An Encore For The Accor Group

(Logo courtesy of Accor)

I firmly believe that a person's accommodation is the deciding factor for a successful trip. After exploring the city you’ve just landed in, the accommodation you select can either energize or further drain you. Moreover, the place you stay can reveal hidden gems that bring the character of the destination to life. The Accor Group offers travelers a wide array of brands and travel experiences. One can live large at a Raffles hotel or pop into an ibis Styles property for a simple, trendy, and economical stay. Regardless of the travel type, Accor offers something for everyone. I had the chance to speak with Mike Taylor, Accor’s Vice President, Group External Communications, Global Brands, to learn more about the world-leading hotel group.

(Image courtesy of Accor. Image depicts Mike Taylor)

1. What makes Accor Group different from other companies in the hospitality sector?

Accor offers a very diverse and fully-integrated hospitality ecosystem with the largest brand portfolio in the global hotel industry. We are disruptive at heart and innovation has been at the root of the company since its inception more than 50 years ago. When you look at the sector, we aren’t your traditional player; we like to think outside the box.

(Image courtesy of Accor. Image depicts The Ink Hotel in Amsterdam)

2. How has the company’s European roots influenced its culture and approach to business?

Accor is a true global player with operations in more than 120 countries, however we remain proud of our European roots. As a company, I think we bring a different mindset in terms of hospitality and tourism. There is a certain savoir-faire and joie de vivre that imbues Accor's way of doing business and I think this sets our Group apart from the other major hotel Groups. In addition, sustainability, an ideal which first emerged in Europe centuries ago, is something our Group remains deeply committed to.

(Image courtesy of Accor)

3. How does Accor incorporate its missions and vision throughout its brands and offerings?

For our hotel brands, which range from ultra luxury to economy and everything in between, it's about evolving with consumer expectations, being distinctive and delivering against the brand promise. Take the pandemic and all that has transpired over the last two years. We know that people's values have shifted, and their behaviors have changed, and this needs to be reflected in the programs, products, partnerships, and promotions offered by our brands and hotels. On a broader level though, our Group and brands will continue to be guided by core principals such as leading the industry, fostering human connections, and providing meaningful experiences for our customers.

(Image courtesy of Accor Group. Image depicts The Raffles in Udaipur)

4. How does staying at an Accor property add to a traveler's experience?

Every Accor brand offers something that is unique and special and the brand experience of each one is brought to life in a very different way. These experiences also vary on the type of travel taking place. Is it a leisure stay, business trip or a special celebration? It also varies across geographies and product segments. Our brands stay attuned to customers’ needs and desires, but also must remain true to their DNA and positioning. It’s important that they don’t try to be everything to everyone, but instead know who their customer is, know what type of brand they want to be, and have a firm understanding of how they want to be perceived by the guest; ultimately this is reflected in the customer experience that each one delivers.

(Image courtesy of Accor Group. Image depicts Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada)

5. What is the future of Accor?

Hospitality must be a positive force in the world, and this is a key part of Accor’s future ambition. Our Group and brands must continue to be caretakers of people and places and stay very attuned to topics like sustainability and CSR. We need to remain mindful of how we treat communities and operate in a responsible fashion. Customers will see more sustainability commitments from Accor, and these will cascade across our brands and hotels. Innovation will continue to be critical for our company as well. For example, we recently announced an initiative in collaboration with our partners Citroën and JCDecaux that will see us reimagine the future of urban mobility with the introduction of sustainable, autonomous pods.

(Image courtesy of Accor Group. Image depicts Autonomous Pods)