David Kong Email Address

President and Chief Executive Officer

Best Western International is THE WORLD'S LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN with more than 4,000 hotels in 80 countries and territories. Best Western is a membership association of independently owned and operated hotels that provides marketing, reservations and operational support to its members.

David Kong is the Founder and Principal of DEI Advisors, an Arizona non-profit organization dedicated to empowering personal success. When David Kong retired as President and Chief Executive Officer of BWH Hotel Group (comprised of Best Western Hotels & Resorts, Sure Stay Hotels and WorldHotels) at the end of 2021, he did so as the longest-running CEO of any major hotel company. His leadership and legacy, characterized by a genuine care for people and a passion for hospitality, attracted praise and respect from leading voices across the industry. David led Best Western Hotels and Resorts to unprecedented growth, transforming the company and expanding its portfolio from one brand to 18 distinct brands in every chain scale segment and achieving successive new records in RevPAR and EBIDA growth. Prior to Best Western Hotels & Resorts, David held leadership positions with KPMG Consulting, Hyatt, Omni and Hilton. David has received numerous awards and accolades including the Lifetime Achievement Awards from Business Travel News, International Hotel Investment Forum and UJA Federation in 2022. He was the recipient of the inaugural Arne Sorenson Social Impact Award in 2022. He was also recognized by Hotel Interactive with the Innovator of the Year award and Innovation Award from Guest Lab (Italy). In 2021, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) presented him with the WINiT Best Mentor/Male Coach award. David served as the Chairman of the American Hotel & Lodging Association in 2010 and was appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Advisory Board for three years. He completed the Executive Development Program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Travel Industry Management School at the University of Hawaii.