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ACCOR IS DEEPLY LOOKING FOR ALBANIAN INVESTORS TO TEAM UP
The future for tourism in Albania is very bright, it has all the features to become even more successful, but the further development of travel infrastructure is very important, together with a controlled development of the coastline. For me, each visit in Albania always gives me great memories, the hospitality, friendly people, food – these are great assets to your country.
BY RUDINA HOXHA & JOSE PINTO
“W e are working on introducing a number of five star premium resort properties in the region. I think there is a great opportunity towards the development of branded resorts in the entire region, and Accor is one of the leading operator in the world with more than 300 resorts operating under a wide range of brands, such a Rixos, Sofitel, Swissotel. We are confident that we can bring these brands also to this region in the next few years,” Frank Reul, Eastern Europe Vice-President for Development, Accor, highlights in
an exclusive interview with TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE. Reul, with more than 20 years with Accor, appreciates the opportunities he sees in Albania. “In Albania we see truly great opportunities for our further development in the upcoming years, the coast line is tremendously beautiful,” he says.
He also explains that Accor is an important franchisor around the world. “We franchise more than 1000 properties in Europe, all our brands (apart from the luxury brands) are available to franchise by our partners,” Reul says.
What are the projects the Accor Group has on pipeline and what brands does the Group intend to expand in the region (Albania, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro etc)
Today we have hotels under development in Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo all to open in the next few years. In Macedonia we have three properties operating right now (ibis & ibis Styles Skopje and Mercure Tetovo) – very nice city centre hotels all with strong local partners. We can see, especially in Montenegro and Albania, great opportunities for investors to team up with Accor, as we have the brands to bring the leading resorts to this beautiful part of the world and this combined with our dominant market position in all key feeder markets give us confidence that we can be a good partner. We are working on introducing a number of five star premium resort properties in the region. I think there is a great opportunity towards the development of branded resorts in the entire region, and Accor is one of the leading operator in the world with more than 300 resorts operating under a wide range of brands, such a Rixos, Sofitel, Swissotel. We are confident that we can bring these brands also to this region in the next few years.
Is the pandemic influencing your development projects in Europe? Is that also changing the investors’mindset and concept development?
Obviously the hospitality is going through unprecedented times this year, and still we have no clear visibility when this hygiene crisis
will subside. But what we can say is that our resorts continue to perform well. Both coastal and mountain resorts have had a good season. Accor together with its partners hotels has set up the “ALL SAFE” label which ensures a safe stay for all of our guests with many protocols and solutions providing hygiene and sanitary safety. In Albania we see truly great opportunities for our further development in the upcoming years, the coastline is tremendously beautiful.
Is Accor in favor of all-franchise growth?
Accor is an important franchisor around the world. We franchise more than 1000 properties in Europe, all our brands (apart from the luxury brands) are available to franchise by our partners. We work also with a number of important white label operators in the region as this can be also an alternative solution for the investor. But most important is that we work individually for each project with the owner to bring the most appropriate solution to the partners and this can be either a franchise or a management agreement.
After many visits in Albania, what are your views about tourism development for the country?
The future for tourism in Albania is very bright, it has all the features to become even more successful, but the further development of travel infrastructure is very important, together with a controlled development of the coastline. From me each visit in Albania always gives me great memories, the hospitality, friendly people, food – these are great assets to your country.
Perspective of Novotel in Tirana.
Perspective of Novotel in Tirana.
