Vantage Hospitality Supports its Members by Continuing Quest to “Educate, Not Mandate”

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. March 25, 2010

CLEVELAND, OH - (March 24, 2010) - Over the past 10 years, Vantage Hospitality Group's policy has been to “educate, not mandate” when working with its Americas Best Value Inn, Canadas Best Value Inn, Chinas Best Value Inn, Value Inn Worldwide, and Lexington Collection hotel owners. This innovative philosophy, which is constantly evolving with the industry and includes introducing new revenue-generating programs, has helped Vantage members realize substantial return on investment during good or bad economic times.

The newest addition to the Vantage educational toolbox is the Vantage Revenue Enhancement Program (V-REP), which was originally introduced for the Lexington Collection and then tailored to the other brands due to the substantial results hotels were seeing. V-REP provides industry-tested revenue management tools, state-of-the-art reporting, coordinated education and training, and personalized support from Vantage's Revenue Management team. This personalized service includes analyzing the local competition and benchmarking against them, stratifying room inventory for optimal revenue growth, and reviewing and reacting to pricing and STR reports.

“During a slow economy it is important to use every resource possible to better position our properties for success,” said Vantage's director of revenue management Jesse Ostrum. “V-REP has allowed us the opportunity to provide more direct analysis, personalized revenue management services and property-specific recommendations to maximize that success. V-REP is another way that Vantage Hospitality is ensuring that our property owners are truly in business for themselves and not by themselves.”

Launched in 2008, the Vantage Academy takes a proactive approach to education by providing members with free training at convenient locations throughout the country. The curriculum is designed and adapted to the challenging economy and offers tactics that positively impact members' R.O.I. Participants who complete the one-day course leave with a clearer understanding of how to generate more revenue by applying more effective and innovative sales and marketing strategies, win over guests through more effective communication, improve their property's curb appeal, work effectively with online travel agents, and utilize the American Hotel & Lodging Association's (AH&LA) Education Institute.

“When the hospitality industry began to struggle due to the recession in 2008, Vantage addressed those important survival times head on by developing this program for its members,” said training manager Wendy Whitlow, who already has over 15 Vantage Academy sessions scheduled this year. “We recognized the time and financial constraints of our members and decided to hold the classrooms in their own regions to provide invaluable education. Vantage offers the most comprehensive training in the industry at no cost to its members.”

Vantage Insurance Services, Inc. (VISI) will have a presence at the Vantage Academy sessions again this year, educating participating hotel owners on insurance issues. Created in 2008, VISI is the premier insurance agency dedicated to offering property insurance for members of Vantage Hospitality Group's brands. In 2009, VISI launched an exclusive affinity program which signed up over 70 hotels in its first year, providing hotel owners with a total of over $120,000 in premium savings.

“It's all about customer value, which VISI provides to the brands”, said Bill Shaw, VISI's President. “Our specialized program offers intensive coverage with considerable savings, and is available to all ABVI and Lexington members. Currently, no other brand offers this type of resource to its hoteliers, which positions VISI as a leader in the industry. We look forward to joining the Vantage Academy Team again in 2010, offering high-quality products and services, as well as educating hotel owners on how to save money while insuring their most valuable asset - their hotels and everything in it.”

Educational opportunities abound during Vantage Hospitality's International Educational Conference and Trade Show. Attendees are invited to earn AH&LA's prestigious CLM designation, while industry leaders from across the country lead an entire afternoon of educational seminars that cover a variety of operational, marketing and management topics. In addition, the editors from the leading hospitality publications are assembled every conference for an interactive panel discussion that offers insights and advice on current industry topics.

Lexington Collection members receive extensive marketing and public relations assistance when entering the system. Once a new Lexington joins the brand, the marketing department explores opportunities that lead to greater exposure, revenue and PR. And all existing Vantage members are welcome to solicit the corporate office for help with local marketing, PR and website strategies.

All Vantage members also receive ongoing one-on-one support and education via Vantage's Sales Support & Assurance Program (SSAP) and Member Care divisions. SSAP directors visit each hotel throughout the year, working with members on key strategies such as reservation training, sales, marketing and operations tailored to that particular market. Between visits, a series of SSAP tips are distributed every month that provide helpful ways to maximize R.O.I. Member care managers are available seven days a week to assist with any revenue, reservation or operational concerns.

“Vantage wants every single member to run a profitable business no matter what condition the economy is in,” said company President and CEO Roger Bloss. “We have never mandated how our members should run their business, and never will. Instead, we offer progressive programs and educational opportunities that members can use to drive revenue to their hotels. It's a year-round effort for Vantage, as we continue to add more corporate support team personnel and launch new endeavors, like V-REP and Vantage Academy, that teach our hotel owners the best ways to operate their properties.”

Visit www.VantageHospitality.com,
www.AmericasBestValueInn.com or
www.LexingtonCollection.com for more information.

About Vantage Hospitality Group, Inc.
Headquartered in Coral Springs, Fla., Vantage Hospitality Group is the 10th largest hotel company worldwide and the only hotel company to be ranked four years in a row on the Inc. 500/5000 List of Fastest Growing Private Companies. Founded in 1996, the company has grown to include a broad spectrum of hospitality-related ventures, managing resources in hotel ownership, management, marketing, national brand affiliation and real estate. Vantage's award-winning membership hotel brand, Americas Best Value Inn, has been recognized by the lodging industry as one of the fastest growing chains six years in a row. The company continues to grow with The Lexington Collection - the only membership hotel brand in the upper-mid to upscale lodging segments. Vantage will continue to expand its brands domestically, as well as in international markets including India, China, Canada, Mexico, Europe, North Africa, and the Gulf Region.

Contact:
Al Cohen,
Vantage Hospitality Group,
888-316-2378,
[email protected]