Accor,
the largest international hotel operator in Asia-Pacific, revealed
that it now operates over 100,000 rooms in the region, with the
opening of ibis Hong Kong Central and Sheung Wan.
Accor
Asia-Pacific Chairman and Chief Operating Officer Michael Issenberg
announced the milestone at the 2012 Economy Hotels World
Asia conference in
Singapore, reaffirming the Group’s growth strategy for
Asia-Pacific. Mr. Issenberg also revealed the findings of Accor’s
Asia Economy Hotels Research 2012, which seeks to better understand
attitudinal differences between travellers staying at economy hotels.
Speaking
at the 2012 Economy Hotels World Asia conference in
Singapore, Mr. Issenberg said, “Today, Accor operates 536 hotels in
16 countries in Asia-Pacific and is the
market leader in Australia, New Zealand, Thailand,
Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam. I am proud to announce that
Accor’s network has grown beyond 100,000 rooms in Asia-Pacific,
with the opening of ibis Hong Kong Central and Sheung Wan. It is only
fitting that we celebrate this milestone at this stylish hotel, which
represents a new flagship for the ibis brand in the region and
emphasizes our commitment to offering our customers an exceptional
economy hotel product.”
According
to the research, six in ten travellers in Asia prefer international
economy hotel brands to domestic brands and assign different
“personalities” to them. International brands were considered
“stylish, high-class, reliable, attractive and energetic”
compared to domestic brands, which tended to be viewed as
“down-to-earth, practical, approachable, and considerate.”
“The
Asia Economy Hotels Research will help us better understand what our
guests expect of our economy hotel brands. For example, we learned
that guests are willing to spend more per night to stay at an
international over a domestic brand economy hotel – in some markets
nearly 90 percent more,” said Mr. Issenberg. “However, we also
learned that they trust our brands to deliver more value for
money –
in terms of professionalism, comfort and amenities. We are now
analyzing the findings to see how we can better live up to the
expectations of travellers in each of our different markets, but
early indications suggest we are on the right track with our ibis
family of brands.”
The
ibis brand family covers Accor’s economy and budget offering and
consists of three complementary brands – ibis, ibis Styles
(formerly all Seasons) and ibis budget (formerly Formule 1) – each
with its own personality. The ibis hotel offer is characterized by
service and the best level of comfort in the economy segment,
providing well-being at the best
price.
Ibis Styles assures comfort and unique designs at an all-inclusive
price. Ibis budget offers travellers essential comfort at budget
prices. Today, Accor operates 179 ibis brand family hotels in
Asia-Pacific, including 113 ibis, 42 ibis Styles and 24 ibis budget
properties.