Global hospitality chain Accor and InterGlobe Enterprises, which owns India's largest airline IndiGo, has announced deepening of partnership for the Indian market by creating an unified platform to manage hotels under their long-standing tie up.
InterGlobe and Accor have been partners in developing hotels across various Indian markets since 2004.
The companies added that they plan to have 300 hotels under the platform by 2030, announcing a deal with budget hotel network Treebo, under which the latter will develop Accor's Ibis and Mercure hotel brands in India.
Treebo will sign ten new Mercure branded-hotels with various property owners under this deal, and Accor and InterGlobe will jointly become the largest shareholders in Treebo, according to a statement.
The combined portfolio will have 30,000 rooms, creating India's third-largest player in the hospitality business. At an event in Mumbai, the companies said that they saw an opportunity to expand in India's fragmented hospitality industry, as well as tapping into a surge in domestic tourism and an expanding network and passenger count in terms of air travel.
"This landmark partnership marks a transformative moment for Accor and its brands in India. By aligning with our long-term successful and trusted partner InterGlobe and bringing together the best of hospitality, tech and entrepreneurship in India, we are unlocking unprecedented growth potential in one of the world’s most exciting travel markets," said Sebastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of Accor.
Accor, one of the world's largest hotel chains, runs multiple hospitality brands across price points in India, such as Fairmont, Sofitel, Novotel, Ibis, and others.
IndiGo is also collaborating with Accor for synergies between their respective loyalty programmes- IndiGo BluChip and Accor Live Limitless - in which flyers and users of Accor's hotel brands will be able to use reward points for travelling or staying, with the companies planning reward points sharing and co-branded loyalty programmes.
"XLR deliveries expected this fiscal: IndiGo CEO"
On the sidelines of the event in Mumbai, IndiGo's chief executive officer Pieter Elbers said that the company expects to receive delivery of its much awaited Airbus A321-XLR aircraft in the ongoing financial year. IndiGo has more than 60 orders of the A321-XLR from Airbus, with the aircraft slated to enable longer routes from India to be flown, including to Europe and central Asia.
Elbers conceded that the company has been hamstrung due to them not having the XLR range of aircraft in their fleet, which would enable to start longer routes from more destinations.
"We are discussing with Airbus the exact date and timing of the delivery of XLRs. We are positive that we get them in this financial year. For us to have the XLR is an exciting moment. We are flying from Mumbai to Nairobi, but we cannot fly from Delhi to Nairobi in terms of operational capabilities. We can fly from Delhi to Nairobi with the XLR, which will open up a whole range of network opportunities. The XLR will also enable us to take back a lot of market share towards Indian operators," Elbers said.
He also added during a press briefing that the firm will continue with aircraft leasing, such as for its widebody Boeing 777 that it uses on select international routes, as well as for some narrowbody aircraft, noting that such leases are necessary to tide over global supply chain issues.
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