Magnuson Hotels consortium signs up 20 more UK members
Magnuson Hotels, the US-based consortium which was launched in the UK two weeks ago, has signed up 20 British hotels.
The company, which claims to be the world's largest independent hotel chain with 1,200 properties in North America, is targeting independently-owned hotels throughout the UK with 20-plus bedrooms.
Chief executive Tom Magnuson, who launched Magnuson Hotels with his wife Melissa in 2003, said the response from UK hoteliers had been phenomenal and had been driven by word of mouth.
"The phones have been ringing non-stop," he said. "As well as having signed up 20 hotels already, we have a further 50 who have expressed serious interest.
"For half of them, it will be the first time they have been represented online. The other half are Best Western members seeking higher reservation revenue, lower costs and more control over their hotel."
A key attraction for properties is that Magnuson does not impose membership fees or long-term contractual commitments on members. Hotels simply pay a 15% commission on all bookings delivered by the company.
The company also offers representation on the five major Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and a presence on more than 2,000 leading websites including Expedia and Priceline.
Magnuson intends to step up its marketing activity in the UK during the summer when it opens an international office in London to handle its European expansion.
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By Janet Harmer
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