Best Western International Each Best Western branded hotel is independently owned and operated. Best Western and the Best Western marks are service marks or registered service marks of Best Western International, Inc. 2013 Best Western International, Inc. All rights reserved. 500.2000.12 : 2/13 : 2500 bestwesterndevelopers.com 800.847.2429 MAKE AN ENTRANCE
CONTENTS Best Western has a long history of taking good care of our MEMBERS, and our guests. We provide a full spectrum of services and support to make your investment with Best Western a highly profitable and personally rewarding experience. There s a bright future ahead when you join Best Western, and we look forward to sharing it with you. Who We Are Three Descriptors............................ 5 Best Western Premier........................ 8 Best Western Plus......................... 9 Best Western............................ 12 build your future Owners Focused Renewal/Fee Structure......................... 13 Marketing & Sales Advertising............................... 16 ecommerce.............................. 16 Customized Digital Marketing Program...................16 Best Western Rewards......................... 17 Worldwide Sales............................ 17 Trade Shows & Events..........................20 Field Marketing............................. 20 Best Western Travel Card....................... 20 Design & Purchasing Design................................. 21 Supply................................. 21 Prototypical Designs...........................24 Operational Support Education & Training.......................... 25 Quality Assurance............................28 Regional Services Managers....................... 28 Revenue Management Services..................... 28 Sustainability Initiatives..........................28 4
WHO WE ARE Best Western International, The World s Largest Hotel Chain with more than 4,000 independently owned and operated member hotels in over 100 countries and territories worldwide.* Founded in 1946, our legendary brand proudly hosts some 400,000 worldwide guests each night. A true pioneer in the hospitality industry, Best Western has long been recognized for our unique business model that gives every member a powerful voice in the company. Today, we re just as well known for our diverse hotel portfolio that now includes three distinctive products that reflect our brand s heritage while solidly positioning us for the future: BEST WESTERN PREMIER, BEST WESTERN PLUS and our traditional BEST WESTERN hotels. Best Western s expanded portfolio enhances our iconic brand image while driving superior revenue to our members hotels through increased customer satisfaction across all the most lucrative business and leisure travel segments. WE PROUDLY HOST SOME 400,000 worldwide GUESTS EACH NIGHT positioned FOR SUCCESS *These numbers are approximate and can fluctuate. 5
Best Western Premier Stylish design, robust amenities and personalized service are the hallmarks of a BEST WESTERN PREMIER hotel built for the upscale market. Every BEST WESTERN PREMIER is thoughtfully designed to meet the elevated expectations of affluent travelers who want to indulge in the ultimate Best Western branded lifestyle hotel experience. Brand Annual Fee Comparison as a Percent of Total 300 Room Revenue* Best Western Premier 4.3% Hyatt Place 9.7% Courtyard By Marriott 9.9% Hotel Indigo 12.2% Hilton Garden Inn 12.9% Sheraton Four Points 14.4% *2013 HVS International Hotel Franchise Fees Analysis Guide (Ten-Year Cost) INDULGE IN THE ULTIMATE LIFESTYLE HOTEL EXPERIENCE. Setting a higher standard - strategically positions you to attract savvy business and leisure travelers who want a higher level of services and amenities. 8
Best Western Plus Our upper mid-scale BEST WESTER PLUS offers guests many meaningful extras. From stylish well-appointed rooms to modern amenities, every BEST WESTERN PLUS is designed to meet the needs of both business and leisure travelers willing to spend a little more on an enhanced stay with an established brand they trust. Brand Annual Fee Comparison as a Percent of Total 200 Room Revenue* Best Western Plus 5.4% Fairfield Inn & Suites 8.9% La Quinta Inn & Suites 10.2% Holiday Inn 11.6% Comfort Inn & Suites 11.9% Hampton Inn & Suites 12.2% Holiday Inn Express 12.6% *2013 HVS International Hotel Franchise Fees Analysis Guide (Ten-Year Cost) OFFER YOUR GUESTS MANY MEANINGFUL EXTRAS Leverage the universal appeal of the most recognized name in the lodging industry and capture a more affluent segment of the travel market. 9
Best Western The established leader in the mid-scale market for well over six decades. BEST WESTERN hotels have welcomed generations of leisure and business travelers to a comfortable stay at an exceptional value. One of the most recognized brand names in the world, there are more than 2,900 BEST WESTERN hotels operating around the globe. Brand Annual Fee Comparison as a Percent of Total 100 Room Revenue* Best Western 8.2% Red Roof Inn 10.6% Quality Inn & Suites 10.9% Ramada Inn 11.5% Super 8 12.5% Days Inn 13.4% *2013 HVS International Hotel Franchise Fees Analysis Guide (Ten-Year Cost) Developing a Best Western hotel today remains an unparalleled investment opportunity with the proven ability to consistently generate superior revenue. 12
Renewal Fee / Structure OWNERS FOCUSED Best Western member-owners enjoy the best of both worlds: You can maintain your independence while locking-in all the advantages of the world s largest lodging affiliation that includes: A powerful global brand backed by powerful, full-service support A fee structure that lets owners keep more of their revenue The most competitive fees among leading brands A voice in day-to-day initiatives and future direction of the company Worldwide reservations/online booking channels Global, national and regional marketing services The mass buying and bargaining power of thousands of hoteliers In these uncertain times, Best Western offers members stability and consistency, rarities in today s world of aggressive takeovers and buyouts. Best Western has never been bought out, and thanks to our structure, we never will be. Offering that safety to our investors is important to us. A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES. Best Western International is based on a simple concept: hotel owners united to promote their properties and increase profitability. 13
