Exclusive: Accor Plus CEO Emilie Couton on a growing appetite for travel subscriptions

by Ruth Hogan

Accor’s travel subscription business, Accor Plus, has launched a premium global travel subscription, ALL Accor+ Explorer, with ambitious plans to expand into new key markets next year.

Eager to tap into a rapidly growing global subscriptions economy, which is on track to reach over US$2 trillion by 2034, the hospitality giant spies a gap in the market for travel subscriptions. Accor Plus CEO Emilie Couton spoke exclusively to HM about shifting traveller preferences, the future of loyalty, paid vs free models, and what makes them successful.

What changes have you noticed in how Australians are travelling in the last 12-18 months?

In recent years, we’ve seen our Australian members choosing to take more domestic trips, on average, once every 2-3 months. When it comes to domestic stays, these key hotel brands: Novotel, Mercure, and Mantra were the most booked brands in 2024 by Australian members, reflecting their popularity across a wide range of travel needs and destinations. Novotel leads as the top choice for families, Mercure remains a strong performer in regional markets and Mantra being the preferred option for longer stays for its apartment-style accommodation.  With an average stay length of two nights, the data also points to short getaways as a preferred travel choice, whether it’s a quick weekend escape, a mid-week break, or a spontaneous road trip. When they do go overseas, their favourite destinations are New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore and South Korea. From our extensive member research of more than 7,000 Accor Plus members and travellers, we also know that our members look to us for more than discounts. They want to share meaningful experiences with family and make memorable moments as well. Our members in Australia have told us they really love our exclusive dining and entertainment experiences. One of these moments that stood out recently was the New Year’s Eve Antarctica experience. It sold out in record time. Members enjoyed a private dinner with the expedition guide the night before, then flew over Antarctica at midnight in full daylight. They absolutely loved sharing that experience together. We even heard they have reconnected with each other since to relive the memories. That sense of belonging, of community, is something else our members long for. And of course, we can’t forget the dining experiences that we also offer members. Aside from enjoying the substantial discounts on dining and drinks, they also love taking part in curated culinary experiences. We promoted an exclusive dining experience for 12 members, where they enjoyed a 12-course Japanese epicurean experience in the Penthouse Suite of Shadow Play By Peppers, Melbourne. That event sold out within hours, and we added extra evenings since, which have also sold out. We also offer a truffle excursion and dining experience each year, which is always in high demand. These personalised and exclusive events are growing in popularity among our members, as they look beyond the perks to find a more meaningful connection.

Based on your research, what are today’s travellers seeking when it comes to loyalty offerings?

As part of our process in designing the reimagined ALL Accor+ Explorer, we asked more than 7,000 Accor Plus members and travellers to identify what matters most to them. This was our most extensive research to date, and gave us many insights into what travellers look for from a loyalty subscription. Our Accor Plus members seek value, yes, but more than that, they’re seeking meaning. They want to feel like they belong and that their loyalty is seen and appreciated. Our community is made up of frequent travellers, who travel for leisure, business or both. They look to us for consistent savings, upgrades and increased recognition, which is why we have increased our hotel discount to 15% and now offer it globally. We also give them the extra benefits of instant ALL Accor Gold status or higher with Accor’s global free loyalty and booking platform. Our discerning travellers really value how easy it is to use the programme benefits, and say that the more seamless the booking and rewards experience, the better. When at their destination, they favour experiences and enjoy exploring the cultures and cuisines around them. Curated benefits such as exclusive events and unique experiences are of great interest. Travellers today, like our Accor Plus members, are smart when it comes to seeking value from loyalty programmes. Price will always be a key consideration, but they still weigh up the value of a premium experience alongside the tangible ROI they get from travel loyalty. With ALL Accor+ Explorer, that means our members will enjoy more free nights, exclusive offers, unforgettable experiences and incredible hotel and dining discounts.

With so many free loyalty offerings available, what makes a paid subscription model attractive and successful?

