Choice Hotels International Kicks Off 11th Mastery Tech Summit, Bringing Hands-On AI Experimentation to the Center of Innovation

Rhea-AI Summary

Choice Hotels (NYSE: CHH) opened its 11th annual Mastery technology summit on Feb 27, 2026, convening 800+ associates for a week of hands-on AI, cloud, cybersecurity, and analytics workshops and competitions.

Sessions include AWS AI league, Capture the Flag cybersecurity challenges, Make-a-Thon builds, and community service activities.

Key Figures

Mastery attendees: more than 800 associates Investment savings: more than $750,000 Annual summit count: 11th annual Mastery summit +5 more

8 metrics

Mastery attendees more than 800 associates 2026 Mastery tech and innovation summit participation

Investment savings more than $750,000 Projected investment saved on Hotel Suite modernization using AI-assisted development

Annual summit count 11th annual Mastery summit 2026 technology and innovation summit iteration

Hotel count over 7,500 hotels Global portfolio size cited in article

Room count more than 650,000 rooms Rooms represented across the portfolio

Countries and territories 50 countries and territories Geographic footprint of the system

Brand portfolio 22 brands Number of brands across service segments

Everhome suites open 27 hotels Everhome Suites open properties referenced in history section

Market Reality Check

Price: $105.35 Vol: Volume 507,298 is below t...

normal vol

$105.35 Last Close

Volume Volume 507,298 is below the 20-day average of 666,736 (relative volume 0.76x). normal

Technical Price 107.98 is trading below the 200-day MA at 111.36, after a larger pullback from the 148.98 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

CHH was up 0.51% while peers were mixed: ATAT -0.93%, WH -0.64%, HTHT +2.64%, H ...

CHH was up 0.51% while peers were mixed: ATAT -0.93%, WH -0.64%, HTHT +2.64%, H +0.55%, IHG +0.59%, pointing to company-specific factors around its technology narrative.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Feb 25 (Neutral)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Feb 25	Dividend declaration	Neutral	-1.4%	Quarterly cash dividend of $0.2875 per share announced with April 15 payment.
Feb 24	Marketing partnership	Positive	+2.1%	Route 66 road trip guide launched with Tripadvisor’s Wanderlab to drive travel demand.
Feb 19	Earnings results	Positive	+1.5%	Reported 2025 net income, record adjusted EBITDA and issued 2026 guidance ranges.
Feb 04	Brand prototype update	Positive	+6.1%	Redesigned Everhome Suites prototype targeting lower development cost and more suites.
Feb 02	Brand expansion	Positive	-1.0%	Everhome Suites crossed 27 open properties with new openings in multiple states.

Pattern Detected

Recent news has generally been positive, with three tech/brand or earnings updates seeing gains, but two announcements (dividend and Everhome expansion) saw mild negative reactions, indicating inconsistent trading around otherwise constructive headlines.

Recent Company History

Over the past month, CHH has issued a steady stream of operational and strategic updates. On Feb 2 and Feb 4, Everhome Suites expansion and a redesigned prototype highlighted growth and cost-efficiency. Full-year 2025 results on Feb 19 showed record adjusted EBITDA and detailed 2026 guidance. A Route 66 marketing partnership followed on Feb 24, and a quarterly dividend was declared on Feb 25. Today’s AI-focused Mastery summit continues this tech- and innovation-centric storyline rather than marking a discrete financial catalyst.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement centers on CHH’s Mastery tech summit, emphasizing applied AI, cloud platforms and ...

Analysis

This announcement centers on CHH’s Mastery tech summit, emphasizing applied AI, cloud platforms and data analytics to support franchisee revenue and efficiency. The article cites a prior AI-driven project that saved more than $750,000 and reiterates CHH’s history of digital firsts and full migration to AWS by 2024. In context of recent earnings and development updates, this reinforces a technology-led strategy; investors may watch for future disclosures tying these initiatives to concrete revenue, margin or cost outcomes.

Key Terms

artificial intelligence, cloud-based platforms, cybersecurity, property management system (PMS), +4 more

8 terms

artificial intelligence technical

"associates ... dive into how advancements in artificial intelligence, cloud-based platforms"

Artificial intelligence is the ability of computers and machines to perform tasks that typically require human thinking, such as understanding language, recognizing patterns, or making decisions. For investors, it matters because AI can enhance efficiency, uncover new insights, and enable smarter strategies, potentially impacting the value and performance of companies that develop or utilize this technology.

cloud-based platforms technical

"dive into how advancements in artificial intelligence, cloud-based platforms, data and analytics"

Cloud-based platforms are software and services run on remote computers you access over the internet instead of installing them on your own machine, like renting workspace and tools in a shared building instead of owning a workshop. For investors they matter because they often enable faster growth, predictable subscription revenue, lower upfront costs and easier updates, while introducing dependencies on service providers, internet reliability and data security that can affect a company's value.

cybersecurity technical

"artificial intelligence, cloud-based platforms, data and analytics, cybersecurity, and other emerging technologies"

Cybersecurity involves protecting computers, networks, and digital information from theft, damage, or unauthorized access. It is essential for safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining trust in digital systems, which matters to investors because strong cybersecurity reduces the risk of costly breaches and disruptions that can impact a company’s performance and reputation. Think of it as locking and safeguarding valuable information much like securing a safe to prevent theft.

property management system (PMS) technical

"Choice launched the first cloud-based property management system (PMS), choiceADVANTAGE."

