If you love serving others while going out of your way to make sure that time spent with you is as good as it can be, then life in hospitality is your calling.
But:
Setting up a hotel is colossally expensive, and it isn't easy to attract customers without a prior reputation.
On the other hand, hotel chains carry a badge of approval that consumers look for when booking their nights away or choosing holiday destinations. It can be a struggle to establish a reputation in the hospitality business, so there's no better way to gain trust from potential customers than carrying the recognisable branding of hotel franchise chains.
Hotel franchises offer a win-win situation for both the parent company and the franchisee. The franchisee puts up the collateral, and the chain provides the infrastructure, the training, and all of the legal specifications required to run a hotel to a high standard.
There are thousands of independent hotels around the UK and, while they may build a reputation over time, most struggle to attract customers throughout their initial years while they establish that all-important reputation.
Hotel franchising offers an opportunity to hit the ground running, with an established reputation and a recognisable name.
Franchising
Franchising is the win-win scenario for new hoteliers, offering a massive array of benefits and rendering stability during the early years of business.
The hotel sector is entrenched in a range of health and safety regulations that help business owners assure a safe stay for their visitors and a protective environment for their employees. Hotel franchises come with infrastructure ready-made, as well as the training needed to ensure that all staff are compliant and fully competent.
Franchising offers recognisable branding. The public generally makes their choices based on reputation, so be at the top of the list rather than scrabbling about at the bottom while you build notoriety. Furnish yourself with a ready-to-go admin system, and the parent company will make sure that you meet all the regulations before you invite your first guest through the door.
Benefit from the security of a proven financial history and an operational model that has demonstrable sustainability.
Associate your new venture with a trusted brand, and gain access an existing client-base who already know you.
Hotel franchises
The hotel franchise model is a long-established modus operandi for many UK hoteliers. In 2018, the hotel sector generated £21.2 billion.
Occupancy rates have maintained stability within the hotel sector over the years; working on an average of 78.8%, even during periods of economic downturn. The average daily rate (ADR) of a hotel room is around £89.20, while higher-end hotels can demand premium prices for the luxury market.
Hotels in the UK are graded by the star system - from 1-star which offers affordable, budget accommodation, to 5-star hotels proffering a premium experience for the luxury end of the market.
There's a tremendous amount of profit to be made in the hotel sector regardless of your target market. There's significant demand for cheap and cheerful overnight stays for family events such as weddings and birthday parties. At the same time, the luxury-grade 5-star market is primed towards the affluent holidaymaker as much as the single-night stop-over.
Franchising Vs Independent
Banks and money lenders tend to favour the franchise model because franchise companies are built upon proven, successful business frameworks.
The first two years of operation can be fraught with economic instability for an independent company while they find their place in saturated markets. Unfortunately, around half of all independent companies in the UK go into insolvency in those treacherous first two years.
Franchising, however, offers stability for new ventures because the parent company supports the nucleus of business operation, and the infrastructure is built upon a proven economic structure.
Hotel Franchises
Explore our list of hotel franchises today and make the first step towards becoming your own boss.
Find your brand new start with Franchise Direct.