NORTH BETHESDA, Maryland—Choice Hotels International, Inc. announced plans to enter the African market with the signing of three directly franchised properties in Kenya that are expected to open in early 2026. The company also signed a master development agreement that will drive further expansion with a minimum of 15 additional properties across the sub-Saharan and southern Africa regions by 2030.
The Kenyan portfolio will include an Ascend Collection property in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, one of Africa’s most visited safari destinations. Two additional hotels—a Clarion hotel and a Quality Inn hotel will open in Nairobi’s central business district. The hotels will also grow the number of destinations available through Choice Privileges.
“Our international business represents the most significant growth opportunity for Choice Hotels, and we’ve built a scalable global platform that will accelerate our gains in the near future,” said Pat Pacious, president and chief executive officer. “Our fast-growing footprint and performance results prove that Choice Hotels is well-positioned to help franchisees succeed in more destinations than ever before. Entering Africa is an important milestone in that journey and presents a unique opportunity to bring our world-class hospitality to one of the continent’s fastest-growing hospitality markets.”
Aniket Shroff, who currently franchises with Choice Hotels in the United States, is leading this development, marking his first venture with the company internationally.
“Working with Choice Hotels was an easy decision,” said Shroff. “Beyond a strong global brand portfolio, the company provides the tools, resources, and guidance that have already helped me grow my business. That level of support gives me confidence these hotels will thrive, and it reflects the kind of franchisee partnership built to succeed in both international and domestic markets.”
Portfolio Growth
The addition of the three hotels in Kenya continues the growth of Choice Hotels’ Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) portfolio, which now approaches 64,000 rooms and has grown by 7 percent year-over-year as of Q3.
“As Choice Hotels grows its presence in new markets, we’re creating more opportunities for our franchisees to thrive,” said Ricardo Losada Revol, senior vice president and general manager, international. “It’s a testament to what sets us apart: We deliver the brands and support systems designed to help our franchisees achieve growth and profitability globally.”
As a result of its development momentum, Choice Hotels’ international division now generates approximately $3 billion in gross rooms revenue and is on track to double profitability by 2027. The company continues to be actively engaged in long-term opportunities to further scale its global footprint and broaden market share across high-value regions. Additional milestones for its international portfolio in the last year include:
- The debut of its extended stay business in Australia with the launch of MainStay Suites. This marked the brand’s first expansion outside of North America and grew Choice Hotels’ Australian portfolio to 7,487 rooms and 163 hotels.
- The acquisition of its remaining stake in Choice Hotels Canada, transitioning to a direct franchising model. Choice Hotels’ Canadian portfolio includes 355 hotels and more than 26,000 rooms, with more than 2,800 rooms in the pipeline as of Q3 2025.
- A 20-year renewal of its master franchise agreement with Atlántica Hospitality International in Brazil, which includes 70 hotels with more than 10,000 rooms across segments.
