Ballotti talks Wyndham’s recent growth

Wyndham Hotel Group President and CEO Geoff Ballotti said 2017 has been a year proving that portfolio size matters when it comes to competing in the hotel industry on a global scale.

“This industry is going to continue to consolidate,” Ballotti said in a video interview during a break at the recent Lodging Conference. “Size has never mattered more when it comes to what a larger system can provide to its franchisees in terms of distribution, of … lowering distribution costs, in terms of technology, in terms of driving more revenue and at the same time driving down costs.”

Ballotti cited three big acquisitions Wyndham Hotel Group made in the last 12 months:
•AHIP: This fall, Wyndham inked a deal with American Hotel Income Properties REIT to convert 44 of the real estate investment trust’s hotels, largely located in the Midwest U.S., to the Baymont Inn & Suites, Travelodge and Super 8 brands.
•AmericInn: In October, the company completed its acquisition of AmericInn and its management company, adding 200 AmericInn-branded hotels, which will stay branded as AmericInns. Ballotti called AmericInn “a brand we couldn’t be more proud or excited about for its consistency, its quality, its representation across the country.”
•Fën Hotels: In December 2016, the company acquired the Buenos Aires-based Fën Hotels, adding 26 management contracts in the Esplendor and Dazzler brands in six countries, mostly in Latin America. Ballotti called the deal important for “a part of the world where we see great growth potential.”

Ballotti called these moves “a continual momentum of great growth across the U.S. and the world.”

Watch the full interview below to hear more from Ballotti about how Wyndham is approaching 2018 and continuing to accelerate growth around the world, along with his take on larger industry trends.