Accor stands tall against growth of OTAs
Accor says it has recorded a 27.4% increase in revenue from direct channels over the past 12 months at a time when third-party websites have made major incursions into the accommodation sector.
Accor attributes its revenue growth from direct channels to its investment in its loyalty programmes (Accor Advantage Plus and Le Club Accorhotels), and online digital presence with its accorhotels.com website.
Accorhotels.com is rated as the top website for hotel groups in Australia, according to latest Experian Hitwise data, with a 23% annual growth in website visits, and growth from mobile sources is leading the way with a 57% increase in bookings and 85% increase in revenue.
Accor Australia’s chief operating officer, Simon McGrath, said: "Online travel agencies have a strong presence in Australia and with their considerable marketing resources, their percentage of the overall market has grown substantially in the past decade, but it is very encouraging that the strength of the Accor brand name has helped the company grow its direct business at the same time."
Accor’s mobile applications and websites notched up more than 10 million unique visitors last year.
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