HOTELMARKETING.COM

More independent hotels team with chains to gain guests

November 16, 2009 | Hospitality Industry

As room vacancies rise, independent hotel owners are increasingly linking up with large hotel chains for a lifeline to more customers. In turn, frequent travelers seeking a reprieve from cookie-cutter hotel properties are finding more hip, boutique-style hotel options without sacrificing loyalty points.

Marriott International joined the trend this week when it announced it will market a collection of upscale, independent hotels under a new brand: The Autograph Collection. Member hotels, whose rooms will now be sold through Marriott.com and Marriott’s global reservation system, will get access to Marriott’s large customer base. Yet the hotels will retain their name and design and largely be operated independently.

Jeff Weinstein, editor-in-chief of trade publication Hotels, says Marriott’s move is driven by the gloomy state of the industry. Revenue per available room, the industry’s most-often-used gauge for performance, is down 18% for the first nine months of this year, according to Smith Travel Research.

“Marriott sees opportunity in struggling hotels,” Weinstein says. “They need the strength of Marriott. It’s a hot little way of growing its portfolio.”

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