Accor, the Paris-based operator of about 5,300 hotels globally, stated last week that hotel stays surpassed that of 2019 levels for the first time in Q2 across all regions and brands, including Mercure. “The enormous amount of American tourism [in Europe] is certainly an indication of our industry still being blessed with two things happening, the rebound of international travellers and a very, very strong domestic leisure market.” said Sébastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of Accor.
Last week, Skift released an online article going into detail about how Accor’s hotel stays have surpassed pre-COVID levels, which is an impressive feat. Mercure London Paddington is proud to be a part of the Accor family and we represent the brand as best we can, whilst adding our own individual twist as a part of London Town Hotels.
By the end of the second quarter, Accor’s prices moved above 2019 levels in several key markets. In London, the group’s hotel prices were up by 14%. Showing an increase from the previous three years sales figures and showing a resurgence in hotels stays, not only in London but across Europe also.
A strong pricing initiative assisted in the company’s quarterly lift in terms of worldwide REVPAR - revenue per available room, which is a key metric in the hospitality industry, by 1% above the level it had claimed in April through June of 2019.
“The hotels sector is getting support in particular from the excess savings built up by Western European and US consumers during the pandemic,” wrote Sabrina Blanc, a Societe Generale equity analyst for Accor. “Our main concern remains the ability of companies to pass on inflation to end customers concerns.” Yet inflation hasn’t yet weakened travel demand, Accor executives said.
Business travel usually accounts for around 60% of Accor’s business in the third quarter, however Mr. Bazin has been questioning how demand will change this year, if at all. However, it was noted that there are still some major worldwide events to take place throughout the remainder of the year which will boost leisure stays.
Accor has claimed that the marketing efforts put in place by the brand to avoid booking being taken by third party agents, such as online travel agents, has been successful in the first half of the year. Direct bookings through hotel channels have been on par with a mix of percentages from 2019. Being able to channel bookings directly through the hotel website helps the company and its partners, such as Mercure London Paddington, to avoid paying external fees to other distributors.
All in all, it is looking to be a positive outlook for the future for Accor and in turn the Mercure brand as a whole and we welcome this news as it means that travel is back. We have certainly missed having as many smiling faces walking through our doors and couldn’t be happier to welcome you all back as soon as possible.
If you’re planning a trip to London and are looking for a place to stay, then look no further than Mercure London Paddington for a lovely selection of rooms and customisable amenities to suit you. We are a two-minute walk from Paddington train station, which has easy access to the wonderful city of London and our knowledgeable staff can help you with any local enquiries you may have.
Whatever your reason for traveling we look forward to welcoming you to our hotel.
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