Accor, the world-leading augmented hospitality group, and Al Tayyar Travel Group, the Middle East's leading technology-powered travel and tourism company (ATG), have entered into a significant partnership which sees Accor give access to its entire portfolio of hotels to ATG's customer base via its online and retail channels. Accor will provide ATG with direct access to real-time rates and availability across Accor's portfolio of 4,800 hotels and resorts in 100 countries worldwide. It will help strengthen Accor's visibility and sales capabilities in major regional and international customer source markets through ATG's extensive online and retail channels. "Our partnership with Al Tayyar Travel Group accelerates our growth strategy by cementing our presence as a world-leading travel and lifestyle brand in the Middle East, which is an increasingly important source of core business for Accor," said Markus Keller, Senior Vice President, Global Sales Organization for Accor. "This mutually-beneficial agreement provides us with a prime opportunity to amplify awareness of our unrivalled portfolio of diverse brands and lifestyle experiences around the globe to some of the region's most dynamic and travel-hungry consumer markets, in particular Saudi Arabia, via Al Tayyar Travel Group's leading brands and platforms as well as their far-reaching retail and online channels." Abdullah Al Dawood, Group CEO, Al Tayyar Travel Group, added: "Accor is a global brand and connecting with them on our platform will bring thousands of well-known hotels to our travellers, giving greater choice and convenience. With over 90 million online sessions last year, we have the largest travel platform in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, which is why hotel brands such as Accor choose us as key regional partners." The landmark agreement was signed by Markus Keller, Senior Vice President, Global Sales Organization for Accor and Abdullah Al Dawood, Group CEO, Al Tayyar Travel Group at a special ceremony, which took place at the Accor headquarters in Paris, France, and was attended by senior executives from both companies. Al Tayyar Travel Group is one of the region's most influential travel companies with two leading Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) in the Middle East, Almosafer and Tajawal, and has the largest retail distribution networks in Saudi Arabic with over 400+ points of sale. The partnership significantly reinforces Accor's distribution capabilities in these major growth markets and further bolsters its robust outbound growth from the Middle East to major destinations including the US, Asia and Europe. As one of the largest travel and hospitality companies with a rapidly-increasing global market share, Accor will provide Al Tayyar Travel Group with real-time access to rates and availability across its entire portfolio of consisting of 38 brands. Ranging from internationally acclaimed luxury names such as Raffles, Sofitel and Fairmont to premium brands such as MGallery, Pullman, Mövenpick and Swissôtel and mid-range concepts Novotel, Mercure, to ibis in the economy category, this partnership will provide a breadth of offerings in every segment. — SG
