Today Stephen P. Joyce , President and CEO of Choice Hotels International, Inc., (NYSE: CHH), gave an insightful keynote speech at this year's MIPIM conference inCannes, France, the world's leading property market conference that brings together all the key players in the real estate business – investors, developers, end-users, architects, hotel groups, public authorities and property associations.

In the keynote speech, Joyce highlighted how these days, maintaining competitive success in the hotel business has become increasingly complex. Hotel teams have to continually scan the environment, recognizing changes in the economy, markets and society, and then accurately forecast how those changes will impact the industry and its guests.

Addressing the global audience, Joyce spoke on the importance of technology in today's society and hospitality industry. "I've been in the hotel industry for 30 years…..and lately, I've come to understand I'm not just in the hotel business, I'm in the technology business. And that's pretty exciting," said Joyce. He also went on to say, "Success in the hotel business requires knowing your customers. It demands a ubiquitous Internet and mobile presence, easy electronic booking, robust loyalty programs and a focus on meeting the increasingly universal demand for value."

While the economic impact has affected all markets and industries, Joyce noted the travel industry has been extremely effective in contributing billions to countries' gross domestic product. Development in real estate and hotels has slowly started to gain momentum again, with hotel franchising attracting new players and individuals who want to own something for themselves.

Joyce stated that the key market Choice is focused on isEurope, noting thatEuropeis a market that is ready to be branded, is full of opportunities to support independent hotels, and is where Choice Hotels is aggressively focusing its international expansion.

"For Choice Hotels, we see a big opportunity inEurope, with the fragmented European hotel landscape consolidating," Joyce said, "European hotels have historically been unbranded. That trend is changing. Competing in e-commerce, social media, loyalty rewards, and broader distribution to drive traffic to your hotel is expensive and labor intensive. Affiliating with a brand company allows operators to focus on the day-to-day challenges of running a hotel while capitalizing on the many benefits afforded by a recognizable brand and robust distribution platform."

About Choice Hotels®

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. The challenger in the upscale segment and a leader in midscale and extended stay, Choice® has over 7,500 hotels, representing more than 630,000 rooms, in 46 countries and territories. A diverse portfolio of 22 brands that range from full-service upper upscale properties to midscale, extended stay and economy enables Choice® to meet travelers' needs in more places and for more occasions while driving more value for franchise owners and shareholders. The award-winning Choice Privileges® rewards program and co-brand credit card options provide members with a fast and easy way to earn reward nights and personalized perks. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com.

Forward-Looking Statements This communication includes "forward-looking statements" about future events, including anticipated development and hotel openings. Such statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including construction delays, availability and cost of financing and the other "Risk Factors" described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, any of which could cause actual results to be materially different from our expectations.