CHA Chief Executive Officer David Bayes launches Choice Hotels Australasia's 48th Annual Conference on the Gold Coast today.

Australia's largest mid-market hotel franchisor, Choice Hotels Australasia, has seen its direct measurable business grow solidly for the year ending June 2010. Speaking at CHA's annual conference at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast today, CHA Chief Executive Officer David Bayes said the occupancy-driven results had been encouraging in an improving business environment.

Conference and meetings business continues to grow and corporate business has seen strong growth coming off the back of last year's GFC.

Reviewing the last 12 months, Mr Bayes said the economic uncertainty of 2009 had presented a challenge to the network's 275 properties to maintain RevPAR, but the commitment to maintaining strong relationships with guests had stood them in good stead.

He said the group had also signed up 25 properties (1273 rooms) in Australia and New Zealand during the past year, in new locations as diverse as Timaru in New Zealand, Mt Isa in Queensland and Phillip Island and Nagambie in Victoria.

CHA's Choice Privileges loyalty program grew an encouraging 43 per cent over the same period.  Choice Privileges now has more than 11 million members globally.

CHA General Manager, Sales & Marketing Aileen Cobern said that the continued growth of the Choice Privileges program globally means greater benefits for Australian travellers taking advantage of the program's benefits both locally and when travelling overseas.

"The Choice Privileges program allows our loyal guests in Australia and New Zealand to earn points when travelling overseas and experience Choice properties around the world," Ms Cobern added.

"In turn, international visitors love the fact that their loyalty is now recognised and rewarded when they stay in our Australian and New Zealand properties." Ms Cobern said CHA had rolled out a 2010 media campaign that included TV in New Zealand and radio in Australia, adding:

"We have just completed a television campaign in New Zealand as part of 'Star Deals' month with Fly Buys that offered Fly Buys members the chance to win a share of 150,000 points. "And this year CHA is running a four month radio campaign across metropolitan markets throughout mainland Australia to set the base for our 2011 media campaign."

Almost 300 delegates are attending the three-day Working Together, Winning Together conference that includes keynote speakers and a series of seminars, workshops and discussions covering all aspects of the business from branding, strategic pricing, business analysis, improving guest satisfaction and the keys to successful management.