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Today domestic travel is an essential part of the lives of most Americans and there are thousands of businesspeople, families and holidaymakers driving across the States to reach various destinations every day.

But of course with many miles to cover, drivers inevitably have to rest and a handy motel on the roadside will be their first port of call.

That's why investing in a motel franchise could be a great way for aspiring entrepreneurs to enter the hospitality sector. What better way to make a living than to offer weary travellers a warm welcome and a place to stay the night?

Franchisees in the motel industry must have a caring, customer focused manner and be willing to work hard to make sure guests are happy. While extensive training in most aspects of running a motel is provided by the franchiser, such qualities will go a long way towards determining the long-term success of the business.

A motel franchise could be the ideal opportunity for a husband and wife entrepreneurial team, or indeed a close-knit family. Promoting a family atmosphere in the motel will help guests to feel more at home, meaning they are likely to return again.

But of course no matter how homely a motel may be, if it's not in the right location guests will not turn up. Franchisers will help decide where to set up the business, but franchisees should make sure they conduct some thorough research into potential demand for the motel themselves before pushing ahead.

They will need to consider the amount of traffic travelling along a particular stretch of road, and, more importantly, how many of the motorists are likely to need a place to stay. It may be a busy road, but if the journey time is just a few hours there will be no demand for an overnight motel.

Once the motel is up and running franchisees will benefit from ongoing support to turn investment into profits quickly and efficiently. Marketing and advertising help, staff recruitment guidance and financial advice will all be available, but franchisees must be willing to put in a great deal of time and effort to promote their business and keep things running smoothly.

In this sense, franchising may not be for everyone, since there is a lot of pressure to start generating profits quickly and uphold the reputation of the parent company. Franchisees are also restricted in terms of innovation, since the franchiser will have a strict business model it expects franchisees to follow. More adventurous entrepreneurs may therefore find that going it alone will allow them more scope to implement new ideas.

But for those who are attracted by the idea of franchising, and who have the skills, knowledge and determination to run a friendly, successful motel, investing in a motel franchise could be both a lucrative career move and a fulfilling lifestyle choice.

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