UK: Headquartered in London, conversion brand Magnuson Hotels has over 65,000 hotels in its booking system worldwide and is now offering UK hotels the opportunity to join.
Magnuson offers independent hotel owners access to global brand support at a lesser cost than traditional franchise chains. The company’s hotels typically see 50 per cent of business direct, 30 per cent through OTAs, and 20 per cent through GDS.
When the UK hotel industry was in lockdown, Magnuson’s booking system outperformed the US market by three times.
CEO Thomas Magnuson said: “There has never been a better time for hotels to convert platforms to a more cost effective, supportive brand. We are the only global brand which doesn’t require PIPs, just a minimum review score of 3.2 to 3.5.
“What we generally do is convert properties from an incorrectly positioned and under-priced rate range to a midscale or upper-midscale product, earning another £15 to £20 of average rate. This is accomplished without a PIP, just a highly supported strategy to leverage the owner’s existing operation.
He continued: “Before the pandemic guests were moving away from the cookie-cutter brands, influenced by companies such as Airbnb, looking for more interesting experiences which allowed them to connect with the location they were visiting. This trend will continue as people return to travel and search for lodging with more character and less corporate standardisation.
“It’s going to be extremely competitive for a long while, whether you’re an independent or a brand. To emerge sustainably from Covid, lockdowns and the new competition, hotels will have to increase revenue, increase distribution and lower costs. We tick those boxes with affordable global distribution and the highest industry performance.”
Magnuson Hotels was founded in 2003 by Thomas and Melissa Magnuson. The company stands as a top 20 global chain and customer groups staying at Magnuson include construction, transportation, medical, government and public safety.