MARKETING & SALES Best Western members gain a real competitive advantage through a cohesive marketing effort that maximizes revenue and capitalizes on opportunities in the ever-growing corporate and well-established leisure markets. Advertising redefining what s possible. The best in class Advertising and Creative Services department develops industry leading national advertising campaigns designed to increase consumer brand awareness, take market share and drive revenue. The membership is powered by a comprehensive marketing program that captures the attention of consumers throughout the entire purchase process driving high levels of awareness. In fact, Best Western continually ranks highest year-over-year in consumer brand awareness within the category. Best Western ranks at the top of the industry in terms of the amount of exposure gained through paid media advertising channels including national television, digital display media, online video, radio, print, and search marketing initiatives. From national promotions to on-site marketing, all efforts focus on growing the power of a global brand while delivering more and more bookings to members. ecommerce Best Western maximizes members exposure and drives revenue to our hotels through our highly interactive bestwestern.com website that puts member hotels at the fingertips of millions of customers worldwide. Our high-tech online architecture provides customers with blazing-fast query and reservation bookings online and produces on average an ADR of $112. Special site features include a trip planner, hotel packages, virtual property tours, exclusive online promotions, search engine optimization, a travel blog, and much more. Through streamlined online bookings, our multilingual global call center, numerous travel aggregator websites including Travelocity, and our own Best Western To Go, iphone and Android smartphone app, Best Western books millions of dollars in revenue every day for our member hotels. Customized Digital Marketing Program Through our new digital marketing initiative, Best Western provides each member with a tech-savvy online specialist that can help guide each property through the ever-changing digital landscape to develop a more robust presence online and generate additional consumer touchpoints through multiple online channels. 16
MARKETING & SALES Best Western Rewards Best Western Rewards customer loyalty program is the fastest growing in the industry with sales topping $1 billion annually and contributing nearly 35 percent in revenue to Best Western hotels worldwide. Well over 16 million loyal guests drive higher ADRs and provide cost-effective marketing opportunities that efficiently deliver incremental and repeat business to every Best Western property with a phenomenal 20 percent growth rate in revenues year-over-year. Worldwide Sales Behind every Best Western brand hotel is a powerful business engine that continually leverages the power of our massive global infrastructure to maximize revenue delivery, capitalize on new opportunities, and increase the earnings potential of our members. Best Western builds value for members through more than two dozen strategically positioned sales offices around the globe that serve the world s key business decision makers, with a special emphasis on the U.S., Europe and Asia markets. Since the introduction of our enhanced product portfolio, Best Western s appeal to business travelers has grown dramatically. Business-related stays now represent 54 percent of all Best Western bookings, while leisure travel accounts for 46 percent of all overnight guests. The Best Western Business Travel Sales focuses on corporate customers who require large volumes of room nights, aggressively targeting the Fortune 500, 1000 and Canadian Post 200 to secure corporate bookings. Best Western Group Sales proactively solicits volume customers who book small to medium sized groups. Best Western Leisure Sales maximizes bookings through tour operators, receptive operators and affinity groups. Best Western Government Sales promotes properties by offering per diem rates for government business travel. Travel Industry Relations creates partnerships with the top travel agencies in North America to continually promote Best Western. Sales Performance Support offers personalized consultations with member hotels to energize their marketing and sales efforts on a local level. Best Western offers on-site, hands-on sales training programs to help members drive revenue to their properties. Our Marketing and Sales team works for you with robust ecommerce initiatives, proactive media outreach, key partnerships and loyalty programs, and much more to deliver a powerful competitive advantage. 17
MARKETING & SALES exceptional global visibility & partnerships Trade Shows & Events Best Western is a major presence at trade shows around the world and has built an extensive network of travel agency relationships and partnerships with the world s largest corporate management companies. Best Western members enjoy exceptional visibility through such signature events as: Best Western Business Travel Forum (U.S. and Canada) Global Business Travel Association (U.S. and Canada) Best Western Travel Exchange Best Western World s Biggest Thank You Field Marketing (Regional Co-ops) Best Western members participate in regional Co-ops member-driven groups of individual hotels that work together, pooling efforts and funds to extend each owner s marketing dollars. Best Western Travel Card The Best Western Travel Card is a gift card that drives new business to the brand and incremental room nights to Best Western properties delivering more than $19 million in revenue to properties each year. Our extensive partner network includes a co-branded MasterCard, 17 airline partners, AAA/CAA, Best Western Racing, Harley-Davidson, Disney Channel, and many more high visibility partnerships. 20
