Dorothy Dowling - Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales

Dorothy Dowling is senior vice president, marketing and sales for Best Western International. The 20-year hotel industry veteran directs all marketing and sales strategies, overseeing the brand’s loyalty program, consumer and field marketing activities, advertising, public relations and e-commerce.

Since joining THE WORLD'S BIGGEST HOTEL FAMILY® in 2004, Dowling has implemented a number of measures to increase market share and contemporize the iconic Best Western brand. She re-branded the company’s loyalty program to Best Western Rewards®, increased its membership by 9 million and more than doubled its revenue contribution percentage to hotels. Under Dowling’s leadership, Best Western has strengthened its strategic partnership with AAA / CAA. In 2011, Best Western won three out of five AAA / CAA Partner Awards for Best Marketing, Best Sales and its fourth consecutive overall Lodging Partner of the Year. In 2012, CAA named Best Western Partner of the Year for the second consecutive year.

Dowling has also overseen critical user experience improvements to the bestwestern.com booking channel, as well as the launch of its multiple mobile initiatives, including the iPhone application, Best Western to Go. Under her leadership, Best Western has become a leading hotel player in social media, with the award-winning blog, YouMustBeTrippin.com, and popular presences on YouTube (BestWesternTV), FaceBook (BestWestern) and Twitter (@TheBestWestern).

Dowling is a former chair of the HSMAI Americas Board of Directors, and currently serves on HSMAI’s Global Board of Directors, and is past president of HSMAI Canada. She has been honored with a number of industry awards, including the prestigious American Hotel Foundation Award for Best Practices in Guest Loyalty Programs. Twice she has been listed among HSMAI’s Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing. Dowling serves on the North American board for the U.S. Travel Association and is a member of the American Society of Travel Agents’ Allied Marketing Council.

Before joining Best Western, Dowling held executive-level positions with ARAMARK’s parks, resorts and conventions divisions. She began her hospitality career in Canada after earning a joint Masters of Arts degree in sociology and leisure studies from the University of Waterloo in Ontario. In 2008, Dorothy received that university’s Distinguished Alumni Award.