It was great to see you at this year’s Fall Regional Meetings; I believe they were a success. ELFA has worked hard over the past year to encourage Choice to do single brand marketing, as you were able to see at your Fall Regional meeting this program is well underway, as well as many more fall promotions for our Brand. Thank from full ELFA board to all gold, platinum and apex award winners like see more Next year Gold, platinum and apex award winner from Econo Lodges, Personally thanks to all of you again.

Expedia Update--- As your representation with Choice, ELFA is working hard with Choice to make sure that all negotiations are in good faith and benefit our membership. Choice is also updating this situation daily on Choicecentral.com and I would like to encourage each of you to log on to see this information. Choice is continuing to work on this situation, and we have been advised that the Expedia/Hotels.com business is being re-routed to more efficient channels as well as they are continuing to work on the marketing and promotion of our hotels. Another step in our marketing efforts can also be seen from October 19th-26th there will be a new 6 brand marketing advertising that includes Econo Lodge. To help increase our Internet business if you do receive a letter from Expedia/hotels.com, please do not sign this letter and contact the Choice Marketing department.

Choice Advantage-- Our Technology committee has been working diligently on perfecting the ChoiceAdvantage module, and spigit is a great way for us to communicate our need, as we mentioned in our summer newsletter. Please log onto ChoiceAdvantage and see what Spigit is all about! As of January 2010, Choice Advantage’s monthly rate will be increasing; ELFA Board and my self continued request to choice sr management team this increase to happen in the 3rd quarter of 2010, due to the current economic situation.

LRA and Education Update Both of these committees have worked hard on reviewing any changes that will impact, you our licensees with emphasis on the new changes to the LRA form. Please take a moment and contact your BPC so that you can review this new form and ask them any questions that you may have. If did able to contact your BPC, please contact your Regional Director or myself. As of January 1st, 2010 each property is required to have their manager certified, and this information will be requested by your LRA inspector, so please keep your certification at the front desk. Approved certifications one of this CHA, CLM, CHO, & HOST.

Co-op Update--- As we all know, joining your local co-op can increase revenue to your hotel, currently your Co-op monies are used 80% for internet marketing, and the remaining 20% is used for co-branded adverting.

Room Condition Update--- Please make sure that you carefully read through the kits that were sent to your property, as well as the 36 elements. Each hotel will also need to go to Choicecentral.com and take the tests for room condition, one by Manager and other from any one know in room condition once completed you will receive a certificate for each completed test. LRA will also be asking for copies of these both room condition certificates, so please keep them with your certification at the front desk.

Bill Board Marketing Program---- This program was very successful for Econo Lodges in this current economy, it is given us more brand exposure, impressions, and revenue, please contact Choice directly about any bill board fund availability this year for 2010.

Once again, it was great meeting each of you at this year’s Fall Regional meetings. Please take a moment to also look through our membership book, and advise your regional director which information you would like to see in 2010, this information is also available on ELFA.org, which also has many tools to help you and your hotels succeed in this economy including our Allied Vendor program, which offers special discounts to our membership. If you have any questions about ELFA or what is happening with Choice, please don’t hesitate to contact myself, or your regional director. Please Joint ELFA membership we need you ever than before Thank you again for your continued support.