PHOENIX — BWH Hotels hosted its annual convention last week in Charlotte, N.C. With Accelerate as this year’s theme, nearly 3,000 attendees, including BWH Hotels’ hoteliers, operators and partners from around the world, came together to celebrate one another’s accomplishments and set the groundwork for a successful year ahead and beyond.
“We chose Accelerate as our theme because it perfectly encapsulates the energy and momentum of BWH Hotels. Our company is a powerful, global network of hotels for every type of traveller. This year, we reached $8.5 billion in international hotel revenue and signed nearly 300 new properties, including our first-ever beautiful glamping resort, the Zion Wildflower Resort at Zion National Park,” said Larry Cuculic, president and CEO of BWH Hotels. “Our hotel teams are the heart of our business, and we’re grateful our global community could come together to help shape the future and success of BWH Hotels.”
Key highlights from the conference include:
- Growing Internationally: With $8.5 billion in international hotel revenue, BWH Hotels is one of only two global hotel companies covering everything from economy to luxury. In 2024, BWH Hotels signed nearly 300 properties, reinforcing its position as the second-largest soft branding company in the world.
- Expanding Luxury: WorldHotels expanded its footprint in 2024 by adding several new properties, including, for the first time, three WorldHotels Residences.
- Glamping Industry: BWH Hotels announced its entry into the $12.4 billion glamping industry by adding Zion Wildflower Resort at Zion National Park to its portfolio.
- Boutique Space: With nearly 130 properties open and in the pipeline, Aiden continues its trajectory as one of the leading boutique brands. In 2024, the brand opened new properties across the globe, including its first-ever New York City hotel with Aiden Long Island City and new properties in Poland, Mexico and Guyana.
- Extended-Stay Segment: @HOME by Best Western currently has properties under construction in Miami, Atlanta and Orlando. The company currently has 20 states and territories in its pipeline.
- Marketing and Loyalty: The company announced plans to further define its “Next Best” guest and continue to enhance and grow its 60 million member-strong Best Western Rewards loyalty program. This includes a forward-looking approach to more seamlessly integrating WorldHotels Rewards and Best Western Rewards into one global powerhouse program.
- Enabling Success: The company announced a new DEX 3.0 Finance Program initiative funded by BWH Hotels which offers three custom financing packages to help hotels fund their FF&E directly through BWH Hotels Supply.
- Sales Revenue: The company experienced significant increases in both leisure and business room nights throughout 2024, helping it reach a milestone of $1 billion in sales revenue for the first time.
