America's Best Completes Major Internet Expansion

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. October 14, 2008

MAY 19, 2008. One of the hospitality industry's most ambitious internet makeovers has been completed by America's Best Franchising Incorporated, giving the company and its franchisees a dramatic new presence on the internet.

The project, which was begun in January, has completely re-designed the home pages for its America's Best and Country Hearth brands plus has created a separate multi-page web site for each of nearly 200 properties which operate under these flags.

"We are the first national hotel franchise to have a multi-page web site for each property plus to provide and to maintain those pages at no charge to our franchisees," said Doug Collins, chairman and CEO of Atlanta-based America's Best Franchising Incorporated.

The websites are functioning and generating income for franchisees. A typical reaction comes from Terry Terrell, an America's Best Inn franchisee in Cartersville, Georgia, "We use the website to link with our wireless internet. When a customer logs into our coded wireless internet, they are directed to our website. All of our marketing efforts are also linked with the website. For example, we are currently advertising on the internet with a pay per click campaign. The user is directed to our website and can now receive a 360 degree virtual tour of the property from all angles."

Another comment comes from Umesh Kumar, a Country Hearth Inn franchisee in Columbia, South Carolina, "The re-designed websites are super awesome. I'm especially impressed with the images on the home page, which make it feel like you're on the property - it's a great virtual feeling. It's a complete make over and customers really like the new look."

According to Collins, the re-design of its websites was a vital investment because the internet is increasingly the preferred method for consumers to research and to make travel arrangements.

"Reservations at America's Best and Country Hearth properties through the brand internet sites increased by 45% in 2007 over 2006," added Collins. "Most importantly, reservations through our brand internet sites are the most profitable for our franchisees because they pay no commissions."

During 2007, the average daily rate (ADR) from the America's Best and Country Hearth brand websites was $74 - an increase of $5 or about 8% over 2006.

"In today's crowded hotel market, it's essential for us to use the web as effectively as possible to drive greater occupancy and profitability," explained Collins. "We're doing that - plus our franchisees benefit even further because we're better able to tie together our reservations system and to analyze the traffic, or hits, on our sites."