Source: Red Roof

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Capitalizing on continued evolution in the consumer-facing technology space, Red Roof is paving the way for hoteliers to connect directly with consumers at home through Amazon's Alexa Skills platform. Setting the industry standard, a dynamic Red Roof skill for Amazon Alexa now gives travelers the power to ask Alexa Red Roof-specific questions to assist in making travel plans, all from the comfort of home. This new innovation allows Red Roof to provide key information to the more than 20 million Alexa users, answering questions to help drive decisions including, "Can I bring my dog?" and "How many locations do you have?" to "Tell me about Red Roof PLUS+®" and "Do you have any deals?"

"As consumers continue to rely more heavily on technology in their daily routines at home, we created the Red Roof skill for Amazon Alexa in the spirit of added convenience and ability to deliver important, decision-driving information directly to current and future guests," says Kevin Scholl, Director of Digital Marketing and Partnerships, Red Roof. "Our technology is living and we'll continue to add information to best support users based on consumer demand and aim to provide booking capabilities in the future."

According to recent research, 72 percent of users engage with Alexa as part of their daily routine and nearly half of them speak with their Alexa-enabled device, noting it feels like speaking with a friend. In line with how people love to hear recommendations from friends or third-party advocates, a majority of Alexa users reported that they are open to learning about brands from their devices1.

"Directly giving consumers information about Red Roof at home is the natural next step in our technological future as an innovative hotel brand," Marina MacDonald, Chief Marketing Officer, Red Roof. "Travel truly meets technology through the new Red Roof skill for Amazon Alexa, allowing us to provide key information to a captivated audience that is already integrating the benefits of Alexa into their everyday lives."

Users can enable the Red Roof skill for Amazon Alexa at no cost on all of their Alexa-enabled devices in the Skills hub of the Amazon Alexa app on their smartphones. Utilizing the power of Alexa Skills is just the latest in Red Roof's recent technological advancements. In 2017, the brand completely redesigned its website to create a sleek, accessible, mobile-first platform to allow travelers to seamlessly book on-the-go from their smartphones. Later this year, Red Roof will roll out an Artificial Intelligence Chatbot and Quickbook feature for the site to make it even easier for guests to quickly lock in a comfortable stay at a great price.

About Red Roof ®

Red Roof is an award-winning leader in the lodging industry, recognized for creating the innovative Upscale Economy® segment, serving millions of guests each year. Red Roof's portfolio of brands includes Red Roof Inn® and Red Roof PLUS+®, HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof®, The Red Collection®, and Red Roof's dual-branded properties. Red Roof has over 60,000 rooms in nearly 700 properties in the U.S. and internationally in Japan. For more information, visit redroof.com or download Red Roof's free app for iOS and Android devices. To learn about franchising opportunities, visit redrooffranchising.com.

Red Roof's Vision: To provide the best experience and value in the lodging industry for our guests, owners, team members, partners, and communities.

*Pet accommodations policy may vary at some locations. To verify a hotel's pet policy, please review hotel information online at redroof.com or by contacting the hotel directly.