Skift Take
Will Accor-Banyan Tree be the model for Asian hotel groups to grow globally without losing their independence and brand value? The devil may be in the execution. Hoteliers are watching how this works out and many believe it could be tough-going.
Editor's Note: Skift launched a new series, Gateway, as we broaden our news coverage geographically with first-hand, original stories from correspondents embedded in cities around the world.
We are featuring regular reports several times per week from Beijing, Singapore, and Cape Town, and look for us to add other cities soon. Gateway Singapore, for example, signifies that the reporter is writing from that city although her coverage of the business of travel will meander to other locales in the region. Read about the series here, and check out all the stories in the series here.
Does Banyan Tree's deal with AccorHotels equate to losing your religion, or gaining new followers? Is it a loss of innocence? It depends on whom you ask.
Some see Banyan Tree Holdings’ decision to sell a small stake to AccorHotels as a desperate move by a boutique brand to expand in today’s competitive environment. Others believe the partnership can be transformative if the execution can follow