Choice Hotels International Launches New Division to Market Hotel Operating Systems Industry-Wide

SILVER SPRING, Md., March 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Choice Hotels International Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest hotel companies, today announced the launch of SkyTouch Technology, a new division that develops and markets cloud-based technology products to help hoteliers industry-wide improve their efficiency and profitability. SkyTouch Technology launches with the market introduction of SkyTouch Hotel OS, a new property and rate management solution that draws on Choice's award-winning choiceADVANTAGE property management system for handling reservations, guest stays and rates on any device with an Internet connection.

Under Choice's development, choiceADVANTAGE has become the most widely used cloud-based property management system in the world, with more than 5,500 successful installations in Choice-branded hotels worldwide.

SkyTouch Hotel OS offers many of the same functions of the choiceADVANTAGE property and rate management platform, as well as the ability to connect seamlessly with other systems used by chain and independent hotels. Choice franchisees will continue to enjoy the exclusive benefits of choiceADVANTAGE, including integration with ChoiceHotels.com, Choice central reservation systems, the Choice Privileges® loyalty program and other Choice systems.

"Since its introduction by Choice Hotels in 2003, choiceADVANTAGE has set the industry standard for ease-of-use, functionality and affordability," said Stephen P. Joyce, president and chief executive officer of Choice Hotels International. "choiceADVANTAGE has been so effective for Choice franchisees that other hoteliers, including chains and independents around the world, have asked to use it. It's a big milestone for the company that we can now offer a similar system via SkyTouch Hotel OS."

"Choice has made significant financial and strategic investments in a broad range of technologies – from emerging mobile platforms to central reservation system delivery – that play to the company's franchising strengths," Joyce said. "Those investments have positioned Choice to plant the seeds of new initiatives and accelerate the pace of innovation. We believe that launching SkyTouch Technology as a separate line of business apart from our core hotel franchising operations gives the division the independence it needs to offer custom solutions and high levels of support, service and security to all its users."

Ric Leutwyler, an accomplished executive who brings decades of experience in the hospitality and technology industries, will lead SkyTouch Technology as division president.

"The industry is looking for affordable, full-featured, above-property solutions that offer proven performance and reliability," said Leutwyler. "Choice Hotels identified that gap and filled it for its franchised hotels when it developed choiceADVANTAGE. Now the company has created SkyTouch to fill it for chains and independents. Thanks to Choice's long history of successful technology innovation and the experienced team that joins the SkyTouch Technology division from other divisions of Choice, we're ready to hit the ground running and immediately provide solutions that hotel operators need without the investment required by other software packages." 

For questions regarding purchasing the SkyTouch Hotel OS for your property, please contact [email protected].

About Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels International, Inc. franchises approximately 6,200 hotels, representing more than 499,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 30 other countries and territories.  As of December 31, 2012, 394 hotels, representing more than 31,000 rooms, were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in the United States.  Additionally, 88 hotels, representing approximately 7,800 rooms, were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in more than 20 other countries and territories.  The company's Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brands, as well at its Ascend Hotel Collection membership program, serve guests worldwide.

Choice Hotels International offers the Choice Privileges® rewards program. With nearly 17 million members worldwide, it is one of the fastest growing loyalty programs in the travel industry.

Additional corporate information may be found on the Choice Hotels International, Inc. website, which may be accessed at www.choicehotels.com.

Forward Looking Statement

Certain matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Generally, our use of words such as "expect," "estimate," "believe," "anticipate," "will," "forecast," "plan," "project," "assume" or similar words of futurity identify statements that are forward-looking and that we intend to be included within the Safe Harbor protections provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Similarly, statements that describe our future plans, objectives or goals are also forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on management's current beliefs, assumptions and expectations regarding future events, which in turn are based on information currently available to management.  We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this release. Forward-looking statements do not guarantee future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors.

Several factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements of the company in general, and the SkyTouch division in particular, to differ materially from those expressed in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to, our ability to effectively fund, develop and manage our newly launched SkyTouch division; the ability of our SkyTouch operating division to develop products and solutions for customers outside of our franchise system; the willingness of hotel chains and operators to utilize products and solutions developed by our SkyTouch division; changes to the desirability of our SkyTouch technology as viewed by hotel operators; the ability of our SkyTouch division to keep pace with improvements in technology utilized for hotel operating systems and similar systems; changes to general, domestic and foreign economic conditions; and operating risks common in both the hospitality and software development industries. These and other risk factors are discussed in detail in the Risk Factors section of the company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2013.  We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Choice Hotels, Choice Hotels International, Choice Privileges, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn, Ascend Hotel Collection, SkyTouch Technology and SkyTouch Hotel OS are proprietary trademarks and service marks of Choice Hotels International.

© 2013 Choice Hotels International, Inc.  All rights reserved.

SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.