French global hotel group Accor is showing increased efforts in establishing their high class hotel brands: At ITB Berlin 2013 the company announced they will increase their number of luxury hotels by 25 percent by 2015.
This is going to take place mainly in emerging markets including Latin America, Middle East and Asia Pacific - as key countries Accor mentioned China, Vietnam and Indonesia. On one hand this growth will be realized by yet established brands Grand Mercure and M Gallery, on the other by new concepts.
Accor is partly relying on its already tested model of adjusting the traditional top brand Grand Mercure to new markets such as China or Indonesia: with the "tailor-made brand" Grand Mercure MeiJue.
At ITB 2013 Accor presented the next adaptation: "Grand Mercure Maha Cipta" is adjusted to Indonesia - a market where Accor is already strong.
Grégoire Champetier, Accor Global Chief Marketing Officer explains: "We have tailored Grand Mercure for local travelers looking for regional inspirations. Our clients are expecting brands capable of understanding the diversity and the complexity of their identity".
"One can now count on a strong European voice in the luxury and upscale market. Our brands combine the best of international standards and an audacious interpretation of the universal essence of luxury due to our French origins", adds Yann Caillère, Accor President and Chief Operating Officer.
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Roland Wildberg is Travel Writer and Correspondent based in Berlin, Germany. He started as an Editor for the National daily 'Die Welt' (tourism section), later on switched to a freelanced career and nowadays mainly publishes on the Web. Observing the hospitality industry always has fascinated him as it looks like the perfect combination of sleeping and writing – work-live-balance as its best.
Roland also heads the annual 4Hoteliers ITB Berlin news micro-site journalist and video/photo teams for the 5th consecutive year. 
