Abstract
AccorHotels, Europe’s leading hotel group, was going through a major digital transformation initiated by its CEO, Sébastien Bazin. A relative newcomer to the hospitality industry, the private equity investor was shaking up the traditional strategy of a large hotel chain and disrupting AccorHotels’ business model.
Researcher Valerie Keller-Birrer prepared this case under the supervision of Professor Tawfik Jelassi as a basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a business situation. Copyright © 2017 by IMD – International Institute for Management Development, Lausanne, Switzerland (► www.imd.org). No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of IMD.
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- 1.
“The Global Hotel Industry and Trends for 2016.” 7 Hospitalitynet.org, 18 December 2015. 7 http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4073336.html (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 2.
“Worldwide hotel chain supply: Global chain supply confirms growth.” 7 Hospitality-on.com, 7 June 2016. 7 http://hospitality-on.com/en/news/2016/07/07/worldwide-hotel-chain-supply-global-chain-supply-confirms-growth/ (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 3.
“Worldwide hotel industry: New growth in hotel results despite the Asian slowdown.” 7 Hospitality-on.com, 7 June 2016. 7 http://hospitality-on.com/en/news/2016/07/07/worldwide-hotel-industry-new-growth-in-hotel-results-despite-the-asian-slowdown/ (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 4.
“Financial ranking of groups: “Muscle-flexing among hotel & digital travel industry leaders.” 7 Hospitality-on.com, 7 June 2016. 7 http://hospitality-on.com/en/news/2016/07/06/financial-ranking-of-groups-muscle-flexing-among-hotel-digital-travel-industry-leaders/ (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 5.
All quotes from Yves Lacheret are based on an interview conducted by the authors on 18 April 2017.
- 6.
A unicorn is a start-up with a value of US$1 billion or more.
- 7.
“Marriott International Market Cap.” 7 Ycharts.com 23 March 2017. 7 https://ycharts.com/companies/MAR/market_cap (accessed on 23 March 2017).
- 8.
“Accor vs Airbnb – S. Bazin et O. Grémillon aux Mardis de l’ESSEC.” 7 Youtube.com, 28 March 2015. 7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3gwLlVhMMs (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 9.
“Airbnb – Statistics & Facts.” 7 Statista.com. 7 https://www.statista.com/topics/2273/airbnb/ (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 10.
“Sébastien Bazin (AccorHotels): “Nous allons faire mieux qu’Airbnb.” 7 Frenchweb.fr, 20 July 2016. 7 http://www.frenchweb.fr/sebastien-bazin-accorhotels-nous-allons-faire-mieux-quairbnb/251095 (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 11.
“Accor vs Airbnb – S. Bazin et O. Grémillon aux Mardis de l’ESSEC.” 7 Youtube.com, 28 March 2015. 7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3gwLlVhMMs (accessed 14 June 2017).7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3gwLlVhMMs
- 12.
“Transformation numérique d’Accor: vraie stratégie ou sauve-qui-peut?” 7 Frenchweb.fr, 27 February 2015. 7 http://www.frenchweb.fr/transformation-numerique-daccor-vraie-strategie-ou-sauve-qui-peut/184968 (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 13.
“Sébastien Bazin (AccorHotels): “Nous allons faire mieux qu’Airbnb.” 7 Frenchweb.fr, 20 July 2016. 7 http://www.frenchweb.fr/sebastien-bazin-accorhotels-nous-allons-faire-mieux-quairbnb/251095 (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 14.
“Communiqué: Accor engage sa transformation digitale « Leading Digital Hospitality ».” 7 Tendancehotellerie.fr, 31 October 2014. 7 http://www.tendancehotellerie.fr/articles-breves/communique-de-presse/4236-article/accor-engage-sa-transformation-digitale-leading-digital-hospitality (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 15.
“Accor acquires FastBooking, a B2B hotel tools provider.” 7 Tnooz.com, 17 April 2015. 7 https://www.tnooz.com/article/accor-acquires-fastbooking-a-b2b-hotel-tools-provider/ (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 16.
All quotes from Sven Boinet’s are based on a presentation at IMD Alumni Paris on 18 April 2017
- 17.
“Our ambitions.” 7 AccorHotels.com. 7 http://www.accorhotels.group/en/group/our-ambitions (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 18.
“Accor has eyes on other digital layers for hotels.” 7 Tnooz.com, 18 October 2016. 7 https://www.tnooz.com/article/accor-has-eyes-on-other-digital-layers-for-hotels/ (accessed 14 June 2017).
- 19.
Other acquisitions included 25 hours (acquisition of 30% of its capital), Banyan Tree (5% stake), BHG (integration of 26 hotels), Rixos (50% interest in the joint venture management company), AvailPro (full acquisition to create the European leader of digital services for independent hotels), VeryChic (digital platform for the private sale of luxury hotel rooms and apartments, cruises, breaks, and packages), Potel et Chabot (40% of the share capital), and Noctis (AccorHotels and the FCDE in exclusive talks to acquire 100% of the latter’s minority interest in Groupe Noctis).
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Jelassi, T., Martínez-López, F.J. (2020). AccorHotels’ Digital Transformation: A Strategic Response to Hospitality Disruptor Airbnb. In: Strategies for e-Business. Classroom Companion: Business. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48950-2_25
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