Who founded Holiday Inn, later a major hotel franchise brand?

Holiday Inn was founded by Kemmons Wilson.

Wilson was a Memphis, Tennessee, hotelier who became dissatisfied with the inconsistent roadside lodging he encountered during a family trip to Washington, D.C. He set out to create clean, standardized, family-friendly accommodations for motorists.

The first Holiday Inn opened in Memphis in August 1952. Wilson's architect, Eddie Bluestein, reportedly coined the name as a joking reference to the 1942 musical film Holiday Inn. Wilson then partnered with Wallace E. Johnson to expand the business, and the chain began franchising in the 1950s.

Holiday Inn's growth came from consistency as much as from its name. Properties were designed to offer predictable rooms, convenient roadside locations, restaurants, pools, and prominent roadside signs. Holidex, a centralized reservation system introduced in 1965, further connected the growing network.

Wallace E. Johnson was an important co-builder of the chain, but Kemmons Wilson is the recognized founder. Cecil B. Day and the Marriott and Hilton founders established different hotel businesses.