Aimbridge Hospitality: a ‘new and exciting territory’
Interstate Hotels and Resorts, the international division of Aimbridge Hospitality, has launched its Aimbridge EMEA division, and revealed plans to expand its portfolio and operational approach. Michael J. Deitemeyer, CEO and President, discusses the growth plans with Hotel Owner.
What is the history of Aimbridge Hospitality?
Aimbridge Hospitality operated just eight properties when it was founded in 2003, and now our managed portfolio includes more than 1,500 properties in 50 states and over 20 countries. As a trusted operator of over 80 lodging brands and distinctive luxury and lifestyle assets, we leverage our scale and operational excellence to deliver results for hotel owners and offer unparalleled opportunities for our team around the globe.
What momentum has the business seen in 2022?
2022 has been an incredible year for us. In just the past few months, we have added several talented industry professionals to our team who are going to be at the helm of driving our innovation and growth. We also formally established six operational divisions and added award-winning properties to our robust portfolio. It’s a trajectory we are proud of following the uncertainty in our industry in recent years.
What significant investments has Aimbridge Hospitality made in recent months?
Talent is one of the most significant areas of investment for us, whether we’ve welcomed industry veterans with notable skills or elevated members of our team to new roles. Beyond that, we are always making investments in our operations and technology to ensure we deliver quality services and opportunities to our owners, partners and the global workforce.
What do Aimbridge Hospitality’s global growth plans entail?
Delivering returns for our property owners is our top priority, and everyone across our entire team has a role and responsibility in making it happen and spurring unprecedented growth.
When owners choose Aimbridge as their management partner, they benefit from our scale and the deep bench of talent we bring to the table. Our operational acumen allows our team to offer our management capabilities for the full range of hospitality offerings, from economy to luxury, and we have plans to pursue growth across the entire spectrum.
The global aspect of our growth is especially exciting, because we can see opportunities to expand within our newly defined geographic divisions – LatAm and EMEA.
How will this impact the UK market?
The Aimbridge global identity has been adopted by our international division, formerly known as Interstate Hotels and Resorts. As the Aimbridge EMEA division, the foundations are in place to inspire future growth in the UK and throughout Europe.
With our talented and knowledgeable operating divisional presidents driving our vision in their respective verticals and geographies, including David Anderson leading the EMEA division, we’re well-positioned to pursue our goals in this region.
Our team is fully aligned under the Aimbridge brand, and we are dedicated to building on the lessons learned from the past two-plus years and looking ahead to new and exciting territory both within our portfolio and the industry at large.
How does the business plan to evolve its operational approach?
The benefits to our owners from our six operational divisions are two-fold: they have a partner who is a global leader in the industry, which has its own set of advantages, and they also experience first-hand our nimble and expert-driven approach through our smaller, vertical-focused operations.
The structure of our operating divisions showcases the advantages of working with our team at scale, as we continue to curate top talent, invest in training and recruitment, forge best-in-class supplier agreements and develop unparalleled partnerships with industry brands.
How will the creation of six operating divisions improve operational acumen and business propositions? What benefits and bottom-line impacts will this provide to owners?
Because of our scale, resources and capabilities, we’re able to dig in and focus on the details. Aimbridge delivers focused expertise and our team has the proven knowledge and passion to take it to the next level. When you pair that with our tools and the collaborative engagement we stand by every day, it’s a formula for success.
For us, operational excellence means we’ll continue to be focused on the nuanced details that move the needle while still delivering the same level of service we’ve become known for.
How will acquiring industry veterans help bolster these plans?
Our deep bench of industry talent plays a significant role in the future of our company and our industry. Aimbridge is set with a new and energised team, and combined with our robust tools and services, we have the ability to transition portfolios with alacrity unlike any other. With the right people on our team, we are positioned to achieve our goals of delivering excellence in operations to our owners.
What is next for Aimbridge Hospitality?
The future is bright and global. There is so much untapped potential for growth, and we are exploring the ways we can think differently and enact creative solutions to continue on this exciting trajectory. What will be important for us moving forward is illustrating how we are the smart option for owners.
