Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has grown its direct franchising business in China, with nearly 600 hotel signings across the country in just five years.
The achievement is a testament to Wyndham’s owner-first approach to franchising and increased efforts in recent years to reduce its reliance for growth on master licensees – a move underscored in 2019 when the company reacquired direct franchising rights for its Days Inn brand in China.
Presently the largest US-based hotel company in China by number of properties, Wyndham has a footprint spanning more than 1,600 hotels and more than 180,000 rooms across 13 of its 25 brands. In 1H2024 alone, Wyndham signed direct franchise agreements for more than 70 hotels in key markets including Beijing, Jiangsu and Guangdong.
In addition, Wyndham has opened nearly 300 direct franchised hotels in China over the last five years spanning economy to upscale accommodations. The company also continues to broaden its portfolio of brands in the country, introducing both Hawthorn by Wyndham and La Quinta by Wyndham at that same time, the latter of which now has four hotels open and another six in the pipeline.
Standout hotel openings since 2019 include: Hawthorn by Wyndham Dali Erhai Park, La Quinta by Wyndham Weifang South, Wyndham Garden Qionglai Downtown, Wyndham Grand Shanxi Xiaohe Xincheng, Wyndham Shanghai Nanxiang, Wyndham Sun Moon Lake, and Wyndham Tai’an West.
“Through direct franchising, we gain greater control over the consistency and direction of our brands in China while unlocking the benefit of building long-term relationships with franchisees – all of which are key to driving further expansion,” said Joon Aun Ooi, president, Asia Pacific, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