A property management system (PMS) is software that organizes and automates the day-to-day operations of real estate assets — such as apartments, office buildings, or hotels — by tracking bookings or leases, rent and payments, maintenance requests, and tenant or guest records. Like a digital office manager, it matters to investors because a well-run PMS improves occupancy, reduces operating costs and errors, speeds cash collection, and provides data that directly affects revenue, margins and asset value.

central reservation system (CRS) technical

"Choice launched choiceEDGE, the industry's first cloud-based central reservation system (CRS)."

A central reservation system (CRS) is a computerized platform that manages and distributes bookings for hotels, airlines, car rentals and other travel services, acting like a single switchboard that tracks availability, prices and confirmations across multiple sales channels. Investors care because a CRS shapes how easily a business fills capacity, controls pricing, collects customer data and connects to third-party sites — all of which directly affect revenue, distribution costs and operational efficiency.

AWS technical

"first major hotel company to commit to being 100% on AWS (Amazon Web Services) Cloud."

AWS is a major cloud computing platform that rents on-demand computing power, data storage and software tools to businesses and governments so they can run applications and store data without owning and maintaining lots of hardware. It matters to investors because cloud services tend to generate steady, recurring revenue and influence a company’s growth and profit margins—think of it like businesses renting utility-style IT capacity instead of buying the power plant.

revenue management solution financial

"launched ChoiceMAX, an award-winning AI mobile-first revenue management solution."

A revenue management solution is software and a set of practices that help a company set prices, forecast customer demand, and decide how much product or service to offer at different times to maximize income. Think of it like a restaurant deciding how many tables to sell and what prices to charge at lunch versus dinner. It matters to investors because effective revenue management can increase profitability, make cash flow more predictable, and improve the reliability of future earnings used to value a business.

generative AI technical

"leveraging generative AI and a "vibe coding" development approach to fully reimagine the application."

Generative AI is a type of computer technology that can create new content, like text, images, or music, on its own. It’s important because it can produce realistic and useful material quickly, which could change how we create art, write stories, or even develop new products. Think of it as a smart robot that can invent and produce things almost like a human.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Week‑long event puts teams in build mode—hacking, testing, and applying AI solutions to pressure test new technologies against real business challenges.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest lodging franchisors and a leading hospitality technology company, kicks off "Mastery" today, its 11^th annual technology and innovation summit. Throughout the week-long event, more than 800 associates will gather to work in real time, solving business challenges through hands-on workshops, collaborative competitions, and knowledge-sharing sessions—focused on helping franchisees drive revenue, reduce costs, and operate more efficiently.

This year, Choice Hotels associates from all across the company will dive into how advancements in artificial intelligence, cloud-based platforms, data and analytics, cybersecurity, and other emerging technologies can strengthen business intelligence, enhance security, support on-property operations, and continue scaling Choice Hotels' proprietary tools and systems.

At Mastery, interactive challenges such as "Capture the Flag" (a scavenger‑hunt‑style cybersecurity challenge) and AWS AI league, a high‑energy, hands‑on competition where participants rapidly build real‑world AI solutions using AWS tools, will test participants' problem-solving and AI capabilities. During the summit's Make-a-Thon competitions, engineers will develop and present new software products designed to enhance company and hotel operations and guest experiences. Winning teams will earn cash prizes, with top innovations considered for company-wide deployment.

"At its core, Mastery is about designing technical capabilities that will shape the next chapter of hospitality," said Brian Kirkland, Chief Information Officer, Choice Hotels International.  "By engaging associates across the organization—not just engineers—we're unlocking new opportunities to apply AI and emerging technologies to real business challenges. That collective investment in talent and expertise is accelerating innovation across the Choice Hotels system and translating into dependable, practical tools that help franchisees operate more efficiently, make smarter decisions, and grow their businesses with confidence."

A winning project from last year's Mastery event demonstrated how emerging technologies can deliver tangible business impact. In 2025, Choice Hotels' technology organization faced a major initiative to modernize  Hotel Suite, a legacy, web‑based system used across the company's entire property portfolio. The effort focused on updating and reimagining a critical platform that had become increasingly complex to maintain and evolve. Initial estimates projected the Hotel Suite modernization would take more than a year using traditional development approaches. Instead, a cross‑functional engineering team applied lessons from Mastery 2025, leveraging generative AI and a "vibe coding" development approach to fully reimagine the application. The team not only dramatically accelerated the delivery, but also modernized the user interface and delivered the first business‑critical, end‑user‑facing application at Choice Hotels to reach production using an AI‑assisted development model — cutting timelines by months, and saving more than $750,000 in projected investment.

