Today, 55% of Accor hotels with meeting rooms are already providing hybrid meetings solutions to their clients. Launching in April 2021, the new ALL CONNECT concept will ensure Accor hotels can provide an enriched full experience which resets the bar on the hybrid meeting experience. Accor’s ambitious target is to achieve 100% of its hotels with meeting rooms in compliance with the Group’s new standard for hybrid meetings by 2022 across all brands, from economy to ultra-luxury worldwide.
By combining the brands and service culture of Accor with the powerful meetings and collaboration technology of Teams, this new offering will enable corporate customers and meeting planners to combine physical in-hotel meetings with virtual interactions across multiple locations simultaneously. For hotels not already equipped for hybrid meetings, the new offering will allow attendees to connect and engage virtually on the Microsoft Teams platform. In select Accor meeting spaces, Microsoft Teams Rooms and Surface Hub 2S will connect people on-site, to those joining remotely with industry leading audio and video device experiences. People can easily present content and see virtual participants as if they were in the same room. With this solution, Accor guests and their meeting attendees can come together through professional, inclusive meeting experiences, from wherever they are.
The concept will focus primarily on small meetings (8 to 50 physical participants), though options are also available for larger meetings and events. Customers will benefit from the expertise of dedicated teams, Accor’s meetings & events experience, and a seamless digital booking platform. Distinctive and bespoke meeting programs & experiences will be available to attendees who can also expect the highest sanitary and safety measures as part of the ALLSAFE expert vetted protocol co-developed with Bureau Veritas through the expert vetted ALLSAFE program. Learn more about Accor’s health and safety measures at ALLMeetWell.com.
Research by Accor shows that 50% of physical meetings planned by the company’s Meetings & Events customers in 2021 will switch to virtual formats, and that 70% of respondents see hybrid meetings as an important service in the future.
Furthermore, sector analysis shows that the trend towards remote events and meetings is likely to endure beyond the pandemic even as corporate budgets return to pre-COVID levels. Accor’s hybrid meeting offer will be a new revenue stream for the Group as corporate customers will focus on more sustainable corporate travel, continuing to prioritize health and safety, while maintaining business connections.