While most free loyalty programmes offer longer-term benefits like earning points and status over time, paid subscriptions offer instant benefits that you can access right away. We live in a strong subscription economy, with estimates that the market is likely to double or quadruple to more than $2 trillion globally by 2034. With ALL Accor+ Explorer, our members are instantly recognised with ALL Accor Gold status or higher. They also have immediate access to benefits including free stays, exclusive discounts and privileged access. Most importantly, they can easily see a clear path towards tangible ROI, one that is genuinely rewarding for both members and the Accor ecosystem. We’ve found that by offering greater benefits, our members are growing in loyalty and spending more with us as a result. Our more than 450,000 Accor Plus members are highly engaged. Last year, our members stayed more than 3.1 million nights at Accor hotels, 5 times more nights than non-members and 2.3 times more in spend. The strategy behind our long-running and successful subscription programme is that it is designed to be genuinely beneficial for all parties. We deliver unmatched value to our members, and in turn, this drives increased loyalty and spend with our hotels, bars and restaurants around the Asia Pacific region. It’s a win-win for all involved.

Tell us about the key differences between Accor+ and Accor+ Explorer.

In the world of Accor, there is a free global loyalty and booking platform, which is ALL Accor, and a paid subscription programme now known as ALL Accor+. The reimagined ALL Accor+ Explorer is the premium product within the subscription programme. While the free ALL Accor loyalty programme rewards members for their ongoing loyalty, ALL Accor+ subscriptions reward members instantly. ALL Accor+ Explorer is the next natural step for an ALL Accor member, unlocking elevated benefits, richer experiences, and more value. ALL Accor+ is already seamlessly integrated within the ALL Accor global loyalty ecosystem. This means members can apply ALL Accor+ member benefits, earn and redeem ALL Accor Reward points and earn Status Nights all in one place, in our unified booking platform and mobile app. The enhanced ALL Accor+ Explorer membership reflects what members truly value, with elevated benefits including more free stays (2 Stay Plus FREE Nights annually across Asia Pacific); up to 50% off hotel stays with Red Hot Rooms in Asia Pacific; 15% off the public rate at 30+ hotel brands across 4,500+ Accor hotels worldwide; 30% discount on dining and 15% discount on drinks  at 1,600+ restaurants and  1,200+ bars across Asia Pacific; instant ALL Accor Gold status or higher with a bonus of 30 Status Nights each year and exclusive member-only events and offers: Just to recap for clarity, the name of the business will remain Accor Plus. It’s the name of our subscription product line, which is changing to ALL Accor+. We’ve also used this opportunity to enhance and reimagine our premium subscription product under the new brand as ALL Accor+ Explorer.

How do you see the hotel and travel loyalty landscape evolving over the next 5-10 years?

We’re already seeing the landscape rapidly evolve in travel loyalty. Over the next 5-10 years, I believe we’ll see the sector move significantly beyond traditional transactional rewards, towards building communities and offering access to desired lifestyles. Emerging technologies, especially AI, will play a crucial role in this evolution. With more AI-driven technology in use across the industry, we can expect to see more finely-tuned services for members, including: Personalisation at scale: Tailoring experiences and offers to individual preferences like never before. Predictive analytics: Anticipating member needs and desires before they even express them. Automated customer service: Providing seamless and efficient support around the clock. Real-time use of customer data: Ensuring that every interaction is informed by the most up-to-date member information. Beyond points and perks, we will probably see other engagement strategies like gamification come into play. Think badges, challenges, and leaderboards. These elements will become increasingly important for actively engaging members and fostering a stronger sense of belonging within a brand’s ecosystem. Ultimately, this shift is about moving beyond broad demographic targeting towards a much deeper understanding of each member’s needs and wants. It’s not only about knowing who someone is, but also understanding what they value, and staying a few steps ahead of their expectations. We can expect to see loyalty programmes become far more personalised, technology-driven, and community-focused. It’s an exciting time to be in the travel industry as we redefine what loyalty truly means for our members.
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