Above: Terry Farmer, President

Pressroom

Tuesday, September 19, 2000

STAY 'N SAVE CHANGES NAME TO ACCENT INNS

VICTORIA, B.C., SEPTEMBER 19, 2000 - A brand new name in British Columbia's tourism and hospitality sector was announced today by award-winning hotelier Terry Farmer. Launch events were held in Victoria, Vancouver, Kamloops and Kelowna to kick off the Accent Inns brand, a new flag for the long-established Stay 'n Save Inns chain.

"After 14 successful years as Stay 'n Save, this was the right time to revitalize our brand with a name change, " said Farmer, President and CEO of Accent Inns. While corporate name changes often signal changes to ownership or management, that is not the case with the switch from Stay 'n Save to Accent Inns. The five-property chain launched in 1986 by brothers Terry and Murray Farmer with cousin Brian Scroggs remains 100 per cent family-owned and run.

Stay 'n Save Inns have often been cited as a made-in-BC tourism success story. "With the growing economic importance of tourism all across the province, strong and forward-looking BC-based companies like Stay 'n Save are smart to position themselves for the enormous growth opportunities ahead, " said Rod Harris, President and CEO of Tourism BC.

The company has been considering a name change for some time, according to Farmer. "We take pride in the extremely positive comments we're constantly hearing from our guests. But they I've also told us that the name Stay 'n Save doesn't communicate our high quality. "In addition to reading hundreds of guest comment cards and consulting with front line staff, Stay 'n Save also did consumer research.

"We're in the people business, so when our guests tell us something, we listen, " said Farmer. "We found that people looking for affordable,high quality accommodation loved virtually everything about Stay 'n Save-except the name. It was a big decision to make this change, but it's right in line with the common sense business strategy that's always worked for us: find out what makes your customers happy and make sure you're delivering it."

The BC-based company has performed strongly in competition with bigger chains run from outside the province. More than 300,000 guestseach year check into the chain's five locations, which boast an average year-round occupancy rate of 75 per cent-well above the province-wide average for the industry. With a total of 635 rooms, the chain contributes more than one million dollars in property taxes and employs 160 people.

"The Stay 'n Save name has always stood for great value, and that will always remain our commitment, " said Farmer, who was recognized forhis professional achieve-ments with the prestigious Ernst & Young award for Entrepreneur of the Year in Hospitality and Tourism (Pacific Region) in 1998. "But the Accent Inns brand name better matches what we stand for: quality where it counts."

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Contact:
Terry Farmer
President and CEO, Accent Inns Inc.

(250) 360-1511

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