ROCKVILLE, Md. - Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest lodging franchisors, has been named a 2020 BEST Award winner by the Association for Talent Development (ATD). Recognized for its enterprise-wide development programs for both associates and the company's active 60,000 property-level users worldwide, Choice is the only U.S.-based hotel company among this year's honorees and will receive the award during ATD's International Conference & Exposition on May 18, 2020, in Denver.

"At Choice, the learning and development programs we provide to our teams and franchisees are critical to the overall success of our organization, adding value to our company's culture and operations," said Timothy Tobin, vice president, franchise onboarding and learning, Choice Hotels. "Our training tools, including our award-winning Choice University, allow us to offer learning opportunities at every level of the enterprise, serving our associates and franchisees and their staff. Not only are we able to customize our curriculum for each user based on their responsibilities and the brand or division they work in, but our programs are also available across multiple platforms, making learning accessible, efficient and easy."

— Source: Choice— Source: Choice
— Source: Choice

The ATD BEST Awards recognize organizations for outstanding employee talent development practices that affect enterprise-wide success. Key Choice learning and development programs acknowledged by this award include:

  • Choice University, which offers engaging, relevant content customized to each user based on job function and brand.
  • Learning programs that are intended to help drive franchisee revenue growth, such as revenue management, sales and profitability.
  • Customer service training that franchisees can use to train their front-line hotel staff, and that third-party contact center partner sites can leverage.
  • Owner/operator-focused learning, including Choice's Openings Portal, a sophisticated project management tool that allows hotel owners to track every step toward the successful opening of a hotel.
  • Choice University TV, with shorter, on-demand, rapid-production video content.
  • Leadership training programs for Choice associates as well as franchisees.
  • Coaching for Performance and Growth model for associates, which guide annual development progress and objectives.

A cornerstone of Choice's learning and development resources center around its award-winning Choice University platform, a premier property-level training resource for hotel owners. Leveraging a wide range of engaging, short-form content designed to deliver a positive impact across all areas of the business, Choice University was recognized in 2019 by ELearning! Magazine's "Learning! 50 Elite" winners, for excellence in collaboration, learning innovation and business performance.

In addition to Choice University, Choice is also one of the few hotel companies to still provide locally based, one-on-one support teams that visit hotels on-site and virtually, working closely with owners to help align their revenue strategies and operational efforts to help maximize profits.

To be eligible for a 2020 BEST Award, organizations submitted extensive quantitative and qualitative information to ATD about their talent development practices and programs. Applications were assessed in a rigorous blind review by members of the BEST Awards advisory committee comprised of experts in learning and talent development.

About ATD

The Association for Talent Development (ATD) is the world's largest professional membership organization supporting those who develop the knowledge and skills of employees, improve performance, and help to achieve results for the organizations they serve. Originally established in 1943, the association was previously known as the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD). ATD's members come from more than 120 countries and work in public and private organizations in every industry sector. ATD supports talent development professionals who gather locally in volunteer-led U.S. chapters and international member networks and with international strategic partners. For more information, visit TD.org.

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.

Pearl Amaechi
+1 301 592 6122
Choice