New Accor Plus CEO Emilie Couton – who has 24 years’ experience working with Accor and its subsidiary, D-EDGE Hospitality Solutions, across Europe and the Asia Pacific region – is now tasked with addressing the changing trends in travel loyalty with ALL Accor+ Explorer.
Q. Is the aim retention of existing clientele or luring in new ones?
A. At Accor Plus, we already experience long tenure among our members, particularly in Australia. In fact, we have some members who have been with us since the very beginning, more than 30 years ago. We do recognise the changing trends in travel loyalty, and that loyalty can mean different things to different people. We know our programme will appeal to new members just as much as it will to our existing members too.
That’s why we listened carefully to our members before designing our reimagined ALL Accor+ Explorer membership. We conducted our most extensive research ever, of more than 7,000 members and travellers throughout Asia Pacific, to better understand what they want from a travel loyalty subscription.
Our research shows that our members are frequent travellers of domestic and international travel, who seek more than just an ordinary stay. They value recognition, elevated stays and memorable experiences across Asia Pacific. Our guaranteed 15 per cent off hotels worldwide will be quite appealing to new audiences, particularly those who travel regularly beyond the region.
Q. As for the new ones, is this also aimed at younger patrons?
A. Changes to our enhanced ALL Accor+ Explorer subscription do align with a shift in traveller preferences where they seek more than just perks. While this shift is more pronounced in younger travellers, it is also occurring among older generations too. All are looking for a more personalised service, and to develop a more meaningful emotional connection when it comes to travel.
To build on this sense of belonging, our subscription offers exclusive events, from bespoke culinary experiences to unforgettable moments.
We promoted a member-exclusive New Year’s Eve Antarctica experience where members enjoyed a private dinner with an expedition guide, and then flew over Antarctica at midnight in full daylight. That group loved it so much, they even decided to meet up again afterwards to relive the memories.
Members also enjoy behind-the-scenes cultural experiences such as exclusive pre-show gatherings with drinks and canapés alongside the lead cast of celebrated stage productions, complemented by premium tickets and luxury accommodation. These events offer rare, privileged access that cannot be found elsewhere.
In addition, members are invited to exclusive fashion events showcasing collections from some of Australia’s leading fashion brands, including private previews and milestone celebrations that provide unique opportunities to engage with the latest trends and creative visionaries in the fashion world.
These thoughtfully curated experiences resonate across generations, offering both younger and older members meaningful ways to engage with our brand beyond traditional travel. They foster genuine emotional connections and a strong sense of community.
Q. Is it for business leisure or bleisure or all?
A. ALL Accor+ Explorer supports a broad range of travel behaviours. Our data insights show that members are frequent travellers, often travelling every 2-3 months, with a strong focus on short domestic trips and occasional international travel. Many are travelling with a partner or family, and consistently seek quality, convenience, and value from their stays.
In the Australian market, for example, popular hotel choices among members include Novotel, Mercure, Mantra and Pullman properties. Dining at Accor hotels is a major engagement driver, with members regularly enjoying benefits when dining out with family, friends, or colleagues.
Importantly, ALL Accor+ Explorer is highly versatile and can be leveraged in many ways, from securing discounted stays for family getaways or personal leisure, to hosting thank-you dinners with business partners or entertaining clients. It can also be valuable for businesses seeking to reduce travel costs, reward or incentivise team members, or provide added perks to employees. This flexibility makes it an effective loyalty and cost-saving subscription across both personal and professional travel needs.
Q. The Red Hot Rooms is a significant discount, is it a loss leader or a room filler? How many rooms, on average will be available in this bracket.
A. Red Hot Rooms do come with significant discounts – 40 per cent off for Luxury and Premium hotel brands, and 50 per cent off for Midscale and Economy hotel brands. These discounts are based on the best available public unrestricted rate with prepaid and non-refundable conditions.
They offer a strategic win-win: members receive exceptional value, while hotels maximise occupancy on otherwise lower-demand nights. Availability varies depending on seasonality, property, and destination, and is managed directly by hotels. These are offered by the hotels, typically for a limited period to fill rooms during certain times of the year.
