Exclusive: The Sebel brand to stay for now, says Accor

By on May 31, 2012 in Email Newsletter, Hotel News, Stop Press

The Sebel Albert Park Melbourne

By JAMES WILKINSON IN AUCKLAND

The Sebel is a brand that’s been synonymous with accommodation in Australia for the almost 50 years and despite being recently bought by Accor, it’s not going away anytime soon.

Speaking exclusively to HM at the New Zealand Hotel Industry Conference (NZHIC) in Auckland yesterday, May 31, Accor’s Chief Operating Officer for the Pacific, Simon McGrath, said The Sebel would remain in the portfolio for the time being.

“The Sebel brand has an excellent reputation and a strong presence in the domestic Australian market,” he said.

While McGrath says some Sebels will stay in the network for the foreseeable future, others will be re-branded under primarily the Pullman and Novotel brands.

“Now that the deal has been finalised, the key will be to discuss with each individual owner what the best branding option is for their hotel,” he said.

“For instance, if a hotel wants to make a major play for the rapidly emerging Chinese, Indonesian and Indian markets then it would make sense to be aligned to brands that are prominent in those countries.

“Accor has the brands and the presence in Asia and the rest of the world to add considerably to the visibility of the Mirvac hotels in what is an increasingly global market,” he said.

McGrath said there would be instances where The Sebel was the best fit for a property and that whether the sign stayed on the roof would be decided on a case-by-case basis.

About James Wilkinson

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