Women Own the Room, a program by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts targeting women’s advancement in hotel ownership, has reported continuing success in its inaugural year.
Since it launched in January 2022, the program has led to the opening of 10 hotels in the U.S., including in new markets for some brands like Days Inn by Wyndham, Baymont by Wyndham and AmericInn by Wyndham. The program has signed more than 30 hotels in the U.S. and Canada, of which 10 are now open.
Women Own the Room is an extension of Wyndham’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. It is designed to empower female entrepreneurs to gain an equal footing in the predominantly male-dominated hotel industry.
According to a Castell Project report from 2022, despite the diversity in the hospitality industry, it lags in senior positions and ownership. Women hold less than 10% of hotel development and leadership roles, the data revealed.
Women Own the Room assures financial solutions for new construction and conversion projects, with upgraded capital support and reduced initial franchise fees. The program offers its members customized support and creates an inclusive community for networking and furthering education for women in the hospitality sector.
Among them is the Travelodge by Wyndham in Macon, Ga., owned by Women Own the Room member Preeti Singh. Singh first arrived in the U.S. on a student visa in 2007 and earned her degree in Master of Business Administration. She was initiated into the hotel industry while volunteering and learning from a local family in their Travelodge by Wyndham in Freemont, Ohio.
Working her way through the industry in several roles, including as a general manager at a Microtel by Wyndham in Tifton, Ga, in 2009, Singh acquired her first property in 2016. Based on her history with Wyndham, she converted the 45-room property to a Travelodge by Wyndham in 2022. The property underwent a complete renovation before reopening as a Wyndham hotel.
“I was a young immigrant when I started my journey, and Wyndham has been a reliable and consistent partner for me from the beginning with a commitment to elevating me and other women like me,” Singh said.
Roughly 50% of the hotels affiliated with the Women Own the Room are new-build projects. Among these projects is the upcoming Microtel by Wyndham located in New Castle, Colo. Situated in the ski towns of Vail and Aspen, the property is owned by Wyndham franchisee Elizabeth Avery and is expected to break ground later this year.
After witnessing her parents open their first hotel in New Castle, Avery was inspired to become a hotelier.
“I know the hospitality industry because I grew up in it, but this is my first time spearheading the construction of a new hotel. New construction is not straightforward, and costs, timelines and securing financing are not black and white,” said Avery. “I know Wyndham is dedicated to my success because of the resources they continue to provide, along with the one-on-one, collaborative approach they take as I work through my custom build. Wyndham has helped make what is a complicated process more seamless – and that support goes a long way.”
With 9,100 hotels totaling 843,000 rooms across more than 95 countries on six continents, Wyndham is one of the largest franchising companies globally by the number of properties. The company currently operates a portfolio of 24 brands.