Last Updated on July 25, 2026 by Daniel Globe
Radisson is a familiar hotel name, but it no longer has one owner worldwide. A major ownership split took place in 2022, so the company behind a Radisson property now depends on where the hotel is located. This guide explains the current owners, the key transactions, and what the split means for guests.
Quick Answer
Radisson ownership is split by region. Choice Hotels International owns and controls the Radisson brands in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Outside the Americas, the brands are owned by Radisson Hotel Group, which is majority owned by China’s Jin Jiang International.
Key Takeaways
- Choice Hotels owns the Radisson brands in the Americas.
- Radisson Hotel Group owns the brands outside the Americas and is majority owned by Jin Jiang International.
- The 2018 Jin Jiang transaction did not remain the final worldwide ownership structure because the Americas business was sold in 2022.
- The company that owns a brand may not own the land or hotel building; many properties are franchised or managed for independent owners.
- Booking websites and loyalty programs can differ by region.
Who Owns Radisson Hotels Today?
The most accurate answer is regional. Choice Hotels states that it owns the Radisson brands in the Americas. The same official page explains that the brands outside the Americas are owned by Radisson Hotel Group, an unaffiliated company headquartered in Belgium.
| Region | Brand owner or controlling group | Typical booking and rewards system |
|---|---|---|
| United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean | Choice Hotels International | ChoiceHotels.com and participating Choice Privileges benefits |
| Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific | Radisson Hotel Group, majority owned by Jin Jiang International | RadissonHotels.com and participating Radisson Rewards benefits |
Note: “Radisson Hotels” may refer to the Radisson brand, the wider family of Radisson-branded hotels, or Radisson Hotel Group. Always check the property’s region and booking page before assuming which parent company or rewards program applies.
The History and Growth of Radisson Hotels
The first Radisson Hotel opened in Minneapolis in 1909. It was not founded by Curtis L. Carlson. Carlson entered the hotel business decades later, first taking an interest in the Minneapolis property and then acquiring it fully in 1962. He used the Radisson name to build a much larger hotel network.
The European side of the modern group developed through SAS International Hotels and the Rezidor organization. According to Radisson Hotel Group’s official history, Carlson acquired the Minneapolis Radisson in 1962, partnered with SAS International Hotels in 1986, increased its ownership in Rezidor over time, and created the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group name in 2012.
How Jin Jiang Became Radisson Hotel Group’s Majority Owner
HNA Tourism Group acquired Carlson Hotels in 2016. In 2018, a consortium led by Jin Jiang International agreed to buy Radisson Holdings and major shareholdings in Radisson Hospitality AB. The transaction closed in stages, and Radisson’s own corporate timeline records the completion of the share acquisition in 2019.
The original article’s claim that the deal was worth approximately $1.4 billion is not supported by the official transaction announcement. The disclosed terms included a price of SEK 35 per share for the initial Radisson Hospitality AB stake, while the purchase price for all of Radisson Holdings was not publicly stated in that announcement.
The 2022 Sale of Radisson Hotels Americas to Choice Hotels
The ownership picture changed again on August 11, 2022. Choice Hotels completed its acquisition of Radisson Hotels Americas for approximately $675 million. The deal covered the franchise business, operations, and intellectual property in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
The transaction included nine brands in the Americas: Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson Individuals, Park Plaza, Radisson RED, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Park Inn by Radisson, Radisson Inn & Suites, and Radisson Collection. Choice said it would independently own and control those brands in the region.
What Jin Jiang Owns and What Choice Hotels Owns
Jin Jiang did not lose its entire Radisson investment when the Americas business was sold. It remains the majority owner of Radisson Hotel Group, which operates and develops the brand family across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. Choice Hotels separately owns and controls the corresponding brand rights in the Americas.
This arrangement allows the same familiar hotel names to appear in different regions under different corporate owners. It also means that a traveler moving between regions may encounter different reservation systems, loyalty rules, customer-service channels, promotions, and brand websites.
Does the Parent Company Own Every Radisson Hotel Building?
No. Brand ownership and real-estate ownership are different. A parent company may own the trademarks, reservation platform, brand standards, and franchise system without owning the land or building for every hotel.
Many branded hotels are owned by independent real-estate companies or local investors. The property may then operate under a franchise agreement or a hotel-management agreement. As a result, the owner of a specific Radisson building can be different from both Choice Hotels and Jin Jiang.
