The fall was inevitable and will come as no surprise to anyone. In 2020, the Best Western network in France recorded an unprecedented fall in sales of 52.4 1Q3following on from record performance in 2019. The causes are well known: a pandemic which, through confinements and border closures, triggered mass cancellations and limited travel to the strict minimum. No long-haul customers while American travellers are among the brand's most loyal customers, with few leisure groups and a limited number of domestic customers: the number of nights spent in the network's hotels fell by 47.6 1TP3Q.
Business customers were of course not spared in this slump, with a 57 % decline in seminar business and a -63 % reduction in sales generated by corporate customers. However, the hotel group notes that ". Nevertheless, this segment remains the most buoyant in France in 2020. Companies in the public sector, insurance, finance, IT, security, agri-food, medical, industry and construction and public works continued to move during the first two confinements. "
To make up for these disappointing results, the network's managers will find a few reasons to console themselves by looking at the historic rise in customer satisfactionthe resilience of online and mobile bookings, and an unbroken growth dynamic with 18 new hotels in 2020. This growth has been driven by the expansion of the Sure Hotel and Sure Hotel Collection budget brands, which have enabled the network to expand its presence in certain cities such as Paris, Bordeaux and Macon, and to conquer new destinations such as Argentan and Calais.
Its ambition is to extend its territorial coverage and strengthen its presence in certain regions, Best Western to continue expanding this year with 16 new hotels expected in the first quarter. The network has recently added a top-of-the-range hotel in Le Mans, the Leprince Hotel Spa, a BW Premier Collection established in a former 18th century convent, and a Sure Hotel in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux. This drive for growth will also involve developing the WorldHotels brands, voluntary chain acquired by Best Western in 2019 known for its top-of-the-range business hotels.
For business travellers, Best Western will also continue to expand its myWO coworking offer launched in around fifteen hotels at the end of summer 2020. By the end of 2021, the coworking brand is expected to reach almost 70 addresses.
At the same time, the development of Best Western in France also involves a digital axis - with a instant messaging solution recently integrated into the mobile version of the site before it is deployed on Google Home - and a sustainable development focus. While 19 hotels currently hold the Clef Verte label and 8 others the Ecolabel, Best Western intends to support the environmental transition of its network to increase this number to at least 50 hotels with the Clef Verte or Ecolabel label.
