Accor is targeting the Pearl River Delta, aiming to double its hotel presence in China’s southern economic power-zone. At the start of 2006, Accor operated seven hotels in the…
Accor is targeting the Pearl River Delta, aiming to double its hotel presence in China’s southern economic power-zone. At the start of 2006, Accor operated seven hotels in the Pearl River Delta – in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Dongguan. By 2008 this is likely to increase to at least 12 hotels, with major new Sofitel, Novotel and Ibis projects under development.
Accor’s expansion in the Pearl River Delta is part of the company’s rapid development in China that will see the company grow its network from the current 34 hotels to over 50 in the next two years.
Last month, Accor’s fifth hotel in Hong Kong – Novotel Citygate – opened, and this will be followed in October by the launch of the highly strategic Novotel at the new Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou.
The new Baiyun International Airport is expected to rival Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok, with a capacity to handle up to 60 million passengers a year by 2010. The Novotel will be the only hotel at Baiyun International.
In the following year, the Sofitel Guangzhou will open in the heart of the city. Another Sofitel will open in Guangdong Province in 2008. Qingyuan is the “rising economic star” of Guangdong and the Sofitel Riverside will be the first internationally managed five-star hotel in the destination. Openings for the Sofitel network in 2007 will be Sofitel Macau Ponte 16 in one of Macau’s most significant and historic precincts.
Accor’s pioneering economy hotel brand, Ibis, is also planned for Guangdong. Hotel sites are being considered for Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan and Zhuhai. Complementing the hotel expansion in the Pearl River Delta, Accor has signed a partnership agreement with Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines. The agreement will see Accor join the airline’s Sky Pearl programme, offering points for China Southern customers at Accor hotels worldwide.
Accor’s first reservations centre has opened in Guangzhou providing call-centre services for Greater China. Part of the global Accor Reservations Service, the centre is expected to book some 500,000 room nights per annum for Accor’s global network of over 4000 hotels.
Accor’s CEO for Greater China, Brian Deeson, said that Accor had targeted the Pearl River Delta because of its strong economic and tourism potential.
“We have seen double-digit growth in travel to Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong for a number of years, and with increased attractions and infrastructure, the growth is likely to accelerate even further,” said Mr Deeson.
“Accor will offer the widest range of hotel styles to meet the needs of business, leisure and conference guests, and we are unique amongst international hotel groups in that our hotels cover the luxury, mid-market and economy sectors. The growth in the Pearl River Delta region complements our overall China expansion, which will see the group’s hotel network add 20 hotels in less than two years, and we anticipate signing a number of new projects during the remainder of 2006.”
Mr Deeson made the announcement during the World of Accor trade expo in Hong Kong.
