Accor, the world’s largest hotel operator, announced that it signed more than 70 new development contracts in the Asia Pacific last year, which will add more than 16,000 hotel rooms to the company.
The record number of new contracts in a single year will retain Accor’s leading position as the largest hotel operator in Asia Pacific, with more than 430 hotels and 83,000 rooms under its portfolio.
“Accor has enjoyed a very successful year of expansion in Asia Pacific in 2010, with a record number of hotels committed to the pipeline and a solid number of hotels opening,” said Michael Issenberg, Chairman and Chief Operating Officer for Accor Asia Pacific.
The company has “leveraged its position as the region’s largest operator of hotels, opening an additional 41 hotels (over 7,000 guest rooms) in the network during the year.”
The Paris-based hotel manager is committed to expand operations in the region, as well in India’s and China’s major markets, as well as other markets in Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.
Mr. Issenberg added that the company employs an “Asset Right” strategy in the Asia Pacific region with selective investments in the economy sector and mainly in China and India, as well as management contracts throughout most other markets. In the mature hotel market of Australia, “we are predominantly expanding through a successful franchise strategy.”