A Wyndham Fire Exposes the Franchise Compliance Gap

A June 19 fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel in the Dominican Republic killed one person and forced 1,700 evacuations. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which licenses its brand but doesn't own the property, now faces questions about safety oversight. The incident reveals a structural problem in hospitality franchising: brand owners set standards but can't directly inspect building codes or fire-suppression systems at affiliate properties.