Northstar

The Indispensable Travel Industry Read Feature Highlight Asia's Celestial Rooms Vol. 2 Issue 14 | 12 April 2011 | www.travelweeklyweb.com | Published by Travel & Meetings Group, Ten Alps Communications Asia Pte Ltd Accor to enhance service standards Editor's Note The St. Regis, Bangkok News Page 2 Accors is well-established in Australia. Accor, is one of the first hotel groups in Australia to implement a fully accredited "Optimum Service Standards" program for hotels catering for the rapidly growing China and Indian inbound markets. Following consultation with leading tour and travel operators from China and India, Accor hotels will provide a range of services specifically designed to cater for the needs of travellers from their two markets. These will include par ticular foods as par t of the breakfast buffet, Chinese and Indian speaking reception staff, Chinese/ Indian TV channels and media, concierge assistance and other services. A key compon e nt of th e Optimum Service Standards will be training and education of front- line hotel staff about the cultural backgrounds of China and India and the sort of requirements and needs external industry organisations. Initially, 10-15 of Accor's largest hotels will introduce the Optimum Service Standards. These hotels will be able to cater for larger Chinese and Indian groups and are located in cities that traditionally attract large numbers of tourists. The Tourism Forecasting Council required by travellers from these countries. The Ac cor Ac c re d i t a t ion Programme for Chinese Visitation a nd Se r v i ce and the Ac c o r Accreditation Program for Indian Visitation and Service will be fully accredited and validated by approved predicts inbound arrivals from China will become Australia's second largest market behind New Zealand by 2018. Most recent ly, China overtook the UK as Australia's top inbound market by economic value – worth around $3.5 billion. Currently, China is Australia's fourth biggest source by volume of international tourism behind New Zealand, the UK and the US after it overtook Japan last year. TFC is also predicting that inbound travel from India wi l l more than double by 2020, with an annual growth rate of close to A new Pullman Resort opens in Lijiang Page 6 10 per cent, making it one of the most dynamic inbound markets for Australia. Tourism Australia recently launched a highly targeted campaign to encourage further growth in the Indian market. L a st yea r, Ac cor 's hot e l s recorded rises in excess of 30 per cent in China business and 23 per cent in Indian business compared to 2009, coinciding with expansion of Accor's hotel brands across both China and India. "These two markets are amongst the most promising for Australia's tourism future, and so it is essential that we provide the highest possible level of facilities and service when they visit Australia," said Simon McGrath, Accor's vice president, Australia. "There are still many false perceptions about the Chinese and Indian inbound markets, so we thought it important to address the issue from two fronts."

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