Philippe Bone discusses Accor's plans for at least 40 hotels in Cyprus, with 10 projects already underway

Philippe Bone, Vice-President Development CIS, Georgia, Israel and Cyprus at Accor, tells CBN about the French multinational hospitality company's plans to further develop in Cyprus after partnering up with GAP Vassilopoulos to open the Classic Hotel Nicosia, the ultimate goal being to run at least 40 hotels on the island, with 10 projects or takeovers already "at a very early stage".

Bone also discusses what it takes to be a part of Accor's Handwritten Collection and how the Classic Hotel Nicosia intends to stand out from its competition.

What experience can guests expect to have at the Classic Hotel Nicosia, the latest addition to Accor’s Handwritten Collection?

Since its launch in 2023, Handwritten Collection invites guests to immerse themselves in intimate settings that foster genuine connections between fellow travellers and dedicated hosts.

At the Classic Hotel guests can enjoy 54 comfortable rooms dominated by earthy tones, giving guests a warm and inviting character. The hotel comprises modern rooms featuring top amenities, while guests can relax at the gym or spa, at the Gallery Art Cafe or enjoy gourmet dining at The Blue Bar. The property blends local culture with exceptional hospitality and services. Guests will experience the friendly home Cypriot hospitality with an exceptional staff. Guests of the hotel will be also able to enjoy a selection of special wines, carefully curated by Ariana Vassilopoulou, owner of the hotel and wine enthusiast. Featuring wines inspired by her travels around the world, wine-tasting experiences at the hotel will include fascinating stories about natural winemaking.

The brand has unveiled 17 hotels in sought-after destinations worldwide, including Paris, Sydney and Shanghai, with many more in the pipeline. What prompted Accor to invest in Cyprus?

Accor started many years ago a great transformation, shifting from an asset-heavy to an asset-light model, which enabled us to concentrate on building an ecosystem of brands and services across all segments under the ALL umbrella.

Therefore, we do not invest directly but we make agreements with local partners and owners, who want to develop their business by working with an international hotel group, which can provide them with know-how, support, and services to improve the return on their investment.

Our development strategy focuses on the biggest and most profitable markets, by consolidating leadership in Midscale and Economy, and by seizing growth opportunities in the Premium segment.

On the other side, we explore high-potential markets that can offer size, growth, and profitability, like the Mediterranean. We are also particularly interested in destinations that are less populated, like Eastern Europe, that can offer great experiences.

In the Mediterranean basin in particular, we are developing in Italy, where we are currently present with 80 properties and where we have ambitions to reach 100 hotels in the next four years.

In this area, we have development ambitions in Cyprus, of course, and also in Greece and Malta.

How did Accor’s collaboration with GAP VASSILOPOULOS come about? And, Accor also runs the Mercure hotels in Larnaca. How would you assess its presence in Cyprus so far? What is your view of Cyprus’ hotel industry and what do you believe will make the Classic Hotel Nicosia stand out from its competition?

As The Classic was certified with 4 stars from Cyprus' classification authority, GAP Vassilopoulos wanted to bring the property to another level in terms of service, comfort and quality with the support of the European leader in Hospitality.

Becoming a partner of Accor was a unique opportunity to increase the visibility of the Hotel in the distribution channel, bring more customers and increase the financial results.

Cyprus' hotel industry is mainly driven today by unbranded family hotels, with a few local solid groups. Compared to the volume of the industry and its development potential, there are very few internationally branded hotels.

The Classic Hotel Nicosia was already among the leaders in its market, and its cooperation with Accor will bring it more visibility on distribution channels, more customers, higher prices and lower distribution costs.

It will also make some renovation works under the highest international standards. And we will bring all the latest innovations and the highest standards in operation that will make the property stronger against competition.

Is Accor planning any new projects in Cyprus?

Cyprus is one of the countries where we want to develop in the Mediterranean area.

We believe there is a potential for massive development of Accor’s brands in Cyprus, maybe not less than 40 hotels. A future Movenpick Living is in the design stage in Limassol.

We are discussing 10 projects or takeovers at a very early stage, and we are still dreaming and convinced that we could team up with the big local groups.

• Also read: Accor's Handwritten Collection to debut in Cyprus