New York - Accor
executives plan to leverage the recently completed $85 million renovation of
the Novotel Times Square here as both a touchstone for U.S. travel buyers and as
an example to other Novotel properties as the brand next year begins a
systemwide modernization.
Although Novotel has about 400 hotels in 60 countries, the
Times Square property is its only U.S. location and one of only a handful in
North America. As such, Accor relies on that single property as a model for
U.S. corporate travel buyers who manage global programs in regions where
Novotel's footprint is much larger, according to Accor global chief marketing
and distribution officer Grégoire Champetier.
"This Novotel is a gateway to bring the right
perception of Novotel for American travelers going to Europe, so it was very
important to us," Champetier told BTN.
"We will double up the visits right here for all the business [travel]
planners and meeting planners organizing travel in Europe." He noted that
the U.S. market represents about 20 percent of Accor's global clientele.
Completed this month, renovations at the 480-room property
Times Square property included redesigned guestrooms, a new terraced restaurant
and bar, a slickly lighted entryway area and a new design for the lobby which, as
at many hotel brands, is envisioned as a social hub for travelers. General
manager Marc Sternagel called it an example of a "standardized brand that
became very unstandardized in the way we present it."
To that end, the improvement also is a preview of sorts for
a brand-wide regeneration Accor is planning to begin next year. Although other
Novotels will not aim to replicate the specific design elements of the New York
property, Accor plans to use the same spirit as part of a "major plan of
renovation for the company and franchises," particularly older properties
in Germany, France and other parts of Europe, Champetier said.
"The brand is very strong and very efficient, but it
was created a long time ago," he explained. "Novotel was a very
standardized concept all around the world, and now we will develop some
full-service and compact versions for city centers. We'll keep this gene of
functionality, food service and efficiency and renovate all the public services
with new social apps, new rooms and bring in more flexibility to the concept."
Unlike Accor's recent 150
million renovation of its budget Ibis brand, which it completed in a relatively
short timeframe, the Novotel project will be a "progressive, step-by-step
movement" during the next three to five years, Champetier said.
In the shorter term, Novotel is rolling out virtual
concierge technology, both with tablets in lobbies and a mobile app expected by
the end of the year, according to Novotel senior vice president of global
marketing Christine Ravanat.
During the next five years, Novotel also plans to grow its
portfolio to about 500 hotels. Almost 60 percent of new properties will be in
Asia, with the rest about evenly distributed between Europe (13 percent), Latin
America (16 percent) and Africa and the Middle East (13 percent).
The United States, however, for now has no active Novotel
pipeline, as is the case with the rest of Accor's brands. But Accor's recent leadership change could mean new decisions regarding development in North
America.