Accor, the France-based hotel giant, is focusing on six areas as it looks to boost distribution.
During a Capital Markets Day earlier this week, chief digital officer Alix Boulnois detailed some of the company’s strategy going forward.
In addition to further enhancing revenue and channel management, the company is looking to add more local partners, especially in Asia.
Revamping its hotel brand websites is also underway. Boulnois described most as outdated with a desire from the company for its digital assets to reflect its new organizational structure, which was unveiled last year and created two business units.
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Novotel and Movenpick websites were relaunched earlier this year and those of Fairmont, Sofitel and Raffles are close to relaunch.
Increasing non-room revenue is another focus as part of the augmented hospitality strategy the company has been talking about for a number of years designed to provide a “bigger experience than just a stay,” according to Boulnois.
Accor will also continue to focus on its mobile app, which drives about 27% of revenue compared with 18% in 2019. The company’s contact centers are also important, especially for its lifestyle and luxury segment. Boulnois shared that 12% of bookings in North America for the Fairmont brand come via contact centers.
She also touched on Accor’s loyalty strategy, which she said continues to grow and is being enhanced with new partnerships and products.
Providing a snapshot of loyalty guest behavior in 2022, Boulnois said they stay two times more than non-members, spend 10% more per night and represent 87% of direct bookings.
Priorities for the program, which has about 89 million members, an increase of 40% on 2019, include adding member rates to global distribution systems, driving membership enrollment with the group’s hotels and adding further subscriptions products.