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Best Western Unveils New Global Standards; Sixteen Amenities and Services 
Now Policy Worldwide

LOS ANGELES - Jan. 16, 2001 - Best Western International, the world�s largest hotel chain with nearly 4,100 properties in 83 countries, today kicked off its 55th anniversary celebration with what is believed to be the hotel industry�s largest launch ever of quality and brand enhancement initiatives.
 

�In a world where success is measured by vision, innovation and commitment, Best Western is truly the hotel brand on the move,� said Jim Evans, president and CEO, Best Western International. �Over the past few years, Best Western has quietly been reinventing itself. As one of the oldest and most recognized brands in the hotel industry, our North American members and international affiliates felt that our 55th anniversary was the ideal occasion to reintroduce our revitalized brand, and announce our impressive list of major new initiatives.�

�While each initiative is important and impressive individually, as a group, they are arguably the largest product quality undertaking of its kind in the hotel industry. 

Because of our size and multi-national reach, this undertaking�the largest ever by a single hotel brand�will enhance the quality of the hotel industry worldwide.�

Best Western today reported on these important brand initiatives around the world at more than 10 press conferences on three continents and tomorrow will take its message along with its thanks for using the brand to some 5,500 travel agencies and key accounts around the world. Best Western owners, affiliates and employees will make these personal visits in Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Luxembourg, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. 
 
 

Jim Evans 
President and CEO

James P. Evans was named to the senior staff in October 1998, the seventh to hold that position since Best Western was founded in 1946. 

Prior to Best Western, he served in a series of increasingly responsible positions in the hospitality industry, ranging from property level marketing, sales and management positions to senior corporate staff positions. Most recently, he served as senior vice president of Operations for the Promus Hotel Corporation, Memphis, Tenn., and as executive vice president of Operations for Double Tree Hotel Corporation.

From 1975 to 1996, he was with the Hyatt organization, rising from director of Sales and Marketing at the Hyatt Regency in Cambridge, Mass., to senior vice president of Sales and Marketing for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. He also spent three years with the Sheraton Corporation as director of sales at their properties in Kansas City, Mo., and Northbrook, Ill. 

A native of Mattoon, Ill., Evans is active in a number of professional organizations, including the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), and the Professional Convention Management Association. He has served on the boards of both organizations and, in 1996, was named chairman of the ASAE Foundation, the first non-association executive to hold that position.

Honors include General Manager of the Year and Sales Director of the Year while with Hyatt. In 1991, Business Travel News tapped him as one of the 25 Most Influential Executives in the Travel Industry.  Evans holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Ill. 

New �Best Requests� Global Standards

�Best Western guests look to our properties for uniqueness and variety. Member hotels are not �cookie cutter� units typical of many hotel chains. Our hotels reflect the charm and appeal of their local markets,� Evans noted.

New research revealed that Best Western - as the world�s largest hotel chain - had a unique opportunity to improve guest perception and usage. In a groundbreaking Best Western research study, some 1,400 travel agents and customers selected what basic items are most important to hotel guests. Interestingly, survey results were remarkably similar on the three continents where research was conducted.  �Because this is what our guests asked for, we are pleased to introduce our new �Best Requests� global amenities and services. We�re making them policy worldwide. A set of �Best Requests� amenities and services (16 in North America and 14 internationally) will be fully implemented in North America by October 1, 2001 and January 1, 2002 internationally,� said Evans. 
 

The �Best Requests� include:
1) Continental or hot breakfast available on-site ��Because of the diversity of our properties and differing customs, our members agreed that breakfast should be available at every property, whether it is full- or limited-service. Because of differing customs and laws in 83 countries, it was impractical to offer free or discounted breakfast globally, however many properties chose to offer a free or discounted breakfast, � Miller said.

2) Dataport connection in all guest rooms ��With more and more guests using portable computers, we�re providing easy connectivity on a global basis,� said Miller.

