The hotel franchisor used its 70th annual convention to outline technology, loyalty and owner-support priorities across a system serving franchisees and guests worldwide.
Choice Hotels International, Inc., which uses the public-facing name Choice Hotels, used its 70th Annual Convention to present a package of technology and artificial-intelligence-driven tools aimed at helping franchise owners increase revenue, streamline operations and prepare for changing travel bookings. The three-day event, held during the week before the company’s May 12, 2026 announcement, also highlighted ongoing growth, strategic investment and innovation. The emphasis placed operational technology alongside the guest-facing loyalty proposition, showing how the franchisor is linking owner economics with the booking experience.
The convention comes as Choice Hotels continues to operate across a broad portfolio of lodging categories, including full-service upper-upscale, midscale, extended-stay and economy properties. The company said its system includes more than 7,500 hotels, representing over 650,000 rooms in 51 countries and territories, with 22 brands. Its Choice Privileges programme and co-branded credit-card options form part of that wider system, giving the company a mechanism for connecting hotel stays with repeat engagement.
Choice Hotels said the enhanced Choice Privileges experience had more than 75 million members and was driving more repeat stays. The programme’s updated proposition allows members to earn rewards more frequently, reach Elite status faster and receive additional benefits during stays. A related Choice Hotels announcement described a new Titanium tier, bonus points after members’ second and third qualifying stays each year, and points sharing planned for later in 2026, while also stating that Elite members would receive stronger protection against losing status all at once.
For franchise owners, the convention’s message extended beyond software features. Choice Hotels said it would continue focusing on property quality, owner-support resources and a development engine intended to help owners grow in what it described as an increasingly favourable operating environment. President and CEO Patrick Pacious framed the approach around creating more revenue opportunities, reducing operating friction and combining the company’s scale, loyalty programme and technology with hands-on support.
The company also used the event to recognise owners and hotels, giving its Premier Legacy Award to Azim Saju and ARK Hospitality and its Premier Developer Award to Ash Sangani and Giri Hotels. Best of Choice awards recognised hotels across the company’s US and international portfolio, from Cambria Hotel Traverse City in Michigan to Radisson RED Campinas in Brazil. Taken together, the announcements position the convention as a statement of priorities: technology for owners, more frequent loyalty engagement for guests and continued attention to the operating standards supporting both.
