PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,100 hotels in over 95 countries, hosted its second BOLD Symposium ahead of the official start of the 2023 National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers (NABHOOD) Hotel Ownership & Investment Summit, followed by a BOLD Bootcamp, a part of its BOLD Incubator. The events are part of Wyndham’s commitment to furthering diversity in hospitality, focused on providing tools and resources to Black entrepreneurs who are exploring the industry and qualified individuals looking to accelerate their path to hotel ownership.
Just over a year since Black Owners and Lodging Developers (BOLD) debuted, Wyndham has awarded 25 hotel deals to Black owners. In an industry where less than two percent of owners are Black, according to 2022 data from NABHOOD, BOLD by Wyndham was created to engage and advance Black hoteliers by addressing the unique challenges faced by Black entrepreneurs. Wyndham recently appointed Galen Barrett to Vice President, Strategic Franchise Initiatives. With nearly a decade of experience at the organization, Barrett played an integral part in the initial launch of BOLD by Wyndham in his previous role as Vice President, Strategic Development. In his new, concentrated position, Barrett will now exclusively focus on the advancement of both BOLD and Wyndham’s first-of-its-kind Women Own the Room.
Accelerating the Path to Ownership
Delivering on BOLD by Wyndham’s pillar of accelerating the path to hotel ownership, BOLD by Wyndham focuses on creating and fostering a community of supporters for Black owners in hospitality. The BOLD Symposium included an introduction to BOLD by Wyndham, an in-depth view of getting started in hotel ownership, step-by-step tips to help secure a deal and small group roundtable discussions on topics meant to give attendees tools and information to start and continue down their path to ownership. Attendees also had the chance to network with industry experts who advised on all aspects of hospitality.
Wyndham also recently hosted select individuals at the BOLD Bootcamp, an event which is part of its BOLD Incubator initiative for qualified candidates with relevant business experience to accelerate their pursuit of hotel ownership.
To learn more about BOLD by Wyndham, including details on upcoming events, visit www.boldbywyndham.com. For additional details on franchising opportunities with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, visit www.wyndhamdevelopment.com.
