SPECIAL REPORT
depth,” said Yuki Kiyono, global head of health and wellness development at Aman.
Sunrise yoga at Amansara in Cambodia.
BUT WHY? The cynical read on these deals is that hotels are buying awareness and celebrity. The more sophisticated version— the one industry insiders offer— is that they’ re buying credibility, community and product development.
Andrew Barnard, CEO of SunSwept Resorts, whose BodyHoliday and StolenTime properties in Saint Lucia have hosted programming from NFL hall-of-famer Randy Moss, Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo and Olympic gold medalist sprinter Julien Alfred, said,“ We’ re not trying to influence or [ do it ] for the celebrity aspect, but rather for a deeper meaning behind the brand of what we represent.”
He also noted that ambassador partnerships can inject fresh energy into a property image. Speaking on the Aman / Djokovic collaboration, specifically, he said,“ It has brought a more dynamic and younger image to the brand.”
That audience development angle is front and center at Accor, where Mehdi Hemici, chief loyalty and partnerships officer, signed football superstar and Real Madrid member Kylian Mbappé as the face of the company’ s first global campaign for ALL Accor, its 100-million-member loyalty program. Titled“ Don’ t Be A Guest, Be A Guest Star,” the campaign’ s creative conceit
WE SEE THE FUTURE OF WELLNESS AS THE SEAMLESS UNION OF ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE AND SPIRITUAL DEPTH
– YUKI KIYONO, GLOBAL HEAD OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS
alone was a swing. Mbappé, one of the most recognized athletes on earth, is positioned not as the star but as a symbol of excellence playing host to the guest, arranging private boat excursions, spa access and behind-the-scenes kitchen tours for members who, in Accor’ s telling, are the real VIPs.
“ Every guest is a guest star,” Hemici said.“ Mbappé is at the service of the real guest stars, which are our customers.”
The campaign launched in
DEVELOPMENT, AMAN
waves across six key markets: France, the UK, Germany, Australia, Brazil and China, starting with digital out-ofhome placements in major international airports before expanding to Instagram, TikTok and video-on-demand. Accor’ s TikTok account now ranks among the top two in hospitality globally. The partnership is multi-year, which Hemici considers essential.
“ Repetition matters,” he said.“ That’ s the beauty of having an
ambassadorship that is global in nature across multiple years.”
Mbappé’ s role is also expanding into wellness territory. He is set to headline Fairmont Fit, an upcoming sports and wellness initiative under the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts brand, and Hemici connects him to Accor’ s broader longevity programming.
“ When we talk about longevity, it’ s about adding life to years, not years to life,” he said.
For a lodging company
14 hotelsmag. com May / June 2026