Annual Charity Golf Tournament set to tee off on Thursday, July 09^th, 2026, in support of ALS Society of BC and the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Vancouver, B.C. – March 25^th, 2026 – Coast Hotels Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of APA Hotel Canada, Inc. and one of North America’s fastest-growing and one of Canada’s largest hotel brands, is excited to announce the upcoming 24^th Annual Coast Hotels Shuhachi Naito Golf Classic, which is set to take place on Thursday, July 09^th, 2026, at Tsawwassen Springs Golf Club, located in Delta, BC.

This event is being held to support the ALS Society of British Columbia and the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre and will help fund both non-profit organizations’ valuable and important work.

The annual golf tournament is one of the biggest events for Coast Hotels and has well surpassed $1.4m in funds donated to charities since its inception. This year’s Golf Classic will once again feature exciting activities, raffles, auctions, and prizes for all participants.

“We’re thrilled to be hosting the 24^th Annual Coast Hotels Shuhachi Naito Golf Classic again this summer,” said Mark Hope, Executive Advisor and Golf Classic Organizer for Coast Hotels. “This event is a great opportunity for golfers of all skill levels to come together and support two worthy causes. We’re looking forward to a day of fun and fundraising, and we hope to see a great turnout.”

Registration for the tournament will open in late April, and golfers can sign up individually or as a team. Participants will enjoy a round of golf, lunch, and dinner, and plenty of opportunities to win prizes. Corporate sponsorship opportunities are available for businesses and organizations looking to support both non-profit organizations.

“We’re grateful for the support of our hospitality partners, sponsors, and volunteers who make this annual event possible,” added Mark Hope. “We couldn’t do it without them, and we’re excited to see the impact that this year’s tournament will have on the two charities and the people and communities they serve.”

For more information about the 24^th Annual Coast Hotels Shuhachi Naito Golf Classic or to pre-register as a sponsor or participant, please contact Mark Hope at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." data-linkindex="10">'+addy_text17228+'<\/a>'; //--> . We hope to see you on the greens!

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About Coast Hotels

Each Coast Hotel property is as unique as the destinations they are located in, yet they all have something in common: friendly service and our always pleasant amenities. Coast Hotels offers properties throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, Alaska, California, Hawaii, and Washington State in cities large and small. As one of North America’s fastest-growing hotel brands, Coast Hotels owes its continued expansion to its friendly service, prime locations, value, and guest satisfaction. Coast Hotels owns and franchises hotels under the Coast Hotels brand and manages hotels on both a Coast Hotels branded and independent basis.

About APA Hotels

Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, APA has a network of more than 930 properties and over 132,000 rooms in Japan, making it the country’s largest hotel group. It also has one hundred percent ownership of Coast Hotels, the brand, and owns the seven “by APA” hotels in Vancouver, Victoria, Chilliwack, Prince George, Edmonton, Calgary, and Seattle. APA is recognized for its urban-style hotel concept, delivering high-quality, highly functional, and environmentally friendly hotels to the market.

Visit www.coasthotels.com or call 1.800.663.1144.

Choice Hotels International, Inc. ("Choice Hotels" or "the Company") (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest lodging franchisors, today announced a leadership transition under which Patrick Pacious will step down as President and Chief Executive Officer. Pacious will serve as an advisor to the Company through August 31, 2026, to support the transition. The Company’s Board of Directors has appointed Dominic Dragisich, Chief Growth & Strategy Officer, as Interim Chief Executive Officer, effective May 20, 2026.
The Board will conduct a comprehensive search in partnership with a leading executive search firm to identify the Company’s next Chief Executive Officer and will consider all qualified internal and external candidates.
Over the course of his nearly 21-year tenure with Choice Hotels, including as President and Chief Executive Officer since 2017, Pacious has led a period of significant growth and transformation for the Company. Under his leadership, Choice Hotels expanded its portfolio from 11 to 22 brands, grew its presence in the upscale and extended-stay segments through the acquisitions of WoodSpring Suites and Radisson Hotels Americas, established a high growth direct franchising international platform, advanced franchisee-focused technology and digital initiatives, and more than doubled adjusted EBITDA.
“Leading Choice Hotels has been the greatest privilege of my career,” said Pacious. “Together, we have built a higher-quality portfolio of hotels, a more accretive, diverse pipeline, and a capital-light model that enables the Company to capture significant opportunities ahead. Having laid the foundation for a customer-centric, AI-enabled business, in alignment with our long-term strategic plan, now is the right time for a new leader to guide Choice Hotels into its next phase of growth. I look forward to partnering with the Board, Dom and the entire leadership team to facilitate a smooth transition.”
“Pat’s leadership has helped define a new era for Choice Hotels. Through strategic acquisitions, disciplined portfolio growth, international expansion, and a relentless focus on franchisee success, Choice has become a more resilient and diversified company,” said Stewart W. Bainum, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Directors for Choice Hotels International. “On behalf of the Board, the Bainum family and other shareholders, we thank Pat for his leadership, vision, and many contributions.”
Bainum added, “Choice Hotels is a stronger Company today with a solid operational and financial foundation, a talented leadership team and significant long-term growth potential. The Board has full confidence in Dom’s leadership and the Company’s continued momentum as we conduct a comprehensive search process for Choice’s next CEO.”
Before becoming Chief Growth & Strategy Officer, Dragisich previously served as EVP, Operations and Chief Global Brand Officer and as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer from 2017 to 2023. Dragisich has helped lead the Company’s strategic evolution, overseeing transformative acquisitions and other major growth initiatives to enhance long-term value.
“I am honored to step into the role of Interim CEO and look forward to building on the Company’s strong foundation. We remain focused on delivering long-term value for our franchisees and shareholders and creating great experiences for our guests and associates,” said Dragisich.
In connection with today’s announcement, the Company is reaffirming its full-year 2026 financial outlook provided in the Company’s first quarter 2026 earnings results reported on April 30, 2026. The Company remains focused on executing its strategic priorities, driving franchisee success, and delivering long-term shareholder value.

