Choice officials told the estimated 5,000 attendees of the brand’s convention that it is moving into a “new era” of performance.

A new look and marketing plan in hand, Choice Hotels International executives took the stage at the brand’s annual convention to try to rally support from the estimated 5,000 attendees.

The company this month unveiled a new, more modernized logo, revamped its brand.com site to make it easier to navigate and is planning to pump up its advertising spend in prime-time slots.

“We are launching a new era,” President and CEO Steve Joyce said during an afternoon general session. “We are acting from strength. The economy and travel industry have really made a comeback and so have our businesses.”

Patrick Pacious, Choice’s executive VP and COO, said the company is changing its strategy as the industry landscape changes and grows. There are many more hotel options in the market than before.

“Our challenge is to cut through the clutter and rise through the sea of sameness,” he said, adding, “You can’t stand out on the basis of rational benefits anymore.”

Joyce agreed it’s important for the company to be flexible as it moves forward.

“This company has seen a lot of cycles,” he said. “Our success has been because we are willing and able to change and adapt. 2015 isn’t just a year for moving forward. It’s the year we break through to our collective future.”

Joyce said the changes will contribute to what has been a strong beginning for 2015. In addition to nearly notching double-digit revenue-per-available-room growth during the first quarter, the company’s choicehotels.com site has seen its revenue increase 20% year to date, he said.

“With the rollout of the new site, the sky’s the limit,” Joyce said.

One thing that makes the new site an improvement, especially over early versions of choicehotels.com, is that it issues a compelling call to action to the traveler, said Robert McDowell, senior VP of marketing and distribution at Choice.

The call to action on early versions of choicehotels.com? “Cancel this reservation,” McDowell said.

Now is the time for Choice to push for even stronger results, Joyce said. Unemployment is low and gas prices have dropped, which has the effect of putting an extra $500 into a traveler’s wallet.

“The current lodging cycle started three years ago,” Joyce said. “We think it has four years to run.”

Industry thoughts

Joyce also provided a high-level view of some of the major trends affecting the industry. First, he told attendees that health care reform is not going to be recalled. He said he remains optimistic that there could be changes, such as the definition of a full-time employee under the act being revised to someone who works 40 hours per week.

Concerns also were raised over the implications of a joint-employer law should it take effect. The Office of the General Counsel of the United States last year threatened to hold McDonald’s accountable for the actions of employees of franchisees.

“If a new joint-employer law takes effect, it would upend the franchisor model and cause profound changes in how we work together,” Joyce said. For example, he said it’s conceivable that if one property becomes unionized, it could more easily spread to other hotels in the system under a joint-employer law.