Can a Global Brand Lift Small-City Hotels? | Hotel Development Philippines | HPC 2026 | Matt

Exclusive interview with Matt Holmes, Vice President of Development, Southeast Asia & Pacific Rim at Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, at the 9th Hospitality Philippines Conference (HPC 2026) in Manila. Key Highlights: 1. Matt Holmes says the 9th Hospitality Philippines Conference has gone incredibly well, with a strong contingent of Filipino owners and developers and positive conversations about potential deal flow and the expansion of the Wyndham brands. It is his first time at the Manila event, after attending the HPC events in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. 2. He explains that Wyndham has 19 hotels across the Philippines, covering primary, secondary and tertiary markets. A strong international brand system helps spread international arrivals from gateway cities out into the regions. 3. He says Wyndham is strong in key feeder markets such as the US and China, so travellers who know and trust the brand are drawn to Wyndham hotels outside the major gateway cities. 4. This helps owners of regional hotels tap into a market they might not otherwise reach. 5. He outlines flexible franchising and conversion pathways for local hotel owners. Each conversion hotel gets its own property improvement plan with owner-friendly terms. 6. He describes the soft brand Trademark Collection by Wyndham as the most efficient way to convert. An independent hotel keeps its current branding while plugging into Wyndham’s brand systems. 7. He says regional infrastructure and hotel development “come hand in hand”. Infrastructure spend helps underwrite feasibility, room rates and occupancy, and Wyndham’s systems help hotels compete for their fair market share. 8. He shares that groundbreakings were held earlier this year for Trip by Wyndham in Samal Island and Trip by Wyndham in Bacolod. Both hotels are under construction and should open in about 18 months. 9. He mentions that the first Wyndham Garden in the Philippines, Wyndham Garden Manila Bay, opened earlier this year. Partner Finmar Hospitality has rolled out Microtel by Wyndham and Trip by Wyndham. 10. He adds that Wyndham would like to expand Ramada, which he says is underrepresented in the Philippines, and see its upscale Wyndham and Wyndham Grand brands in resort, leisure and CBD locations. About Travel And Tour World: Travel And Tour World is a global travel media platform covering travel, tourism, hospitality, aviation, MICE, cruise, and luxury travel, with readership across 195 countries. [Wyndham Philippines, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, hotel development Philippines, hotel franchising, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, Philippine hotel industry, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts Philippines expansion plans, Wyndham 19 hotels Philippines secondary tertiary markets, Trip by Wyndham Samal Island Bacolod groundbreaking, Wyndham Garden Manila Bay opening, Trademark Collection soft brand conversion independent hotels, flexible franchising models for Philippine hotel owners, how to convert my hotel to a Wyndham brand, regional infrastructure hotel development Philippines, Wyndham Ramada Microtel Philippines growth, 9th Hospitality Philippines Conference Wyndham interview, international hotel brands secondary cities Philippines] #WyndhamHotels #WyndhamPhilippines #HotelDevelopment #HotelFranchising #TrademarkCollection #HPC2026 #PhilippineHospitality #HospitalityPhilippines #TravelAndTourWorld