3) Free long distance access (International � not applicable due to differences in telecom services and tariffs) 

4) Free local calls under 30 minutes (International � not applicable due to differences in telecom services and tariffs) ��Few things irritate a guest more than the often prohibitive cost of a local telephone call,� said Evans. �This �Best Request� solves that problem.� 

5) Coffee/tea maker in all guest rooms with complimentary coffee/tea and condiments (International � in room or on request) ��One global trend the human race seems to share is the need for something hot with caffeine in the morning,� noted Evans. �We estimate that our guests will make more than four million gallons of coffee or tea a year.�

6) Iron and board in all guest rooms (International � in room or on request).  �Everyone, from CEOs to road warriors, wants to look their best on the road,� said Evans. 

7) Hair dryer in all guest rooms ��This �Best Request� is especially important for international travelers,� said Miller. �With the various international standards of voltage, not to mention the added weight and space taken up in your suitcase, the ability to leave your hair dryer at home knowing you�ll find one at your Best Western is a great benefit.�

8) 50 percent minimum of rooms designated non-smoking (International � 20 percent) ��Overwhelming consumer demand mandated this �Best Request�,� said Miller. �At many of our properties the percentage will be much higher.�

9) Complimentary toiletries available upon request � razors, shaving cream, sewing kits, toothpaste etc. ��There is nothing worse than discovering you forgot to pack your toothpaste,� said Evans. �Our guests now will be able to request, free-of-charge, such items as sewing kits, razors, shaving cream and other personal care items.�

10) Guest room TVs to offer at least one English language channel with international news ��As we become more globally oriented, our guests want access to information that impacts not only the local country but the whole world,� Evans pointed out. �The most universal language in the 83 countries in which we currently operate is English.�

11) Bottled or canned water available on-site, 24-hours-a-day. �Packaged water has become one of the world�s most popular beverages,� Miller said. �Best Western will have bottled or canned water available at every property.�

12) Photocopy facilities available on-site during normal business hours��Approximately 50 percent of our guests travel for business reasons, and we want to provide them with the tools and services that will make them the most productive,� Evans said. �Many of our hotels offer full business centers and other services as well.�

13) King size beds available in a minimum of 10 percent of rooms (International � Queen size bed). �Guests want the same comforts that they have at home, and we intend to provide them,� Miller said. �Like many of our other �Best Requests�, this is a minimum standard, with the vast majority of our hotels, especially in North America, offering a much higher percentage of king-size mattresses.�

14) Clock in all guest rooms ��While generally thought of as a common item, this standard guarantees that every one of our 300,000 hotel rooms has this important item,� said Evans. �Consistency and quality go hand-in-hand, and we are focusing on both.�

15) Music provided in all guest rooms (e.g. clock radio) ��Music helps relax weary travelers,� commented Miller. �Our goal is make our guests as comfortable as possible from the moment their stay begins.�

16) Shampoo requirement upgraded to bottle (no packets) ��Best Western will offer bottled shampoos in all guest rooms,� said Evans.

�The Best Western brand has unparalleled global distribution. While many of our properties already have many or most of these features, establishing truly global product standards enhance product consistency and increase guests� confidence about what to expect at every one of Best Western�s 4,100 global properties,� Evans added.

Development Advances - 400 new hotels worldwide in 2001

�Best Western has stepped up its efforts to add quality properties on a global basis,� said Evans. �We seek to add a careful blend of new properties and converted existing properties to our brand. We expect to add, or sign agreements with affiliates for, more than 400 new member properties in 2001, a record for the brand. In addition to enhancing our quality assurance process around the world, we are placing more emphasis on new construction to help keep our product fresh.�
 

North America will lead new development activity, with the planned addition of more than 165 properties, compared to 149 U.S. properties added in 2000. Leading target markets will be New York, N.Y.; Chicago, Ill.; Atlanta, Ga.; Dallas, Texas; Washington, DC; Orlando and Miami, Fla.; Phoenix, Ariz. and Las Vegas, Nev. Activity also is expected to be significant in California, South Carolina and Indiana.  

