Radisson Hotel Group

Predecessors

Curt Carlson, founder of the namesake company, bought the Radisson Hotel in downtown Minneapolis in 1962.[9][10] Over the next few decades, the hotel division of Carlson expanded into one of the world's largest hotel corporations.[11] In addition to Radisson Hotels, the division owned several other brands, such as Park Inn, Park Plaza (acquired in 2000), and Country Inns & Suites (founded by Carlson in 1986).

In 1994, the division expanded into the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) market by signing a franchise agreement with SAS Group's SAS International Hotels (SIH). This agreement led to the creation of the co-brand Radisson SAS, which was rebranded as Radisson Blu in 2009. The European partner, which eventually became the Rezidor Hotel Group, grew significantly and became a publicly listed company in 2006. Carlson became the parent company of Rezidor in 2010.

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group

From January 2012, the combined global operations were marketed as the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. The group introduced new brands, including Quorvus Collection and Radisson Red, in 2014.[12]

In April 2016, Carlson Companies sold the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group to HNA Tourism Group, a division of the Chinese conglomerate HNA Group.[13]

Radisson Hotel Group and 2022 Split

In 2018, the group was rebranded to its current name, Radisson Hotel Group. Later that year, HNA Group sold the company to Aplite Holdings AB, a consortium led by the Chinese state-owned company Jin Jiang International.[8]

In June 2022, Radisson Hotel Group announced the sale of its entire Americas division to Choice Hotels for $675 million. The deal, which closed on August 11, 2022, included the Radisson brand rights and all hotel operations in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean.[7] This transaction effectively split the company into two separate entities. Following the sale, Radisson Hotel Group (Brussels) and Radisson Hotels Americas (Choice Hotels) became two fully independent companies with distinct corporate structures, loyalty programs, and regional operations, though they share a common brand heritage.

Divested Brands

As part of the 2022 sale of Radisson Hotels Americas to Choice Hotels, the following brand is now owned and operated by Choice Hotels in the Americas and is no longer part of the Brussels-based Radisson Hotel Group portfolio.

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson was established by Carlson Companies in 1986 as a midscale brand.[10] The brand was primarily located in the Americas, and its ownership and operations were transferred to Choice Hotels as part of the 2022 acquisition. In January 2018, the chain was rebranded from "Country Inns & Suites by Carlson" to its current name.[16]