Accor to open Five New Hotels in Indonesia

Accor is to expand its Indonesian hotel network with five new hotels. Three Novotels and two Mercure hotels are being added, including the pioneering launch of the first Accor Premiere Vacation Club (APVC) property in Indonesia – on the resort island of Bali.

APVC is an Australian joint venture company between Accor and Becton, a development and property company. The group owns holiday vacation properties throughout Australia, but this is the first investment by the Australian company in Asia.

The APVC apartments will be part of the new Novotel Residence Nusa Dua Bali complex that is scheduled for completion in mid-2006. APVC will invest A$5.3 million in the development of 23 apartments, which will be available for its members in Australia.

The other projects in Indonesia are: Novotel Tarakan (175 rooms), Novotel Bandung (150 rooms), Mercure Batam (160 rooms) and Mercure Surayaba (110 rooms), all scheduled for opening in 2006.

The new hotels will increase Accor’s Indonesian network to 38 hotels and resorts under operation by the end of next year, with the number expected to exceed 50 by the end of 2007.

Commenting on the expansion, Accor Asia Pacific Managing Director, Michael Issenberg said emerging destinations in Indonesia were an important growth engine for both the domestic and intra-regional travel sectors.

“Accor has been the pioneering international hotel group in Indonesia’s provincial cities, and we are continuing our growth in a number of new centres as well as areas – such as Batam and Surabaya – where Accor already has a presence,” said Mr Issenberg.

“These provincial destinations are popular with domestic and intra-Asia travelers visiting on business or for leisure and have proven strong performers in recent years. No other hotel group in Indonesia can offer such a comprehensive network of international-quality hotels, and they complement our well-established presence in major gateway destinations such as Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali.

“The launch of the Novotel in Bali’s popular Nusa Dua area, and Accor Premiere Vacation Club’s investment in the project is a clear sign of the confidence that Accor has in Bali. 

“Our five Bali hotels have achieved a very good result for 2005 considering the challenges faced, and while the October bombings have caused major disruption to tourism, we are confident that the destination’s many attractions will see an upturn in business in 2006.

"We launched Sofitel Semiyak Bali early this year after completing a major refurbishment, and we also launched our first All Seasons hotel. Next year we will introduce the Novotel Residence Serviced Apartments, giving us a complete range of accommodation styles across the island,” he added.

Accor Director of Operations, Mr Gerard Guillouet, said the expansion offered the dual advantage of expanding the group’s brand offer and destination network filling important market demand.

“Tarakan and Bangdung are emerging destinations that need good international quality accommodation for a fair price. With the Mercure hotels in Surabaya and Batam we complement the existing Novotels we operate in both cities.

“Low cost carriers are expanding air services and traveling options for domestic and intra-regional travellers, who are looking for good quality accommodation for a fair price,” Mr Guillouet added.

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