Hilton’s Post

In the most recent bid rejection, the board of directors at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts affirmed that a merger with Choice Hotels is not in the best interest of stakeholders. Check out the article below for more: https://lnkd.in/e3cXFmdx #innovation #hospitality #technology #investing #finance #markets

The merger with Choice Hotels and Wyndham went south. It's probably for the best!🤣 It's intriguing to see the recent developments in the hotel industry, particularly regarding Choice Hotels International's decision to halt its pursuit of acquiring Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. This move, initially met with significant attention and speculation, marks the end of a prolonged saga characterized by Choice's persistent bid and Wyndham's steadfast resistance. While Choice Hotels had aggressively pursued this acquisition, including a substantial $7.8 billion offer last October and subsequent attempts to sway shareholder opinion, it ultimately fell short of garnering the necessary support. The decision to withdraw from the deal and focus on its independent strategy underscores the complexity and challenges inherent in such mergers. Some industry observers have welcomed Choice's exit from the proposed merger, suggesting that it could benefit both companies and their stakeholders. There's a sentiment among certain experts that a merger between Choice and Wyndham might not have necessarily translated to enhanced value or operational synergy. This sentiment is echoed by voices like Bryan Fish and Nick Horgan, who have highlighted concerns about potential dilution of brand standards and the uncertainties surrounding the merger's implications. Looking ahead, Choice Hotels and other players in the hospitality sector may continue to explore growth opportunities and strategic partnerships that align more closely with their brand positioning and market objectives. For some, this could mean shifting focus away from entities like Choice and Wyndham towards more established and respected names such as IHG, Hilton, and Marriott, where a stronger presence and brand reputation offer greater assurance and potential for success. In my 40 years of hotel experience, I have worked with the major franchises, IHG, Marriott, Hilton, Choice, and Wyndham. I have found that many corporate and leisure travelers are willing to pay for the quality and experience of names IHG, Marriott, and Hilton. Our company is moving more exclusively to these names. As indicated by this image, we are kind of partial to Marriott and Hilton! What are your thoughts? #betterhotelstays #hotels #hotelrewards

Read this article from Hotel Dive as hospitality experts weigh in on the failed Choice Hotels-Wyndham merger. Our CEO, Bryan Fish, shared his insights on this matter. #RelianceHospitality #hospitalitymanagement #hospitalityindustry #hotelsolutions #hotelmanagement

#Breakingnews: Amsterdam based Sircle Hospitality Group of Liran Wizman sold / merged with SMG. ⭕ In a landmark development, SMG European Recovery SPAC SE is set to merge with Sircle Hospitality Group Ltd, creating a combined entity valued at approximately €425M. ⭕ Sircle Hospitality Group was exploring the routes to accelerate expansion: sale or IPO. The strategic fusion with SMG aims to capitalize on the growing demand for experiential travel and dining, promising accelerated growth and enhanced market presence in the European hospitality sector. ⭕ Europe's first real estate special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) of scale, focused on hospitality & leisure. With downside protection and co-investment alongside SMG is rather a IPO sponsor than traditional SPAC and intermediairy vehicle. ⭕ In May 2022 SMG European Recovery SPAC raised €115M of equity from institutional investors and listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. ⭕ The acquisition of Sircle Collection by SMG is a transaction structure that prepares the hospitality company to go in public sale on the stock exchange. The price mentioned in the media is not the purchasing price, but the combined valuation of both companies. ⭕ For the listing in Frankfurt SMG issues 14,375,000 shares (11,500,000 public shares issued through a private placement and 2,875,000 shares held by the Sponsor, the Co-Sponsor and the Supervisory Board Investors) with an initial issuance price of € 10.00 per unit. ⭕ SMG holding was co-founded by a former partner of private equity fund TPG in 2020 and headquartered in Amsterdam. SMG brings all the activities and entities (1.752 rooms in 17 hotels, 5 restaurants & bars, 2 members clubs, artworks, development, special projects asset management) of Sircle Hospitality Group in one purpose acquisition company. #sirclecollection #SMG #SPAC #stochkexchange #frankfurt #hotelsinamsterdam #maxbrownhotels #parkcentraalhotels #liranwizman https://lnkd.in/ezrWAsrA

