Best Western Corporate Fact Sheet |
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Best Western International Inc. is THE WORLD'S LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN®, with 4,200* independently owned and operated hotels. Based in Phoenix, Ariz., Best Western employs 1,076 people and offers more than 316,095 quality guest rooms located in 80* countries and territories throughout the world.
HISTORY OF HOSPITALITY EXCELLENCE
Best Western was founded in 1946 by M.K. Guertin, a California-based hotelier with 23 years of experience in the lodging industry. Best Western International began as an informal referral system among member hotels. By 1963, Best Western was the largest chain in the industry, with 699 member hotels and 35,201 rooms. In 1964, when Canadian hotel owners joined the system, Best Western took the first step toward global expansion. Best Western entered Mexico, Australia and New Zealand in 1976, further establishing its international presence.
AFFILIATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
At the end of the 2006 fiscal year, Best Western had 2,395 hotels in North America.
Best Western has 19 international affiliate offices and property-direct relationships with another six regions. Recently, Best Western welcomed the new countries and territories of Malaysia and Suriname. Best Western International provides reservation and brand identity services for all of its 4,200 hotels worldwide.
RESERVATIONS MADE EASY
Best Western has multilingual, consolidated reservation and operation centers in Phoenix, Arizona; Milan, Italy and Manila, Philippines.
ONLINE PRESENCE
Best Western also handles reservations through its website at www.bestwestern.com®. Special site features include a complete hotel guide, trip planner and a section for travel planners. As of the 2006 summer travel season, consumers booking at www.bestwestern.com were able to view five distinct virtual tours for every Best Western hotel in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. Each property features a 360-degree display of the hotel’s exterior, a standard guest room, and a deluxe room/suite, in addition to two other areas representative of the property, such as a pool, meeting room or restaurant.
On average, bestwestern.com has been booking $1 million in revenue per day for the hotel chain since January 2005.
CORPORATE PARTNERS
Best Western has a strong focus on marketing the brand. Some of the company’s key marketing partners are NASCAR and driver Michael Waltrip, American Automobile Association/Canadian Automobile Association (AAA/CAA), AARP and MasterCard.
Airline partnerships are also critical to the brand’s success. Best Western partners with a number of major airlines around the world including: Air Canada, Alaska, Alitalia, America West Airlines, Asiana Airlines, American, China Southern, Continental, Delta Air Lines, Lan Chile, Northwest Airlines, SAS, TAM, and Thai Airways.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR THE BEST WESTERN GUEST
All Best Westerns around the globe provide a guaranteed standard of 17 (14 internationally) of the most frequently requested guest amenities and services. They include: free high-speed Internet access, continental or hot breakfast, free local phone calls (up to 30 minutes) and long distance access, data port connections in all guest rooms, iron and ironing boards, hair dryers, coffee/tea makers in all rooms, 50 percent designated non-smoking rooms (20 percent international), complimentary toiletries available upon request (razors, toothpaste, shaving cream, sewing kits), bottled or canned water available on-site, photo copies available on-site during business hours, king-sized beds in a minimum of 10 percent of rooms (queen-size bed international), clock in all guest rooms, in-room music, upgraded shampoo size and at least one English speaking TV channel at international locations.
All Best Western hotels in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean offer free high-speed Internet access to guests. This was implemented in 2004.
Gold Crown Club International
Gold Crown Club is Best Western’s frequency program. Launched in 1988, it is one of the industry’s few truly international travel clubs. Members across the globe can earn points towards an extensive array of product and service awards -- including Global Free Room Nights with no blackout dates; dining, shopping, and entertainment gift certificates; as well as airline miles -- at Best Western hotels throughout North, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. To more clearly define the value of its loyalty program, Best Western introduced a new point earning/redemption structure in January 2006, comparable to current industry practices. Gold Crown Club members now earn 10 points per US dollar (or equivalent in other currencies) spent on qualified room rates. Other features soon to be launched include greater bonus point offerings for platinum and diamond elite customers, as well as a "no point expiration rule" for North American Gold Crown Club members. For more information about GCCI or to enroll in the program, visit www.goldcrownclub.com or call (800) 237-8483.
Speed RewardsSM
An extension of GCCI, Speed Rewards is a customized loyalty program designed specifically for race fans. As members, individuals can earn valuable points which are redeemable for NASCAR-licensed merchandise such as jackets and caps -- and race-related items such as Proscan headsets and Richard Petty Driving Experience gift certificates. Members can also earn free room nights anywhere in the world, as well as dining and shopping certificates, and are eligible for special sweepstakes and promotional offerings. With the introduction of a new point structure in January 2006, Speed Rewards members also now earn 10 points per US dollar (or equivalent in other currencies) spent on qualified room rates. For more information about Speed Rewards or to enroll in the program, visit www.bestwesternracing.com or call (888)-BWRACE1 (888-297-2231).
Best Western Travel Card®
Best Western is the first mid-scale hotel company in the world to offer a prepaid Travel Card. Used by guests to pay for both accommodations and related incidentals, such as room service and phone charges, the Card is accepted at 4,200 Best Western hotels worldwide. It is available for purchase in U.S. dollars, Canadian dollars, and Euros, as well as a variety of other currencies, and is offered in any denomination between $25 and $1,000 U.S./Euro (or equivalent in other currencies). In November 2005, the Best Western Travel Card was introduced at Walgreens Drug Stores across the U.S. It is also available through corporate incentive programs, at Best Western member hotels, online at www.travelcard.bestwestern.com or by calling Best Western Travel Card Customer Service at 1-877-CARD-2TVL (227-3288) in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Best Western Premier®
The Best Western Premier designation identifies a select group of European and Asian properties that offer a higher level of amenities, services and unique features. To qualify for the Best Western Premier designation, hotels must apply and are subject to a special design and quality review. Best Western Premier hotels provide 27 or more amenities and services than the already required product standards currently available at Best Western properties worldwide. Best Western Premier standards include such things as concierge service, recreational facilities, bar/lounge or in-room mini bar, complimentary newspapers and full-service restaurants on site or within 150 meters (500 feet) from the hotel.
*Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate. |
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