Travel Q&A: Choice Hotels CEO Stephen Joyce
— -- Stephen Joyce joined Choice Hotels International in May 2008 as president and soon became CEO of the company best known for Comfort Inn, Clarion and other budget chains.
Joyce didn't have to move far to join his Silver Spring, Md.-based employer, having worked at Marriott for 25 years just a few miles away.
He spoke with USA TODAY recently to discuss his transition into the top job, the effects of the economic downturn and his desire to acquire more upscale brands.
•How is the economy affecting your business?
We have worked with franchisees to be relatively lean already. When you see some lodging companies shortening breakfast hours or something else to save money, we've done a great deal of that already.
We're not going to announce new programs, and will tread very softly on capital requirements during the year. We're going to be a lot more flexible about the timetable of some (amenities) that we've announced.
Our amenities package is pretty basic. There's no shoe mitt to take out. If something goes into the room, it'd better be something that's needed.
•Choice Hotels is known for budget brands. Are you marketing your hotels to capture the country's newfound sense of frugality?
Absolutely. We (have) a value-oriented set of brands and we're going to make sure we get that message out there. You haven't seen anyone in a congressional hearing stand up and yell about Comfort Inn. Now is our time.
Our (requests for proposal) were up 35% (last fall from a year ago) from customers who hadn't asked us to bid on their business before. Fortune 500 companies didn't look us up before.
•Choice Hotels' most recently launched brand is Cambria Suites, its most upscale brand yet. How's that going?
It was looking promising until the financial market totally collapsed on us. We have 13 opened now and (will have) 20 by the end of the year. The product is off the charts from the testing and consumer (response) standpoint.
We're doing ok, but we're not moving where we're hoping to. We have 70 to 75 hotels in the pipeline, and we were hoping for 150 by mid-year.
