Choice Hotels Europe, the company behind the Comfort, Quality and Clarion brands in Europe and part of Choice Hotels International, Inc., one of the largest hotel companies with 6,200 hotels worldwide, today announced the appointment of Sofia McFarlane as Corporate Account Manager, UK Global Sales.

Sofia will be responsible for managing the Choice Hotels Europe portfolio of UK corporate clients and developing Choice Hotels Europe’s corporate business.  She will report to Brian Garvan, Choice Hotels Europe’s Director of UK Sales, and work with him to maintain and strengthen relationships with the UK travel management community.

Starting in mid-May, Sofia joins from the Strand Palace Hotel in London, where she held the position of Corporate Sales Manager.  She has also held a number of sales roles for Marriott International, Guoman Thistle Hotels and the Kensington Close Hotel. 

This is the second UK sales appointment for Choice Hotels Europe in the last few months, following Hope Johnston’s arrival as UK Account Executive, responsible for developing and growing the traditional FIT and Groups leisure segment.

Brian Garvan, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Sofia who brings a wealth of commercial hotel industry experience and will work to further strengthen our relationships with the corporate buyers of travel.”

Matthew Gardiner has also just joined the company as Marketing Executive. Reporting to Bernice Chan, UK Marketing Manager, he will be responsible for implementing digital marketing communications activities to support Choice Hotels goal to grow the number of Choice-branded hotels in the UK and Europe, as well as providing marketing and brand management services to the existing hotel portfolio.

Matthew previously worked for travel recruitment company HARP wallen and was named one of TTG’s Top 25 Travel Industry tweeters in 2012.
Since the start of 2013 Choice Hotels Europe has added five properties to its UK hotel portfolio, Quality Hotel Bury St. Edmunds, Quality Hotel Peterborough, Clarion Collection Hotel Cromwell Stevenage, Quality Hotel Kings Lynn and the Quality Hotel Colchester.  These form part of the strategic agreement with Akkeron Hotels Group Limited, the well-known regional hotel operator, that will initially result in nine Akkeron hotels operating under Choice Hotels franchise agreements in the UK.