Accor Group to Expand Tourism Operations in Vietnam

France-based Accor, one of the largest hotel groups in the world, will assume management of at least three operational hotel and resort properties in Vietnam until 2008 as part of a strategy to deepen its presence in Vietnam, says a senior executive of the hotel management firm.

 

Accor will manage the Grand Mercure on Ha My Beach near the ancient town of Hoi An after the success of the four-star Grand Mercure boutique property on Phu Quoc Island off mainland Kien Giang, said Ray Stone, Accor Asia Pacific senior vice president responsible for sales and marketing.

 

In the portfolio of the global hotel management group will be Novotel Halong Bay in northern Vietnam and Novotel Nha Trang in the central coastal city as well.

 

“In Vietnam, we are known for our luxury brands such as Sofitel and business class Novotel hotel, but we also have several exciting initiatives to launch new hotel brands and revitalize existing ones,” Ray Stone said, adding that the new hotel brands include the economy-class brand Ibis. Accor plans to develop its first hotel of this rating in HCM City.

 

“Accor's target is to have Ibis hotels in not only HCM City but also Hanoi, and to directly invest in this brand rather than just management in the two cities,” Patrick Basset, Accor vice president in South and Southeast Asia, said.

 

Accor now manages nine Novotel, Sofitel and Grand Mercure hotels of four to five-star ratings in Vietnam. The new properties in the country helps Accor realize its plan to add more than 90 hotels around Asia Pacific, bringing the group's network close to 400 hotels. (SGT, VietNamNet)