Design DESIGN & PURCHASING Best Western offers members a comprehensive approach to hotel design that maximizes value and minimizes time to market through our convenient custom design services and pre-packaged options. Enjoy the expertise of our full-service, in-house Best Western Design for a low fee Choose from time-saving and cost-reducing pre-packaged guestroom and public area designs to accommodate a wide range of budgets, tastes, property types and locations Field-based Regional Design Consultants assure adherence to Best Western s guidelines and guests expectations Supply Best Western Supply is a member service based on the principle that we don t sell to members, we buy for our members. Our staff of 60+ Supply specialists acts as the purchasing department for each member hotel, leveraging the purchasing power of more 2,100 hotels in North America to negotiate the best prices on the widest range of hotel products. Unbeatable pricing from over 500 suppliers Supply team consultants at your service Renovation and new construction support including: - Contract Furnishings Group for FF&E; décor items - General Products Group for operating supplies and equipment - Sales Service Group to expedite orders, track freight and handle problems invest in innovation. With Best Western s cost-efficient design services, our members can focus their attention on other important business matters while we take care of all the design details. 21
DESIGN & PURCHASING Prototypical Designs Individuality is the foundation of Best Western s unique membership culture. We encourage members to bring a one-of-kind personality to every new build or renovation that best reflects each owner s locale, market, investment goals and individual tastes. Extended-Stay Prototype Our Upscale PREMIER designs are fresh and modern with plenty of open, inviting public spaces and contemporary amenities that appeal to a sophisticated upscale market and cater to corporate travelers. Our Upper Midscale PLUS property is a three- or four-story design featuring a number of interior and exterior options that give developers a choice of customization options and scaleable key counts. Our new Extended-Stay Prototype designed for a PLUS-level hotel but adaptable to a PREMIER hotel, gives new-build developers the opportunity to create a full or partial extended-stay property in locations where there is sufficient market demand. Best Western Extended-Stay Prototype Best Western owners now have the option of easily adding highly-profitable extended-stay guestrooms to their new-build room mix in markets where there is a growing demand for longer term lodging. Our Extended-Stay Prototype gives developers the flexibility to designate between 50 to 100 percent of a hotel s total rooms as higher ADR extended-stay units. Each beautifullydesigned room includes more space, clearly defined areas for relaxing, working and sleeping, and a kitchenette. fresh & modern with plenty of open spaces Best Western offers refreshing options for developers interested in building a new Best Western property, or for owners looking for flexible, cost-efficient and forward-thinking renovations. 24
OPERATIONAL SUPPORT Education & Training Our Education and Training Team and Tools for Success Program are powerful resources that provide members with the latest information, tools and expert training to keep pace with the ever-changing hospitality industry. Beyond the global reach of the Best Western brand and our comprehensive marketing and sales services, our members can count on: Comprehensive Voting member orientation program. General Manager professional development series. Instructor-led workshops on a wide range of topics including hotel operations, sales, marketing and Best Western ICare, the brand s customer care program and cultural initiative. Many of these programs are recognized through the University of Phoenix for college credit toward undergraduate degree programs. Regional programs for staff members that include seminars on sales, customer service, technology, operations and all levels of management. Best Western s Online Learning Center that provides exclusive access to valuable information and complimentary continuing education opportunities. Certification programs through the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association are provided regionally and at Best Western s annual convention. Best Western provides the best training and business intelligence to help owners, managers and staff make better business decisions. the BEST WESTERN i care difference 25
OPERATIONAL SUPPORT Quality Assurance Our Quality Assurance program helps protect every member s investment while maintaining product excellence across the globe. Our evaluation teams annually review every member hotel to assure each meets the standards that guests expect, and that define our legendary brand. Regional Service Managers Best Western provides an expert consultative field team to help personally guide prospective applicants and new members through a wide variety of training, operations, and quality assurance initiatives. Regional Service Managers provide consulting services and valuable staff training, and also conduct regular quality assurance visits. New member Development Managers are our members primary liaison during the Onboarding process, and offer continued support through each hotel s successful grand opening. District Managers are each member s Best Western advocate and consultant. Revenue Management Services legendary performance build your future Revenue Management is the science of offering the right price to the right customer at the right time through the right channel. Our Revenue Management Services consists of three teams: Revenue Management Trainers offer invaluable guidance for new hotels and new hotel owners to develop competitive pricing strategies. Revenue Managers are available for phone consultations to answer all revenue-related questions. Property Revenue Managers provide annual, fee-based, full-service revenue management assistance to contracting hotels. Sustainability Initiatives Best Western provides our members with the resources, education and tools needed to develop green initiatives that can help individual hotels conserve resources, save money, reduce pollution and boost the property s bottom line. Many business and leisure travelers prefer to do business with a hotel that has successfully implemented cost-saving green initiatives that reduce their impact on the environment. Every Best Western member receives dedicated support to help build your business and grow your revenue. 28