Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced today that the company is continuing to forge ahead with new-construction growth, opening 11 newly built hotels across the United States in the first quarter and breaking ground on a number of hotels in its new-construction pipeline. In the same period, the company executed agreements for more than 25 future new-build hotels in the United States, further expanding its pipeline and planting roots for travel recovery in the long term.

New Openings in Q1

The company’s 11 new-construction openings in the United States represent nearly 1,000 rooms. The recent openings—including properties across its La Quinta by Wyndham, Wingate by Wyndham, Days Inn by Wyndham, and Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham brands—are in destinations primed for domestic, drive-to leisure travel such as Miramar Beach, Fla.; Houston, Texas; Spokane, Wash.; and Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

Pipeline

Developers are also starting construction on hotels in the pipeline, reinforcing optimism for the industry’s recovery. Developers for Wyndham-branded hotels broke ground on approximately 10 new hotels in the United States year-to-date, including a Microtel hotel in Hot Springs, Ark.; a La Quinta hotel in San Antonio, Texas; an extended-stay Hawthorn Suites hotel in Oklahoma City, Okla.; and a Trademark Collection by Wyndham hotel in Leavenworth, Kan.

“Despite a rapidly changing landscape for hotel developers around the world, a number of our owners are pressing forward with new-construction projects in the economy and midscale segments, reinforcing our overall confidence in the long-term viability of our industry,” said Krishna Paliwal, head of architecture, design, and construction for Wyndham. “New-construction growth, however gradual, represents our optimism for the future of travel.”

Conversions

Though construction has generally slowed across the industry, Wyndham continued to add new conversion projects in the first quarter—the company’s conversion pipeline increased 8 percent globally year-over-year.

Looking Ahead to Recovery

As the pandemic begins to abate in the United States, Wyndham maintains that its existing franchisees are well-positioned for recovery: The company operates a nearly 90 percent drive-to business in the United States with a concentration in the select-service chain scale segments—which have outperformed higher-end full-service hotels during the pandemic—and more than 95 percent of its domestic guests originate within the United States, making them less reliant on air travel.

Wyndham also recently announced “Count on Us,” a new initiative to build confidence among guests and to support franchisees as it prepares to welcome travelers back to its U.S. hotels.

Source: https://lodgingmagazine.com/wyndham-continues-to-grow-new-construction-pipeline/