Accor targets independent hotel sector with Emblems Collection

The collection, which is launching with Guiyang Art Centre Hotel in China’s Guizhou province as its flagship resort, aims to grow to 60 properties around the world by 2030.

Accor said Emblems Collection would feature hotels that are “emblematic of their designers, demographics or destinations”, and the brand aimed to replicate the success of its existing MGallery Hotel Collection which now has more than 100 properties worldwide.

Sebastien Bazin, chief executive of Accor, said: “Emblems Collection adds a fresh and exciting new dimension to Accor’s luxury offerings.

“The hotels we will feature in Emblems Collection are those sought out by travellers who appreciate high-end, boutique-style experiences, as well as by hoteliers who cherish the independent brands they’ve built while desiring the benefits that come with a global partner.”

Bazin added that Accor wanted to “add aggressively across our strongest lines and leading business accelerators, which includes luxury as well as collection brands”.

The France-based hotel company currently has more than 40 brands across its global network, including Raffles, Orient Express, Banyan Tree, Fairmont and Sofitel.

Properties joining the Emblems Collection will fall into three categories: Emblems Collection Heritage for “landmark” hotels; Emblems Collection Retreat for resort-style properties in beach, rural or mountainside locations; and Emblems Collection Signature for “design-led” hotels.