Choice Hotels International Hotel Petaluma — Photo by Choice

ROCKVILLE, Md. --The Ascend Hotel Collection, the world's first and largest soft brand, reached a milestone by surpassing 200 properties open globally, with more than 50 in the pipeline. The upscale brand, franchised by Choice Hotels International Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest hotel companies, finished 2017 with one of its best growth years opening 56 hotels internationally.

Found in popular destinations around the world, new Ascend Hotel Collection properties opened in key markets across the United States in 2017, including Brooklyn, Charleston, Maui, Miami, and San Francisco.

"Travelers today are savvier and crave authentic experiences more than ever, resulting in a high demand for a soft brand in the upscale space and leading to the tremendous expansion for the Ascend brand. Our 250 properties open or under development worldwide further cements our position as the soft brand leader," said Janis Cannon, senior vice president, upscale brands, Choice Hotels."

There were seven U.S. openings in December 2017, totaling 48 domestic properties added to the Collection for the year, including:

"A reason for our continued success and growth is that hoteliers are drawn to the unmatched value proposition of the Ascend brand. The brand provides the best of both worlds by letting franchisees keep their independence while having the support of a global hotel company, including industry-leading technology, robust distribution channels and an award-winning loyalty program, Choice Privileges," said Mark Shalala, vice president, development, upscale brands, Choice Hotels. "We look forward to greater expansion in 2018 and providing both guests and owners with a product they love."

For more information on Ascend hotel development opportunities, please visit https://choicehotelsdevelopment.com/ascendcollection/ to learn more.

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.