Over the next five or ten years, so-called "soft branding" will become a major trend in the hospitality industry, according to Best Western Regional Director for North American Development Tom Osborn.

"I think people want to keep their identity, they want to keep their own way of operating to themselves, but harness the power of a major reservation system either with us or with any of our competitor brands," Osborn said.

He was speaking to the press at the Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Puerto Rico, where he discussed two new offerings from Best Western, one of which focused on the potential of soft branding.

Soft branding - a subject of much discussion in the hospitality industry - lets major brands allow hotel owners to keep the indigenous name of their assets while placing them on major reservation-distribution networks.

Pinnacle Advisory Group consultant Rosemary Rowen points out that maintaining the independence and individuality of an independent hotel is attractive to many hoteliers, however, the convenience and power offered by brands is tempting when it comes down to the numbers.

"The proliferation of soft brands is evidence that there is a space between these two worlds that can be filled," Rowen said.

Osborn said the Best Western Premier Collection - the company's soft brand - consists of carefully selected upscale and luxury independent hotels, with a focus on reduced reliance on online travel agencies (OTAs) and cutting costs.

Premier Collection
Best Western is targeting independent hotels all around the Caribbean for inclusion in the Premier Collection. The main advantage of membership in that collection, Osborn said, is access to Best Western's $4 billion global reservation system.
Osborn reported that he met with a group of hotels in Jamaica recently and 40 percent of their business comes from OTAs.

"And they're paying close to 25 percent for these reservations. We've negotiated some deals with Expedia and some of the other OTAs to lower that rate down to 15 percent for our Premier Collection members and then they obviously benefit from the power of our reservation system at 5 percent," he said.

Best Western boutique
He spoke about his brand's new boutique concept - Vib (pronounced "vibe") Best Western.

"It's for the young, millennial traveler - the traveler that's fresh out of college, that doesn't care about a large room. Vib offers smaller rooms. They're well-equipped, but the emphasis is on the public space and the trendiness - the lounge area, the game rooms and all those things," Osborn said.

Among the areas targeted for the new offering are New Orleans, Atlanta, Nashville, Miami - any major market where there is a critical mass of "millennial travelers". Osborn also spoke to whether and where Vib Best Western might fit in The Bahamas and the Caribbean.

"I see it in Nassau, or maybe Aruba (instead of more 'spring break friendly' destinations)," he said. "Somewhere in those areas, where they do get those young travelers, but you've also gotta have the business traveller to support it as well."

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