History of Innovation
Choice Hotels brings a decades-long legacy of innovation to the hospitality industry, from introducing the first hotel website with real-time rates and availability and launching the first hotel app for the iPhone, to creating the first mobile-friendly rate management tool for operators and fully migrating its platforms to the cloud. Through Mastery, that innovation is put into practice—leveraging technology to give owners tools that simplify operations, strengthen competitiveness, and allow them to focus on delivering great stays for guests.

Choice Hotels has built and introduced industry-first, owner-facing technologies, including:

• In 1995, Choice launched the first hotel website with real-time rate and availability information.
• In 2003, Choice launched the first cloud-based property management system (PMS), choiceADVANTAGE.
• In 2009, Choice released the first hotel app for iOS.
• In 2014, Choice became the first hotel company to offer instant booking on TripAdvisor. That same year, Choice was the only hotel company listed on Forbes' Top 100 Most Innovative Growth Companies.
• In 2016, Choice became the first hotel company to offer immediate in-app gift card downloads.
• In 2018, Choice launched choiceEDGE, the industry's first cloud-based central reservation system (CRS).
• In 2019, Choice became the first hotel company to commit to being 100% on AWS (Amazon Web Services) Cloud.
• In 2021, Choice launched ChoiceMAX, an award-winning AI mobile-first revenue management solution.
• In 2024, Choice announced the closure of its last data center, making it the first major hotel company to migrate its entire system infrastructure to AWS.
• In 2025, Choice introduced Choice Maps, an AI-driven platform that analyzes proprietary data to help identify high-demand markets and inform development strategy

In addition to fueling innovation, Mastery also brings associates together for a community service event, Bey's Blessing: The Choice to Impact. During the event, attendees will partner with local nonprofit Bey's Blessings to assemble comfort kits for members of the unsheltered community, with additional activities supporting the organization.

 About Choice Hotels®
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world, with over 7,500 hotels, representing more than 650,000 rooms, in 50 countries and territories. A wide-ranging portfolio of 22 brands that includes full-service upper upscale, midscale, extended stay, and economy properties enables Choice® to meet travelers' needs in more places and for more occasions while driving more value for franchise owners and shareholders. The award-winning Choice Privileges® rewards program and co-brand credit card options provide members with a fast and easy way to earn reward nights and personalized perks. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/choice-hotels-international-kicks-off-11th-mastery-tech-summit-bringing-hands-on-ai-experimentation-to-the-center-of-innovation-302699731.html

SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.

FAQ

What is Choice Hotels announcing at the Mastery summit on Feb 27, 2026 (CHH)?

Choice Hotels launched its 11th Mastery summit on Feb 27, 2026 to drive hands-on AI experimentation and tech innovation. According to Choice Hotels, the week-long event gathers 800+ associates for competitions, workshops, and prototype builds to solve real franchisee business challenges.

How will the Mastery 2026 events like AWS AI league affect Choice Hotels' operations (CHH)?

Mastery 2026 emphasizes rapid prototyping and AI-assisted solutions to improve operations and business intelligence. According to Choice Hotels, competitions like AWS AI league and Make-a-Thon focus on building deployable tools that can enhance on-property operations and franchisee efficiency.

What concrete outcome did Choice Hotels cite from Mastery 2025 that investors should note (CHH)?

Choice Hotels reported a Hotel Suite modernization that used AI-assisted development, cutting timelines by months and saving more than $750,000 in projected investment. According to Choice Hotels, the project reached production faster and modernized a key user-facing application.

How many Choice Hotels associates are participating in Mastery 2026 and what are the main activities (CHH)?

More than 800 Choice Hotels associates are participating in Mastery 2026 in hands-on workshops, cybersecurity Capture the Flag events, AWS AI league competitions, Make-a-Thon product builds, and community service activities. According to Choice Hotels, activities target revenue, cost, and operational improvements.

Will Mastery 2026 innovations be considered for company-wide deployment at Choice Hotels (CHH)?

Yes, winning Mastery projects are eligible for company-wide deployment and cash prizes for teams. According to Choice Hotels, top innovations from competitions will be evaluated for broader rollout to support franchise operations and guest experience improvements.

What community activities are included in Choice Hotels' Mastery summit on Feb 27, 2026 (CHH)?

Mastery includes a community service event partnering with Bey's Blessings to assemble comfort kits for the unsheltered community and other volunteer activities. According to Choice Hotels, the initiative is part of the summit’s community engagement and team-building efforts.