Accor to launch new Advertising and Promotion Campaign

Accor is launching an innovative campaign to bring travellers back to Asia and promote a sustainable recovery that reflects the group's long-standing commitment to the region.

With the lifting of World Health Organisation (WHO) travel advisories in Asia, Accor said it sees positive signs of travel picking up around the region. To support this, Accor will launch a major advertising promotion the end of June to drive business back to destinations affected by the SARS outbreak.

Occupancy rates for Accor hotels in Vietnam (first two weeks in June up 43 per cent compared to May) Singapore (up 28 per cent) and Thailand (up 6 per cent) are improving, with encouraging trends emerging in Hong Kong and Shanghai. More importantly the pent up demand for outbound travel has  Asians looking to take holidays around the region Accor Managing Director Asia Pacific, Michael Issenberg, said.

"Our main focus initially will be the revival of intra-Asian travel as we have not relied as heavily on long-haul business in the past. With 70 per cent of our business originating from within Asia, we are in a far better position to rebuild our business quickly. We will then concentrate on re-establishing the flow of business from Europe and Australia, both markets where Accor dominates. 

"We have created a major regional recovery campaign that will feature low, but realistic, rates for customers through to the end of September," he added.

As part of its' 'Smile across Asia' promotion which will run from 27 June until 30 September, Accor is offering impressive discounts at its hotels in all major capital cities and main resort destinations around Asia.

Promotions with airline partners Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways International will award guests with double miles when staying at Accor hotels. Another promotion targeting Visa cardholders with take place in  August and September to expand the offer. Accor is also committed to working with respective National Tourism Organisations in Asian countries where it does business to promote both the destination and its hotel network.

Accor made a determined effort to continue normal hotel operations and staffing levels, while maintaining its usual high service standards, during the height of the recent SARS outbreak around Asia. 

Although Asia appears to have turned the corner, hotel managers remain vigilant and continue to monitor customers, using guidelines from the WHO, while maintaining maximum hygiene and staff protection. This includes  having housekeeping staff wear masks and rubber gloves when cleaning guest rooms, elevators and public areas on an hourly basis using special disinfectants.

All back of the house staff and food handlers continue to wear surgical masks and gloves and masks remain available to guests and staff on request at no charge.

Accor continues to ask guests how they can be contacted in the 10 days after they check out in case another guest falls ills. However no there were no cases of SARS infected guests staying at Accor hotels for the duration of the outbreak.