Accor, the world?s leading hotel operator in the economy and budget segment with over 1,700 hotels is celebrating today its 1000th ibis hotel around the world. Two years after starting reviewing economy hotel codes in depth and modernizing the ibis, ibis Styles and ibis budget brands, the Group is getting tangible results from the unprecedented ibis family project and stepping onwards, unveiling the new ibis room and ibis kitchen, its renewed restaurant concept.
The Group started its revolution in 2011 with the overhaul of its three economic brands within one single ibis family. From this renewal project stems a coherent and attractive portfolio with the same simplicity, modernity and well-being spearheaded by ibis, and a better identified and stronger positioning of each brand. It results into significant benefits for the 1000 ibis, 233 ibis Styles and 506 ibis budget.
S?bastien Bazin, Accor Chairman and CEO states: ?Through its ibis family of 1,700 hotels, Accor is the leading international player on the 4 continents, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa Middle East. Accor?s new strategy redefined around its two core competencies ? HotelServices and HotelInvest ? will enable ibis, ibis Styles and ibis budget to strengthen both their innovation capacities and their leadership: in Europe, including through an acceleration of investments in owned properties; and by capturing new opportunities mainly through management and franchise in emerging countries?.
A sustained development boosted by the modernization of the brands
Over 2 years, Accor has opened a total of over 200 ibis family hotels, hence an average of one opening every 3 days. Boosted by the project of revitalization, the ibis family is experiencing a sustained development. In 2013, 52% of the Group?s openings were made under the ibis family umbrella versus 39% in 2012. Moreover, within 4 years, Accor?s economic brands will have substantially strengthened their leadership position worldwide, with the ibis family representing close to half of the Group?s global pipeline, over 62,000 rooms in the pipeline of which 38% in Asia Pacific, 30% in Latin America and 27% in Europe.
Strong growth of all key indicators: guests? satisfaction, brand awareness, perception & performance
?Ibis, Ibis Styles and ibis budget are now fully benefiting from the new brand architecture and modernization. Over the past 2 years, ibis family has created the conditions to outperform all the competition?, explains Peter Verhoeven, Chief Operating Officer HotelServices Northern, Central and Eastern Europe.
The revitalization project has greatly increased the awareness of the 3 ibis brands. In particular, ibis shows the highest level of spontaneous awareness among all economic brands in 10 European countries. Revamping of the public areas ? over 300 worldwide ? and massive deployment of the ?Sweet bedTM? by ibis ? over 100,000 beds ? have strengthened both guests? perception of the modernity of the brand and guests? satisfaction levels. Especially guests? satisfaction with bed comfort experience grew +5 points over the past 2 years to reach an impressive 90% of clients satisfied or very satisfied with bed comfort.
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