Accor expands travel and trade expo to 10 cities in Asia Pacific

Accor has decided to expand its annual World of Accor trade expo to 10 destinations this year.

In 2005, World of Accor Expo will be staged in Auckland, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta and Sydney. It is the first time that World of Accor has been held in China, Korea and Indonesia.

Representatives from Accor's worldwide network of 4000 hotels will participate in the trade expos to showcase new hotel products, and to discuss with clients their domestic, inbound and outbound hotel needs.

Upcoming World of Accor events in Asia are:

Tokyo 5 April
Seoul 8 April
Beijing 12 April
Shanghai 15 April
Hong Kong 31 May
Bangkok 3 June
Singapore 7 June
Jakarta 10 June

Over 50 Accor delegates will take part in the travel expo and, for the first time, they will be joined by representatives of Club Med. Accor recently took a strategic 28.9% stake in Club Méditerranée and the two organisations will be working closer to promote each other's product.

The expansion of World of Accor comes at a time of vast expansion in Accor's hotel network in the Asia Pacific region.

Over the next two years Accor will add up to 50 hotels in the Asia Pacific region, bringing the group's network close to 300 hotels.

"This is one of the most exciting eras for the tourism sector in the Asia Pacific region and Accor is undergoing its most rapid expansion since it first entered the continent two decades ago," said Accor Asia Pacific Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing, Ray Stone.

"Significant new hotels are opening across China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Australia and the South Pacific region and we want to ensure that the travel industry is fully aware of the new product and destinations on offer.

"It is also a time when outbound travel from Asia Pacific is at a peak, having enormous significance for the future of the global tourism market. We have already seen the power of the Japan outbound market, and now we are witnessing dynamic growth from China, India and Korea.

"The dramatic rise in low-cost air carriers is also changing the nature of travel in the Asia Pacific region, and Accor has the advantage of being the only hotel company that offers a complete range of product - from luxury Sofitels to economy Ibis and Formule 1 hotels. This allows us to provide a unique one-stop solution for travel companies and their clients.

"Being a French company, and with 2005 being designated a year of celebrating 'France in China', it is perfect timing for World of Accor to make its debut in China. We will be showcasing our Shanghai event with a performance by France's most famous dance and entertainment troupe, the Moulin Rouge, who are coming to China for the first time, specifically for World of Accor." 

Mr Stone said that all travel trade personnel were welcome at the events and in addition to the opportunity to meet with Accor delegates around the world, they would be offered stylish cuisine, entertainment and other prizes.

"I hope we can meet as many representatives from the travel industry as possible during the series of expos," said Mr Stone. "It is the perfect opportunity to discover more about the rapidly growing World of Accor."

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