Wyndham Hotel Group, which operates almost 8,000 properties across the world, has unveiled plans for an ambitious “global transformation” of its brands.
Following an 18-month study into the needs of the world’s business and leisure travellers, Wyndham has devised a new strategy that will revamp its 16 economy, midscale and upscale brands. The project, which will start being rolled out this summer, includes upgrades to its hotel interiors, new marketing campaigns and “enhanced perks” for its guests.
“We believe travel is about creating lasting memories, but given what’s currently available in the market, travellers are forced to compromise enriching experiences because of price,” said Josh Lesnick, Wyndham’s chief marketing officer. “It’s time for the hospitality industry to get democratisation right. It’s not just about value for money; it’s about the freedom to explore your world the way you want. Wyndham Hotel Group’s transformation enables that freedom.”
A key part of the strategy has seen the company create new “meaningful identities” for each of its brands, in an effort to target the needs of different kinds of traveller. For example, the Microtel Inn and Suites brand’s new strapline is ‘Brilliantly Efficient’, while the urban Tryp brand is ‘Powered by the City’. Wyndham Garden promises that guests will ‘Travel at Ease’, and the upscale Wyndham brand offers ‘Comfort Perfected’.
These new brand identities will be backed up by practical measures, such as redesigned hotel interiors and “distinctive touches” that differentiate each brand, from their websites to in-room amenities.
“Not all economy and midscale hotels are alike, just like no two travellers are alike,” said Lesnick. “We’ve taken our 16 brands and redefined them to stand for something that matters to the kinds of guests we welcome so there’s something for every kind of traveller, regardless of their budget.”
And the company is also aiming to improve the overall quality of its hotel portfolio. “Saying goodbye to the sub-par,” the company has developed new LEED-certifiable hotel prototypes for its Days Inn and Super 8 brands. And Wyndham will also upgrade its technology with the launch of a new cloud-based property management system with automated revenue management capabilities.
With nearly 8,000 hotels worldwide, Wyndham is one of the largest hotel groups in the world, so this new global transformation is likely to be one of the industry’s biggest-ever branding exercises. But the group’s CEO, Geoff Ballotti, said it will allow Wyndham to reposition itself at a crucial time.
“We’re transforming at a time when the US$7.2 trillion global travel and tourism industry is growing faster than the global economy, fuelled largely by millennials and an increasingly travel-curious middle class,” said Ballotti. “With Wyndham Hotel Group’s unmatched scale and the breadth of our portfolio, no one is better positioned to meet this demand and champion the everyday traveller.”
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