The Choice Hotels group now has nine properties in South Australia, a doubling of its footprint in the state in the last three years.
The ninth property, Comfort Inn Whyalla, joined the franchise network in September.
Last month Choice Hotels announced a partnership with the South Australian Tourism Commission and launched a new advertising campaign.
Choice Hotels Asia Pacific CEO Trent Fraser said “South Australia has done a great job of stimulating domestic travel over the past 12 months, with some of the strongest regional recovery figures in the group.”
Occupancy rates in Adelaide hotels rose 67 per cent on 2021 figures, he revealed in August, when talking about the return of corporate travel.
“Having Comfort Inn Whyalla join the group just adds to our stellar portfolio in the state,” Fraser said.
He said the influx of new franchisee signings over the last three years proves the value of the franchise model for mid-range properties.
Choice Hotels SA growth
“Many of the new hotels, including Comfort Inn Whyalla, are part of ownership groups that already have a number of properties with us and understand the great benefits we bring to their existing hotels,” he said.
“It’s a tough market out there right now and even with record rates and occupancies, hoteliers are desperate for the support and services that Choice Hotels offers our franchisees,” Fraser said.
The Whyalla hotel is the fifth franchisee agreement with M&G Hotel Group, joining Comfort Inn Regal Park, Comfort Inn Suites Manhattan, Quality Inn O’Connell, and the Comfort Inn Glenelg.
M&G Hotel Group CEO Greg Winston said it was an easy decision to bring the Whyalla hotel into the Choice Hotels family.
“For us, Choice Hotels is aligned with our core values, and that is to deliver consistent, honest, reliable, and personable experiences for all of our house guests across all properties,” he said.
“Over the last seven years we have progressed from one Choice Hotel to five. The Choice Hotels brands have delivered corporate segment status and assisted myself and my team to grow professionally, with access to the full toolbox of resources offered to franchisees.
Comfort Inn Whyalla joins the Comfort Inn & Suites Augusta Westside in Port Augusta and the Comfort Inn Flinders on Main in Port Pirie to provide accommodation options in the Spencer Gulf Iron Triangle.
Choice Hotels SA growth isn’t the only expansion news for the multi-brand group. It also welcomed Melbourne’s Canterbury International back to the network this October. The former Clarion-branded property returned to the franchise network after a four-year break operating as an independent hotel.
