The call center consolidation is the result of a global study of reservations trends conducted by Best Western and validated by KPMG Consulting.  Best Western will continue to operate its worldwide call centers located in Phoenix, Dublin, Ireland, Milan, Italy and Sydney, Australia.   Phoenix is also the location of Best Western�s world headquarters and the company�s information systems operations. As part of the consolidation, the company plans to open a satellite center in Phoenix to serve as a disaster recovery facility.

�Today is a difficult day for us, this was a business decision and is in no way a reflection on the talent and ability of our employees at these centers,� said Jim Evans, president and CEO of Best Western.  �The decision to close these two call centers was based on travel industry trends that clearly indicate customers� increased use of web sites and other booking channels.  This in turn, has led to a sharp decline in reservations booked through our call centers over the past several years,� added Evans. 

Best Western is offering affected employees severance packages based on length of employment and includes payout on accrued vacation and sick time, continuation of 401K benefits for the duration of employment and outplacement services.

Best Western is the world�s largest hotel chain, as of its third fiscal quarter ending August 31, it had 4,065 hotels in 82 countries and territories.  It is a membership association of independently owned and operated hotels that provides marketing, reservations and operational support to its members.