Skift Take
Best Western has overcome its brand reputation in recent years to be recognized for its international foot print as well as innovation online and within properties.
Editor’s Note: Skift is running a series of interviews with hospitality CEOs talking about the Future of the Guest Experience and the evolving expectations and demands of hotel guests. Check out all the interviews as they come out here. This continues our series of CEO interviews, the previous series was on the Future of Booking, with online travel CEOs.
Many Americans think of Best Western as a standard road trip stopover without realizing its position as one of the largest hotel corporations in the world, or its emphasis on localization and innovation. Best Western International operates about 4,000 hotels, half of which are located in North America.
The corporation began differentiating its properties in 2002 with the launch of the more upscale brand Best Western Premier. It then expanded to a three-tiered system in 2011 and most recently entered the lifestyle brand arms race with its new tech-centric concept Vb.
All Best Western properties are individually owned so although each must meet a list of standards, many maintain an independent identity.
Best Western has also been recognized on several occasions for its digital acumen including extensive planning resources, engaged social accounts, and data tracking system that drives all business decisions.
Best Western’s CEO David Kong started out in the hospitality industry as a bus boy and worked his way up through several global hotel companies before joining Best Western as CEO in 2004. Kong is an outspoken advocate for the brand's service, training programs, and digital innovation.
We asked him about how the corporation responds to evolving guests' expectations, especially in light of its business structure. The edited interview is as follows:
Skift: What are the biggest challenges you’re facing to improve the guest experience today?
David Kong: I think there’s so many that it’s hard to say which is the biggest issue. I’ll give you two for consideration: Competitors are constantly upping their game and