In April, months before Choice Hotels International made its bid to acquire Wyndham Hotels & Resorts public, representatives of the company showed up to negotiations with Wyndham with a metaphorical "gun sticking out of their pocket,” asserting that if Wyndham did not accept their proposed merger deal, Choice would “take it to the shareholders,” sources familiar with the matter told me. Yep, that’s right — there’s more to this story than has previously been reported. Sources familiar with the matter gave me an inside look at what led up to Choice’s public bid — including the “hostile” spring #negotiations, as well as the nearly 25 years of seemingly cooperative talks about a Choice Hotels-Wyndham combination. So with years of discussions on their backs, why did Choice decide to take its bid public? Hotel experts, including Max Starkov, say Choice may be motivated by a race to gain scale globally as pressure builds from online travel agencies. Over months, I investigated the deal at stake, speaking to sources about the companies’ long-standing relationship, what’s driving #consolidation in the #hotelindustry and what the industry can expect to see in the months to come as Choice continues its push to #acquire its peer. Do you think Choice will succeed in its bid to take over Wyndham? And if it does, what would a Choice Hotels-Wyndham merger mean for the hotel industry? #choicehotels #wyndham #merger #ota #loyaltyprograms #organicgrowth

Insightful predictions from my colleagues Sooho Choi and Andrew Maliszewski on the #hotel industry's M&A landscape. Their analysis points to strategic shifts that could redefine #hospitality portfolios: 🔹 Major brands may pivot towards smaller, targeted deals to enhance specific niches within their brand offerings. 🔹 The burgeoning value of boutique hotels is likely to spur acquisitions, enriching soft brand collections like Hilton's Curio or Marriott's Autograph. 🔹 As we emerge from a leisure-dominated market, the anticipated resurgence in the groups, events, and business travel sectors will influence M&A strategies. Their article offers a deep dive into potential targets and emerging trends. A must-read for those keeping an eye on hotel industry dynamics! https://lnkd.in/gEkid8D9 #OneTHL #TravelandTourism #MergersandAcquisitions

AAHOA recently conducted a survey among its members to gauge their opinions on Choice Hotels' potential "hostile takeover." The results clearly indicate that a majority of members are concerned about the prospect of a merger, believing it would negatively affect the industry. Approximately 80% of owners with hotels under either Choice Hotels or Wyndham brands anticipate that the merger would be detrimental to their business. Furthermore, nearly 70% of these owners expressed their reluctance to continue their association with Choice Hotels should the takeover proceed. Despite this overwhelming negative feedback, Choice Hotels appears poised to move forward with their plans. #Choice #Wyndham #M&A #HotelBrokerage #DSHHotelAdvisors

Hilton's Massive IPO, 10 Years Later: Top Takeaways Hilton's IPO was more successful than any other hotel company's in the past decade, thanks to a transformation in corporate strategy. The lessons are still relevant to understanding Hilton and potential IPOs by emerging players. See details: https://hubs.ly/Q02cJkjC0

Corporate transactions are hard and never a forgone conclusion. Irrespective of the outcome of this deal, at this time, both Choice Hotels International and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts have world class leadership in Patrick Pacious and Geoff Ballotti. Both firms were early adopters of #cloudcomputing to drive #digitaltransformation and innovation across their organisations, under the technology leadership of Brian Kirkland and Scott Strickland. Whatever happens next for both these firms, I’m rooting for them and their inspiring leaders. #hospitalityindustry #hospitalitytechnology

New @Hospiamo blog entry: Grow your hotel and hospitality business or career, follow these 8 pillars and advice of who to attract and who to avoid, and like a magnet you will encourage growth, strategically, more properties, more people, more jobs, more support, more partners, an easier road ahead, more beauty. #hotelmanagement #acquisitions #owners #growth #leadership #riskandbeauty