Training owners and general managers on site instead of making them travel to Wyndham Hotel Group headquarters is one way Knights Inn is cutting costs. In addition, property owners can now buy KnightLite, a modified yet full-featured version of the SoftHotel property management system, for nearly $4,000 less than the full version. Also introduced at the budget brand's recent conference in Orlando: a new, short-form, reader-friendly version of the Knights Inn franchise agreement.

Travelodge, meanwhile, will extend its marketing efforts from sponsorship of the National Guard race car to professional angler Mark Tyler and professional bull rider Ross Coleman. That way, it hopes to appeal to 40 million bass fishing fans and fans of the fast-growing spectator sport of bull riding.