There was a bumper crowd again at the 2025 International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) EMEA in Berlin at the end of March and a lot of the conversation was firmly around growth and performance.
One company creating a lot of attention was Accor, with the Paris-based chain revealing some incredibly impressive growth figures and it’s certainly fitting the Australian team are on the cover of Wayfarer’s sister magazine HM this month.
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In 2024, Accor expanded its portfolio across the globe with the opening of 293 hotels and resorts, adding 50,000 rooms, with a lot of the activity in the MEA and APAC regions.
Impressively, 58% of Accor’s new hotel projects in 2024 were conversions with brands like Emblems, MGallery, Mondrian, Handwritten Collection, Mercure and TRIBE leading the way, according to the company.
The Middle East and Asian markets in particular continue to grow at pace for Accor and that’s expected to continue in 2025 with over 60% of Accor’s planned openings for the year focused within those regions.
Accor continues to strengthen its Premium, Midscale and Economy (PM&E) sector with a targeted approach to growth focused on iconic brands such as Pullman, Novotel and ibis and expansion opportunities in sought-after destinations, according to the company’s Chief Development Officer for the Division, Camil Yazbeck.
He said with Mercure reaching the 1,000-hotel milestone in 2024, upcoming 2025 breakthroughs include ibis opening in its 80th country and ibis Styles surpassing the 700-hotel mark.
“Accor’s premium, midscale and economy brands experienced exceptional momentum in 2024, with strong demand fuelling expansion across key markets,” Yazbeck said.
“Considering current industry fundamentals, hotel conversion is also a major focus of our strategy with many of our most conversion-friendly brands like Handwritten Collection, Mercure and TRIBE leading the way.”
Yazbeck, who will be a keynote speaker at AHICE Asia Pacific in Adelaide during May, said with a strong pipeline, a diversified brand portfolio and an owner-centric approach, “Accor is best positioned to drive the next wave of hospitality growth in 2025 and beyond”.
Accor’s luxury portfolio – which has grown in both volume and value and counts landmark hotels such as Raffles London at The OWO; The Plaza, A Fairmont Managed Hotel in New York; Sofitel Roma Villa Borghese in Italy; and Hôtel des Arts Saigon – MGallery Collection in Vietnam among its unrivalled portfolio – also continues to expand in key markets and highly coveted destinations.
Some notable luxury openings for the Group over the last 12 months have included Raffles Sentosa Singapore; Raffles Jaipur in India; Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol in Spain; Fairmont Breakers Long Beach in California; Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile in Egypt; and Chengdu Expo Waterfall Hotel – MGallery Collection in China.
On the lifestyle front, Ennismore represents the Group’s presence in this rapidly growing category. Ennismore’s Delano Dubai, Rixos Tersane Istanbul, Hyde Johannesburg and 25hours Hotel The Oddbird in Jakarta have recently opened as key flagships for the Group.
On average, Accor’s Luxury and Lifestyle (L&L) division opened one hotel project per week and approximately six projects were signed per month.
The Group has a robust pipeline of over 280 L&L properties in development and the focus remains on high-value brands and strategic partnerships with hotel owners.
Last year, 2024 saw continued signings momentum across Accor’s L&L brands, with Sofitel in particular boasting 12 new signings in the year such as Sofitel Legend The Mozart in Prague, Czech Republic.
The Group also witnessed a high pace of conversion across its L&L division, driven by collection icons MGallery and Emblems, with over 55 hotels sitting collectively across their development pipelines.
“Accor’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio remains unmatched, and 2024 marked a year of remarkable progress,” said Accor Chief Development Officer, Luxury and Lifestyle, Agnès Roquefort.
“With strong momentum in high-potential markets, we have expanded the footprint of our highly sought after brands, accelerated conversions, and introduced new, elevated experiences.
“Our strategy continues to be driven by a vision of creating meaningful and transformative guest experiences while maximizing value for our owners and partners.
“As we build on this success, we remain committed to shaping the future of luxury and lifestyle hospitality in 2025 and beyond.”
Finally, one of the travel industry’s most anticipated 2025 events is the relaunch of the legendary Orient Express, a centenary brand with deep cultural significance. This presents a significant milestone, with the first trains set to embark in April 2025.
The launch will coincide with the debut of Orient Express La Minerva in Rome which will also open and play a key part in the iconic brand’s revival. And earlier this month, the Group signed other coveted locations in Italy: Raffles – Raffles Lake Como – marking the brand’s fifth hotel in Europe – and Hotel Bellevue Cortina d’Ampezzo, Emblems Collection.