Christina Trauthwein
Editor

Recently, the CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group, Geoff Ballotti, welcomed me to the hotel company’s Parsippany, NJ, headquarters for an exclusive interview on WHG’s total transformation. This has been an ongoing process with carefully selected technology solutions and a revamped loyalty program, for example. And then news broke around the time of this year’s NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, held in June, that the hotel giant was on a mission to clearly define its 16 brands through materials, design, programming, you name it. And not only to create individual identities for guests to embrace, but to create them for owners to compete. By giving each brand a persona of sorts, the theory is travelers will find the one that fits them and their lifestyles, and franchisees will have places with personalities among the many economy and midscale options out there. Individuality under the collective umbrella of a powerhouse brand. These are names we’ve all heard of—brands that, in some cases, are real pieces of Americana. Think Howard Johnson, Super 8, Days Inn. I’m sure we all have stories and memories associated with staying at one of these truly iconic brands.

For me, the mere mention takes me back to age 12 and the six-week family trip across country  in a VW bus. With all of the new brands so often these days trying to stake ground in the lodging landscape, I must admit, it’s nice to see new life poured into some of the old, established ones. Ones that have always held stories for many of us, but now, with new positioning, are telling their stories to a whole new generation.

INBOX

To the Editor:
Jay Schultz’s column (Viewpoint, Aug. 7) hit it straight on: We are overlooked and have lots of talented people, especially now that we are beginning to catch up technologically with other industries. 

While Airbnb and Uber have forced some moves in lodging and transportation, respectively, I believe we should all “work” Fast Company a bit more and get noticed.

—Robert A. Rauch
CEO, RAR Hospitality