Wyndham’s Initiative Boosts Female Hotel Ownership with 15 Openings and 50 Signings

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ groundbreaking initiative, Women Own the Room, is making significant strides in encouraging female entrepreneurship within the hotel industry. In just over two years since its inception, the program has celebrated the opening of fifteen hotels and the signing of over fifty agreements, demonstrating a strong commitment to breaking down barriers to hotel ownership for women.

Despite women making up nearly 60 percent of the hospitality workforce, they are significantly underrepresented in leadership roles, holding just ten percent of these positions. Women Own the Room, boasting 550 members, aims to rectify this imbalance by providing women with tailored financial solutions, operational support, and a vibrant community for networking and education.

The initiative’s impact is already evident, with over 4,000 rooms across the U.S. and Canada now operating or in development under Wyndham brands such as Days Inn, Baymont, Wyndham, and Trademark. Christina Lambert, a Wyndham franchisee and member of Women Own the Room, attributes her success as a first-time hotel owner to the program’s personalized support and the accessibility of Wyndham’s leadership. “Wyndham has played a pivotal role in my success… they’re changing the face of the hotel industry,” Lambert said.

In addition to the Women Own the Room program, Wyndham franchisees benefit from the Wyndham Advantage, which includes marketing, distribution resources, and a significant investment in technology—over $275 million in the past five years—to ensure franchise owners have access to the latest tools and resources. This comprehensive support system underlines Wyndham’s dedication to empowering women in the hospitality industry and fostering a more inclusive and equitable business environment.