Accor revealed that it now operates over 100,000 rooms in the region, with the opening of ibis Hong Kong Central and Sheung Wan.

Accor Asia-Pacific Chairman and Chief Operating Officer Michael Issenberg announced the milestone at the 2012 Economy Hotels World Asia conference in Singapore, reaffirming the Group’s growth strategy for Asia-Pacific. Mr. Issenberg also revealed the findings of Accor’s Asia Economy Hotels Research 2012, which seeks to better understand attitudinal differences between travellers staying at economy hotels.

“The Asia-Pacific region is one of Accor’s strategic growth markets, and I congratulate the regional team and our partners on passing the key milestone of 100,000 rooms in the region,” commented Denis Hennequin, Accor’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Asia-Pacific presents tremendous opportunities for expansion, given the region’s dynamic economic development and rapidly growing middle class leading to many more people travelling today than ever before. We are committed to offering our customers more choice in consistently high quality accommodation in the region.”

Speaking at the 2012 Economy Hotels World Asia conference in Singapore, Mr. Issenberg said, “Today, Accor operates 536 hotels in 16 countries in Asia-Pacific and is the market leader in Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam. I am proud to announce that Accor’s network has grown beyond 100,000 rooms in Asia-Pacific, with the opening of ibis Hong Kong Central and Sheung Wan. It is only fitting that we celebrate this milestone at this hotel, which represents a new flagship for the ibis brand in the region and emphasizes our commitment to offering our customers an exceptional economy hotel product.”

The growing demand for international-standard, value-for-money economy hotels led Accor to commission the Asia Economy Hotels Research 2012, the findings of which Mr. Issenberg also revealed at the same conference. The study surveyed business and leisure travellers from eight key markets in Asia to gather insights into the differing attitudes towards economy hotels.

According to the research, six in ten travellers in Asia prefer international economy hotel brands to domestic brands and assign different “personalities” to them. International brands were considered “stylish, high-class, reliable, attractive and energetic” compared to domestic brands, which tended to be viewed as “down-to-earth, practical, approachable, and considerate.”

“The Asia Economy Hotels Research will help us better understand what our guests expect of our economy hotel brands. For example, we learned that guests are willing to spend more per night to stay at an international over a domestic brand economy hotel – in some markets nearly 90 percent more,” said Mr. Issenberg.

“However, we also learned that they trust our brands to deliver more value for money – in terms of professionalism, comfort and amenities. We are now analyzing the findings to see how we can better live up to the expectations of travellers in each of our different markets, but early indications suggest we are on the right track with our ibis family of brands.”

The ibis brand family covers Accor’s economy and budget offering and consists of three complementary brands – ibis, ibis Styles (formerly all Seasons) and ibis budget (formerly Formule 1) – each with its own personality. The ibis hotel offer is characterized by service and the best level of comfort in the economy segment, providing well-being at great price. Ibis Styles assures comfort and unique designs at an all-inclusive price. Ibis budget offers travellers essential comfort modestly priced. Today, Accor operates 179 ibis brand family hotels in Asia-Pacific, including 113 ibis, 42 ibis Styles and 24 ibis budget properties.