Accor reveals aggressive hotel network expansion in Vietnam

"We always emphasize that Vietnam domestic market is a focus of Accor,” said Patrick Basset, AccorHotels' chief operating officer for Upper Southeast and Northeast Asia.

According to Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, international visitors to Vietnam in October only are estimated to reach 1.2 million arrivals, up 17.6 per cent over the same period last year. Total international arrivals in first ten months of 2018 reached 12.8 million, increasing 22.4 per cent year over year.

Having a large population in which the young accounts for high proportion, Vietnam is seen an attractive market in terms of visitors as well as a dynamic human resource for the tourism industry.

In addition to several cities which are famous for tourism such as Nha Trang, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam now has more emerging places, namely Sapa, Quang Binh, Van Don or Mekong Delta provinces.

Besides, Vietnamese people now not only prefer to travel inland but also to foreign countries. "I think that the number of visitors coming to Vietnam and going from Vietnam plays an increasingly important role in the development of AccorHotels,” emphasized Patrick Basset.

Asia accounting for 66.3 per cent of share is AccorHotels’ top market, followed by Europe at 15.8 per cent. In the region, Vietnam is the biggest market of the brand with growth rate at over 19 per cent year over year.

Managing and operating 28 hotels with over 6,000 rooms makes AccorHotels the largest international hotel operator in Vietnam as of September 2018 that has strongest presence is in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

AccorHotels’ Vietnam network counts nine brands, namely Novotel, Ibis/ibis Styles, Mercure, MGallery by Sofitel/MGallery Collection, Pullman, Movenpick, Sofitel, Grand Mercure and Premier Village in Da Nang and Phu Quoc.

After the first nine months of 2018, AccorHotels’s revenue in Vietnam grows 7.4 per cent compared to the same period last year.

In the next two years, it plans to add 18 hotels with more than 5,800 rooms, both in existing brand as Pullman and new one as Movenpick.

In September 4th, 2018, AccorHotels closed the acquisition of Movenpick Hotels & Resorts which currently has one property in Vietnam with 154 rooms. It will open seven more properties in the county within 2020.

AccorHotels is a world - leading travel and lifestyle group and digital innovator offering unique experiences in more than 4,500 hotels, resorts and residences as well as in 10,000 private homes around the globe.

Its portfolio comprises an unrivaled collection of internationally renowned hotel brands encompassing the entire range from luxury to economy, including upscale to lifestyle and midscale brands.

In addition to its core hospitality business, AccorHotels has successfully expanded its range of services, becoming the world leader in luxury private residence rental with more than 10,000 stunning properties around the world.

In July 12, 2016, AccorHotels officially announced the acquisition of FRHI Hotels & Resorts (FRHI) and its three prestigious luxury hotel brands, namely Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel, enhancing AccorHotels’ global luxury service expertise and strengthening its innovative digital distribution platforms.