Following up on our Guest Satisfaction Award winners that we shared at the end of April, Choice Hotels Canada is further recognizing some of our top-performing hotels – our Canadian Hotel of the Year and four International Best of Choice winners. Full details for each property is attached, but the highlights include:

• Quality Suites in Drummondville, QC – Named Choice Hotels Canada's 2026 Canadian Hotel of the Year. It was selected from among the company's Platinum Guest Satisfaction Award winners, which represent the top 3% of more than 350 Canadian hotels. The property is a repeat Canadian Hotel of the Year winner and was previously named International Best of Choice winner for the Quality brand.
• Best of Choice awards are among Choice Hotels International’s most coveted accolades, with recipients selected for their commitment to superior guest service and operational excellence. One hotel winner was selected from each Choice Hotels brand segment in the company’s domestic and international portfolio.
  • Quality Inn & Suites in Lévis, QC – Recipient of a 2026 International Best of Choice Award for the Quality brand from Choice Hotels International. Notably, the hotel shares ownership with this year's Canadian Hotel of the Year winner.
  • Comfort Inn & Suites in Terrace, BC – Winner of a 2026 International Best of Choice Award for the Comfort brand. The hotel was also named Choice Hotels Canada's Hotel of the Year in 2023.
  • Park Inn by Radisson Calgary Airport North in Calgary, AB – Winner of a 2026 International Best of Choice Award for the Park Inn by Radisson brand.
  • Country Inn & Suites by Radisson in Belleville, ON – Winner of a 2026 International Best of Choice Award for the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson brand. The property also received the Best of Choice distinction in 2024.

TORONTO, May 26, 2026 /CNW/ - Rendez-vous Canada (RVC) is set to welcome a record number of international travel buyers and Canadian tourism sellers in Toronto from May 26 to 29, 2026, signaling unprecedented global interest in Canada's tourism experiences.

The tradeshow is a major driver of tourism revenue and international trade. Travel and tourism revenue is projected to increase by 6 per cent and reach $140.9 billion this year according to the Canadian Tourism Outlook Report, produced by Destination Canada and Tourism Economics.

As one of Canada's top service exports, tourism is projected to contribute nine to 10 per cent (up to $30 billion) toward Canada's goal of securing an additional $300 billion in non-US exports by 2035. Tourism's opportunity to contribute to Canada's trade diversification efforts starts on the tradeshow floor, where Canadian sellers (attractions, hotels, and Destination Marketing Organizations) will connect with international buyers (travel agents and tour operators). More than 60,000 of these business to business appointments will connect Canadian tourism experiences to global markets.

All of Canada's target markets attend Rendez-vous Canada, which is experiencing increased interest from markets including Brazil, France and China since Canada's Approved Destination Status (ADS) was reinstated in November 2025. Registration from American buyers is strong and overall buyer registration from all markets is at an all-time high.

Rendez-vous Canada 2026 by the numbers:

• Over 1,400 attendees registered
• 500+ buyers from 24 international markets (100+ more buyers than 2025)
• 900+ sellers representing more than 500 Canadian tourism organizations, including Indigenous entrepreneurs
• 60,000+ pre-scheduled business-to-business appointments

Hosting Rendez-vous Canada in Toronto will deliver strong economic and sector benefits.

• The preliminary direct economic impact is approximately $6.7M
• An additional $5.7M comes from estimated indirect and induced impacts — that is business-to-business activity resulting from the direct impact
• More than 4,000 hotel room nights secured in Toronto
• The 2025 event in Winnipeg generated an estimated $4.6M in economic impact and $89.6M in business was signed over three days in 2025.

Spotlight on Toronto and Ontario Tourism Businesses:

Rendez-vous Canada is an opportunity to showcase Toronto's diverse culinary scene, culturally rich neighbourhoods, and year-round lineup of attractions, festivals, and sporting events to over 500 buyers and tour operators from key global markets. This year's event also comes ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026™, giving buyers a firsthand look at how Toronto is preparing to welcome the world.

Last year, Toronto welcomed a record 28.2 million visitors, generating an all-time high of $9.1 billion in visitor spending. International arrivals were the city's fastest-growing segment, rising 8 per cent to 1.4 million visitors, led by strong growth from the U.K. and Germany. Hosting international buyers helps strengthen demand in established markets like Europe and Mexico while expanding opportunities in Asia. To support continued growth and diversification, Destination Toronto has increased visibility and accelerated in-market activity in the U.K., Germany and Mexico alongside the critical U.S. market.

More than 85 Ontario tourism businesses and organizations will participate in the marketplace, meeting with international buyers to build relationships and secure future visitation for destinations and experiences across the province.

Hosting Rendez-vous Canada 2026 in Ontario provides an important opportunity to strengthen international partnerships and showcase the diversity of experiences available throughout the province, from outdoor adventure and Indigenous tourism to culinary, cultural and major event experiences.

In addition to attending RVC, approximately 215 buyers and travel trade media will take part in 17 pre- and post-familiarization tours throughout Ontario. These immersive journeys will introduce participants to destinations and experiences across the province, offering first-hand opportunities to experience Ontario's vibrant communities, iconic attractions and diverse tourism offerings.