Choice Hotels teams with usbesthotels.com

April 28, 2004 |

US Best Hotels offers Choice Hotels a low-cost advertising rate and a commitment to drive Internet traffic to Choice Hotels' websites.

Choice Hotels International have entered into an agreement with US Best Hotels. With these agreements US Best Hotels offers their clients a low-cost fixed annual advertising rate and a commitment to drive Internet traffic to their clients’ hotel websites through an aggressive online advertising and hotel distribution strategy.

“Teaming up with Choice Hotels and Phoenix Suites to deliver an aggressive online and offline advertising campaign is a very effective way to help them reach the brand-agnostic customers in a hotel-friendly manner,” noted John Collins, US Best Hotels president and CEO. “We provide a user-friendly vehicle to find their properties, and give their customers both the security and cost-advantages of dealing directly with the hotel they choose, rather than through an intermediary.”

The popularity of the US Best Hotels model continues to grow because of the obvious advantages to both hoteliers and travelers. US Best Hotels has developed an affordable direct-to-consumer online distribution strategy. Hotels pay an annual fee per property for one year of unlimited advertising through its website. An affordable direct-to-consumer online distribution strategy ensures travelers the confidence of direct communication with the hotel, rather than indirectly through third party distributors who often charge premiums above hotel Internet rates. Consumers can search for hotels by destination, category or an advanced search near their favorite attraction. Travelers can then explore the actual hotel website with confidence, and book a reservation directly. Hoteliers no longer have to allocate blocks of rooms or even engage in third- party transactions, reducing dependence on online intermediaries, increasing direct Internet revenue and improving margins. This model avoids hotel price and brand erosion, and offers an aggressive strategy that promotes the long term economic health of subscriber properties.

“US Best Hotels will help our hotels to communicate directly and accurately to travelers about the qualities and value we offer,” said Paula Valentine, director, E Commerce for Choice Hotels International.

“As our sophistication in understanding the potential for on-line travel grows we are learning the pitfalls of overexposure on the intermediary channel at the expense of our own direct online distribution strategy,” noted Greg V. McManus, V.P. Operations, Phoenix Inn Suites. “We realize that direct online distribution cuts costs, preserves brand and price integrity, attracts affluent customers and lessens dependence on intermediaries. The US Best Hotels complements that effort and is a welcome partner to our marketing strategy.”