Doug Collins (CEO America's Best Franchising, Inc.) and P.J. Patel (VP Worldwide Operations Parkside Hotels & Resorts LLC)

Atlanta-based America’s Best Franchising Inc. and London-based Parkside Hotels & Resorts have signed a long-term agreement under which America’s Best Franchising is licensed to develop, franchise, and operate “Parkside” hotels worldwide, effective June 2, 2011.

In the process, America’s Best Franchising will also co-market the 25 existing Parkside properties around the world that have a total of about 1,200 guest rooms. Only one of the properties is located in the United States – in Incline, Nevada, near Lake Tahoe – while seven are in the Philippines, three in India, two each in Russia and Vietnam, and one each in Bangladesh, Belize, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Iceland, Israel, Italy, and Pakistan.

The announcement was made as part of an owners and general managers meeting being held by America’s Best Franchising in Atlanta through tomorrow, June 3. Attending the conference are more than 200 people from the company’s almost 300 properties around the world.

“Parkside is an established and respected brand whose properties are typically upper economy or higher, so the name and the niche is a strong fit for our expertise,” explains Doug Collins, Chairman and CEO of America’s Best Franchising, whose company has grown with a steady targeted strategy since its 1995 purchase of the upper economy Country Hearth Inns & Suites brand.

Collins added other upper economy brands with the purchase of America’s Best Inns & Suites in 2005 plus in licensing agreements with Budgetel Inns & Suites in 2008 and with Vagabond Inns & Suites in 2009. He created the 3 Palms brand in 2008 for independent hotels and resorts.

“Business and leisure travelers around the world want dependable accommodations at an affordable price,” adds Collins, whose company already operates properties in Argentina, Canada, China, India, and Nigeria. “Our brands provide this level of proven value both to franchisees and to the traveling public.”

Attendees at the America’s Best Franchising conference are hearing from numerous industry speakers including Joe McInerney, President of the American Hotel & Lodging Association; Fred Schwartz, President of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association; Greg Plank, President of Worldwide Travel Marketing; and Don Snyder, social media expert.

There have also been a variety of panel discussions and educational breakout sessions.