion, Sleep Inn, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and Mainstay Suites are registered trademarks and service marks of Choice Hotels International.

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