The hotel group ACCOR will take over the management of the Heritage Grand Perast hotel, and it will not be the only project of this company in Montenegro. Swissôtel Resort in Kolašin is expected to open this year, followed by Rixos in Sutomore, and recently a franchise agreement was signed for the first Pullman Resort & Residences in Montenegro.
The management contract between the Heritage Grand Perast Hotel and the ACCOR hotel group was signed at a ceremony held in the Smekja Palace, in the Heritage Grand Perast Hotel. The event was also attended by the executive director of the ACCOR hotel group, Francois Baudin. He explained why he decided to include this exclusive hotel located in the historic city of Perast in the Rixos portfolio.
I came here to sign a contract with the director of the Heritage Grand Perast Hotel, Branko Ćupić, in order to help with the daily management and commercialization of the location. This is a beautiful hotel in an incredible setting. We think we can create a synergy with our hotel Rixos in Dubrovnik, since they have the same DNA when it comes to historical sites, beautiful scenery and holiday destinations.
Apart from the aforementioned Premium Hotel in Dubrovnik, Rixos has 32 branded hotels around the world, which are mostly adapted for all-inclusive resorts. Baudin points to the reasons why the hotel in Perast will not follow that example.
For an all-inclusive destination, it is necessary to have many shops and restaurants, because the goal is to keep guests inside the hotel. This is a smaller hotel with attractive surroundings. Nevertheless, we will transfer a lot of DNA of our fun, sports and events for children to every guest who will enjoy their stay here – says the executive director of the ACCOR group.
The ACCOR hotel group was formed in May last year, and operates in 5,300 locations in about 110 countries, including brands such as Sofitel, Fairmont, Pullman, Swissotel and Movenpick. Baudin, as the executive director of this group, reveals the secret of the success of that list of hotels.
All of them have in common that they operate according to a specific list of set standards and guiding ideas. Each of the hotels should have a premium, luxurious position, they must be either mountain or seaside hotels, strong entertainment value, quality food and beverage offerings, children’s, sports, wellness activities must be included. All these are the pillars on which the success of our hotels is built.
ACCOR has already made a strong foray into the Montenegrin market, so in September 2021 the opening of the Swissôtel Resort in Kolašin was announced, in January of this year it was announced that the five-star Rixos resort in Sutomore would open in 2024, and the opening of the Mövenpick Teuta was also announced. In Risno.
Swissôtel planned for the fourth quarter of 2023 will be the first to open, Mövenpick and Pullman will open in 2025. We hope to successfully continue the construction of the hotel in Sutomore, and we hope that it will be open within 12 months.
Baudin says that he is delighted with Montenegro as a destination, and that he sees great investment potential in the territory of our country. He points out that there is a uniqueness that sets Montenegro apart from other Mediterranean destinations such as Greece and Italy.
I think there is a huge potential to expand to the American market. I would advise the government to promote tourism in Montenegro through many more advertisements about the beauty of the location, because I think that this country is not yet on the resort radar, but it should be – said Baudin.
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