Accor will open 200 franchised hotels in France by 2013

Accor deploys its expert skills to support a network of franchise owners and operators representing a total of 683 hotels. Franchised establishments already account for nearly half of the Group’s hotel portfolio in France, which is comprised of 1,420 units operated under the Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, Ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, hotelF1 and Adagio brands.

Despite today’s difficult economic environment, franchising represents a priority development path. In France, the Group will open an average of one franchised hotel a week over the next four years, adding a total of 200 hotels to the network during the period. These openings will mainly involve hotels operated under the all seasons, Mercure, Ibis and Etap Hotel brands.

Organized each year by Accor Hotels France, the convention brings together all of the Group’s franchise partners across its banners. Christened “Cap Franchise” (Franchising on course), this year’s convention enabled Accor to showcase the wide array of services it provides as a franchiser. These include the marketing strength of its brands, the growing presence of the A|Club loyalty program, a constant focus on product innovation, the quality commitment guaranteed by the various banners, the Group’s powerful image and promotion campaigns, and its optimized management of procurement and logistics services. According to a survey conducted in 2008 by Institut LH2, 94% of hotel franchisees feel that Accor honors its commitments to them.

Accor, the world's leading hotel operator and market leader in Europe, is present in 90 countries with 4,400 hotels and more than 530,000 rooms. Accor's broad portfolio of hotel brands - Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Adagio, ibis, all seasons/ibis styles, Etap Hotel/ibis budget, hotelF1 and Motel 6 - provide an extensive offer from luxury to budget. With 145,000 employees worldwide, the Group offers to its clients and partners nearly 45 years of know-how and expertise.