Accor Won’t Play Marriott’s Game With Meetings Commission Cuts


Skift Take

Accor has no plans to follow Marriott International's lead with commission cuts for meetings, but then again Accor's relatively weak presence in North America means it has to focus on drawing in clients instead of pushing them away.

When Marriott International announced it will slash commissions for meeting planners at the end of March in North America, many suggested that the change will lead to a wider swath of cuts across the industry. Others are not so sure. From the perspective of AccorHotels, which has a weaker position in North America than Marriott or Hilton Worldwide, following Marriott's example would be self-defeating for hotel brands looking to grow their business and exposure in a crowded market. Will Accor cut its commission rates to match its competition in North America? "The easy answer is no change," said Chris Cahill, CEO of AccorHotels' luxury brands, at Accorhotels' Global Meeting Exchange 2018 in Montreal on Thursday. "Marriott historically has experimented on their partner relation