Don’t ignore the Airbnb threat: Accor boss Michael Issenberg
AccorHotels Asia Pacific boss Michael Issenberg has a word of warning for Australian hoteliers: don’t ignore Airbnb.
Mr Issenberg, who was in Australia this week for the opening of the Pullman Sydney Airport, Accor’s 700th hotel in the Asia Pacific, said Airbnb is a serious threat to the industry.
"Anybody who is discounting the threat posed by Airbnb is kidding themselves," Mr Issenberg told the Australian Financial Review.
"They are a competitor. They are part of the landscape. Someone is making a choice to stay in accommodation offered through Airbnb. We want them to stay in our hotels.”
He agreed with calls from the hotel industry for regulations covering short-stay operators like Airbnb.
“They should be regulated like any new type of industry," he said.
For its part, Accor is not sitting back and it’s taking the competition back up to Airbnb.
In April, Accor swooped on luxury private rental operator Onefinestay, snapping it up for $US160 million ($A216 million).
"People compare to Airbnb, but it's a bit different. It's a bespoke product offering upper scale and luxury homes. It's not a hosted product," he said.
He said the group was still on the lookout for similar opportunities.
He saw no reason why Australia’s booming tourism industry would let up.
“We see room for it to keep going,’’ he said.
“The industry is now truly recognised as an important part of Australian economy and that alone will create opportunities. The government has recognised there is room for Accor and the industry to grow."
“Sydney is the strongest market. We are looking for opportunities on the city fringe and in the leisure market. In terms of hotel type it’s fairly broad, but with a focus on the upscale and economy sectors, like Pullman and Ibis Styles."
He said Accor planned to bring the Mama Shelter lifestyle brand to Australia.
"We are looking for opportunities for that brand in Sydney and Melbourne," he said.
by Leon Gettler, June 17th 2016