Q. Do you also want them to look at wider global options?
A. Yes, this was a major shift in the design of Explorer. For the first time, we are offering a guaranteed 15 per cent off on hotel stays worldwide, across over 30 Accor brands. That includes iconic brands including Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, Mövenpick, Mercure, Novotel, Pullman, ibis and many more.
This makes Accor Plus more relevant than ever to international travellers and aligns with Accor’s global footprint. Whether a member is travelling for business to Singapore, on holiday in Bali, or planning a trip to Paris or New York, they now have a consistent global benefit to rely on.
Q. Are all the restaurants within hotel precincts?
A. ALL Accor+ Explorer members will enjoy access to one of the most expansive and diverse dining portfolios across Asia Pacific. Dining benefits are tied exclusively to Accor-operated restaurants and bars, spanning more than 1,600 restaurants and 1,200 bars in the region. Importantly, you don’t need to be staying overnight to use your dining benefits. Whether it’s a local favourite or a bucket-list restaurant while travelling, members enjoy 30 per cent off dining and 15 per cent off drinks, simply by showing their membership.
These aren’t just hotel restaurants, they’re destination venues in their own right, many of which rival top standalone restaurants in quality, creativity and service. From award-winning restaurants here in Australia, Miss Mi at the iconic Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer, Atelier, Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, through to tasting menus at signature venues to vibrant rooftop bars and breezy coastal eateries, the range of experiences reflects the richness of local culinary culture across the region. Dining is consistently one of our most-used and most-loved benefits, especially in Australia, Singapore, and Indonesia, where members use it frequently to celebrate milestones, host guests or simply enjoy meals with family and friends.
Many members say the dining benefit alone more than pays for the cost of membership, making it a compelling reason to renew year after year.
Q. Has the price of new membership increased?
A. With the launch of ALL Accor+ Explorer, we’ve introduced a single annual subscription price of US$229, replacing the previous country specific pricing model.
To ensure this new pricing model delivers on expectations, we conducted our largest ever member study, surveying over 7,000 members across 12 Asia Pacific markets. The research confirmed that price and hotel stay benefits are the top decision drivers — and that US$229 was the most preferred price point when paired with the enhanced membership benefits.
In Australia, this means the new ALL Accor+ Explorer subscription is now available for AU$349 – a reduction from the previous retail price, while still including all the core benefits members love.
Q. Are you expecting competitors to increase their offers given the competitive nature of the new offers?
A. It’s not for me to say what our competitors might do in future, but I can give you a sense of scale of the opportunity. We’re living in a strong subscription economy right now. Estimates are that the market is likely to double or quadruple to more than US$2 trillion globally by 2034.
Accor Plus has been the pioneer in travel loyalty subscriptions across Asia Pacific for over three decades. While others may follow, we continue to lead by evolving the product in direct response to our members’ needs and expectations.
Our role is not to react to competition, but to set the benchmark for what a premium loyalty subscription looks like in the modern travel landscape.
Q. Can you give us a profile of the atypical member? Ie corporate or leisure, stays per year, country of origin, demographic, age group etc.
A. Our member base is diverse, spanning different life stages and travel motivations, but there are clear patterns that define a typical Accor Plus member. They are savvy, frequent travellers who value practical benefits, elevated experiences, and exclusive access that enhances every stay.
While they value loyalty status and savings, their travel is also driven by a desire to immerse themselves in culture and cuisine. They look for unique, elevated experiences, valuing curated benefits, exclusivity, and lifestyle reward. Other member insights include:
● Members travel every 2-3 months on average, mostly within their home country, with at least one international trip per year (more for members based in Asia).
● The core demographic is aged 35-55, although we’re seeing accelerated growth among younger members, especially in Southeast Asia.
● Dining is a key value driver, with many members joining primarily for the dining benefit and continuing their membership to enjoy dining occasions with family and friends.
● Australian members’ top international destinations include New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore and South Korea.
● Members are digitally connected and time-conscious, and they look for travel solutions that fit their lifestyle seamlessly.
Importantly, our members are highly engaged. In 2024 alone, we’ve shared over 2,300 exclusive member offers – ranging from hotel deals to culinary events and partner benefits – designed to reward that engagement and keep delivering value year-round.
