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loyalty, AI and how to balance direct business with OTAs.
HOTELS: How are you able to create a unified digital strategy that binds all the brands together or does the approach have to be separated and bespoke? Boulnois: Managing more than 45 brands across every segment is both a challenge and a tremendous advantage. It gives us a breadth of data and guest insights that few companies can match. That’ s why our digital strategy is built on a single guiding principle: the guest is always at the center. We need to adapt to their expectations, which vary from one segment to another, but also according to their culture, whether they travel for business or leisure and so on. This is in a context where the right technology is expensive and complex. It is therefore crucial to scale it.
We have been creating a unified digital strategy that powers personalization, loyalty and distribution, but we give each brand the room to express its own character. In practice, that means a guest booking a budget‐friendly weekend gets the same seamless, intuitive journey as someone planning a luxury retreat, but the experience feels tailored to what they want.
Personalization is a big piece of this. From the content you see on our websites to the offers you receive by email, we design everything to resonate
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with the guest’ s profile and past experiences.
HOTELS: Prior to Accor, you spent seven years with Amazon, one of the most innovative, customercentric, logistical companies ever conceived. What was the biggest thing you learned in your time there that you carried over to Accor? Boulnois: My years at Amazon taught me many things, but the lesson I carry with me every day at Accor is simple: start with the customer and work backwards. We have two types of customers: the guests and the hotel owners. For me, that means making sure the guest and the hotel owner have a voice in everything we do, so our decisions are grounded in
Fairmont Tokyo opened in July 2025, marking Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ debut in Japan.
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what they truly need and expect. And that includes bringing their perspective directly into our strategic conversations.
Another big takeaway is the importance of leading by example. I make a point to show my teams, clients and stakeholders what it means to be customer-centric, accountable and proactive. It’ s one reason our customer service department sits within my executive committee.
HOTELS: ALL Accor recently surpassed 100 million members. The loyalty program is the conduit or bridge that binds all the brands and hotels together. What is Accor doing specifically to strengthen the loyalty program and
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how does it go beyond points accumulation? Boulnois: ALL Accor is a powerful driver of occupancy, revenue and direct bookings, which in turn helps reduce distribution costs while strengthening our owner relationships. But the real differentiator is that ALL Accor goes far beyond points; it touches our guests in their day-to-day life, like a daily companion that brings unique benefits and exceptional experiences, creating emotional engagement that goes beyond a simple loyalty program.
We have built an extensive network of over 110 partnerships beyond travel with retailers, entertainment brands, financial services and more. These collaborations
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November 2025 hotelsmag. com 57 |