Pro Tip: To identify the legal owner of a specific hotel, check the property’s website footer, terms and conditions, local property records, or business-registration documents. The Radisson name alone identifies the brand, not necessarily the building owner.
What the Ownership Split Means for Guests
Booking Websites
Radisson properties in the Americas are generally listed through Choice Hotels’ booking system. Properties in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific are generally listed through Radisson Hotel Group’s website. Confirm the region before signing in or transferring a reservation.
Loyalty Programs
Participating Radisson properties in the Americas use Choice Privileges, while participating properties outside the Americas use Radisson Rewards. Benefits, earning rates, redemption options, elite recognition, and participating-property rules can differ.
Customer Service and Policies
Cancellation rules, promotions, gift cards, and member benefits may be administered by different companies. The terms shown on the specific property’s booking page should control your reservation.
How Large Is Radisson Today?
A single worldwide total can be misleading because the business is split and companies may count either open hotels alone or open hotels plus projects under development. Radisson Hotel Group reports more than 1,640 hotels and over 259,770 rooms in operation and under development across more than 100 countries and territories in EMEA and Asia-Pacific, based on its March 2026 databook.
Radisson Hotel Group reports more than 1,640 hotels in operation and under development across ten brands in EMEA and Asia-Pacific.
Choice Hotels’ Radisson brand page separately says the Radisson brand has more than 100 hotels across North and South America. These figures describe different portfolios and should not be added together as though they use the same counting method.
What the Ownership Structure Means Going Forward
Radisson remains a global hotel name, but its future is being shaped by two separate parent-company systems. Jin Jiang-backed Radisson Hotel Group is focused on EMEA and Asia-Pacific, while Choice Hotels controls the brands in the Americas. Both can expand the Radisson name in their territories, but their loyalty programs, technology platforms, development strategies, and operating priorities may continue to differ.
For travelers, the practical lesson is simple: check the region, booking platform, and rewards program attached to the individual hotel. For investors, franchisees, and property owners, the relevant licensor or management company depends on where the proposed hotel is located.
For additional travel preparation, see this guide to the best power bank for international travel.
Sources
- Choice Hotels: Radisson hotels in Latin America and the Caribbean — confirms the current regional ownership split.
- Choice Hotels: Completion of the Radisson Hotels Americas acquisition — confirms the 2022 buyer, territory, brands, and approximate purchase price.
- Radisson Hotel Group: Global presence — provides current portfolio, room, country, and ownership information.
- Radisson Hotel Group: Company history — supports the Carlson, Rezidor, HNA, Jin Jiang, and Choice Hotels timeline.
- Jin Jiang International: 2018 acquisition announcement — documents the structure and disclosed per-share terms of the transaction.
- Choice Hotels: About the company — confirms Choice Hotels’ corporate headquarters location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Radisson Hotels?
Choice Hotels International owns the Radisson brands in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Outside the Americas, the brands are owned by Radisson Hotel Group, which is majority owned by Jin Jiang International.
Does Jin Jiang own Radisson hotels in the United States?
No. Choice Hotels owns and controls the Radisson brands in the United States and the rest of the Americas. Jin Jiang remains the majority owner of Radisson Hotel Group outside the Americas.
Did Choice Hotels buy all of Radisson?
No. Choice bought Radisson Hotels Americas in 2022. Radisson Hotel Group continued as a separate company serving Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific.
When was the first Radisson Hotel opened?
The first Radisson Hotel opened in Minneapolis in 1909. Curtis Carlson did not found it in 1909; he acquired the property decades later and used the name to expand the hotel brand.
How many Radisson hotels are there?
There is no single directly comparable worldwide count after the regional ownership split. Radisson Hotel Group reports more than 1,640 hotels in operation and under development in EMEA and Asia-Pacific. Choice Hotels separately reports more than 100 Radisson-brand hotels across North and South America.
Where is Radisson headquartered?
Radisson Hotel Group, which owns the brands outside the Americas, is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. The Americas brands are part of Choice Hotels International, whose corporate headquarters are in North Bethesda, Maryland.
Are Radisson Rewards and Choice Privileges the same program?
No. They are separate loyalty programs. Participating Radisson properties in the Americas generally use Choice Privileges, while participating properties outside the Americas generally use Radisson Rewards.
Does the parent company own every Radisson hotel property?
No. Many hotels are owned by independent property companies or investors and operate under a franchise or management agreement. Brand ownership does not automatically mean ownership of the land or building.