Best Western will target areas where the brand is under-represented and can add properties to raise visibility and awareness. Markets include a mix of urban, airport, resort and roadside properties.  International development will account for approximately two-thirds of the expected expansion. The brand will open its first hotel in Hong Kong this year, one of nine new countries or territories expected to fly the Best Western flag by year-end. The Best Western Rosedale on the Park-Hotel and Suites will feature 274 rooms and suites and also will be Hong Kong�s first Cyber Boutique hotel. The hotel will offer 

Virtual Hotel Prototype

To support the new construction initiative, Best Western recently introduced a virtual hotel prototype program to help hotel developers conceptualize design plans and quickly bring new Best Western properties to market. The proprietary, computer-based program allows Best Western�s development team to
demonstrate several �point-and-click� design options and then take prospective developers on a 360-degree virtual tour based on client specifications. Elements include hotel interior and exterior designs which can be adapted to meet geographical preferences, lot-size and individual preferences.

�Our strength as a brand is that our hotels are not �cookie-cutter� designs, where every property looks alike. Each hotel is unique and reflects its national and local market tastes,� said Binkele. �The introduction of global standards to our hotels in 2001 will increase our guests� confidence about what to consistently expect from each of our hotels. �Best Requests� are 16 (14 internationally) amenities and services ranging from continental breakfast available in every hotel to irons and hair dryers to telecommunication and copy services.� 

45 suites, concierge floors and state-of-the-art technology, including broadband Internet access, DECT (digital enhanced cordless telephones) and WebPhone (Internet touch-screen telephones).  

Approximately 140 new Best Western hotels are planned to open in Europe in 2001. France is expected to be the leader with more than 20 properties, followed by Great Britain and Italy. Greece, Turkey, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Norway and Spain are each expected to add between five and 10 new member properties. The brand will enter Croatia and Liechtenstein for the first time in 2001.

Nearly 40 new properties are expected in Mexico, Central and South America. Brazil and Mexico each are expected to add between five and 10 properties. Further South American development will also occur in Bolivia, Paraguay, Belize, Ecuador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.  Activity is expected to be robust in the Far East. More than 20 hotels are expected to open as Best Western properties, led by the People�s Republic of China and South Korea. Four new countries will join the Best Western membership, including South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and the Maldives.  Australia will continue its growth with the addition of more than 10 hotels, which will bring the total in that country/continent to more than 250 properties. Nearby New Zealand is expected to add at least 10 new properties in 2001.

South Asia continues expansion with India leading the way. Sri Lanka is expected to have its first Best Western in operation by year-end.

Further Harnessing e-commerce

In addition to trip planning/mapping tools and an on-line customer feedback section added earlier this year, Best Western today launches two new enhancements to its popular consumer Web site. These include an updated Gold Crown Club International (GCCI) Web site and a new electronic newsroom.  Bestwestern.com is already one of the hotel industry�s most successful with approximately 10 percent of all reservations booked on-line.

GCCI, the chain�s frequent traveler club, is one of the few truly global hotel frequency programs. Club members worldwide can earn points toward exciting awards at more than 4,100 Best Westerns throughout North America, Europe, Central and South America, New Zealand and Australia. Guests worldwide can now browse complete club details including how to earn and redeem points for numerous awards. Best of all, consumers can now sign up and receive their unique membership number on-line. In addition, GCCI members can obtain their current account balance and have the ability to view club award and benefit descriptions.

Best Western�s electronic newsroom debuts today and features the latest news from the global brand, fact sheets, executive bios, news on corporate programs, speeches and an image library.

Best Western at 55

Evans noted that Best Western hoteliers now are more unified in terms of branding and quality initiatives than ever before in the chain�s 55-year history. �Best Western is different from any other hotel brand because we are a membership association, rather than a franchise organization,� he said. �We have member entrepreneurs leading the company and talented management teams in place around the world to strategize and focus Best Western�s efforts. It�s a powerful combination, as evidenced by our stable and strengthening brand,� Evans said.

Best Western is the world�s largest hotel chain with nearly 4,100 hotels in 83 countries and territories. It is a membership association of independently owned and operated hotels that provides marketing, reservations and operational support to its member hotels. 

##
Best Western International
David Trumble
602/957-5753
[email protected]
http://www.bestwestern.com
.
Also See Best Western Names James P. Evans New President/CEO / Oct 1998 




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