Accor successfully hosted its first ALL Business Forums in Shanghai and Beijing recently, leading the industry with a platform for sharing insights and experiences towards new business travel trends, whilst highlighting the benefits of ALL – Accor Live Limitless loyalty programme for corporate clients. Held at Swiss?tel Grand Shanghai and Sofitel Beijing Central, the events hosted over 300 industry leaders and hotel delegates.

With the leisure travel market continuing to lead recovery, the corporate, event and MICE industries pick up began in the second half of 2020. Capitalising upon the business trending up momentum, the business travel sector will shape the future for a sustaining and even more robust industry.

At each forum, Ken Wong, Chief Commercial Officer, Accor Greater China facilitated panel discussions on current topics related to business travel. Participants included executives from key industry leaders such as Ctrip, HRS, Datang Business Travel as well as representatives from major multi-national companies and pharmaceutical corporations. The topics ranged from centralised payment solutions, business travellers’ behaviour and references, new normals, new trends and the industry’s outlook.

“Accor is a hospitality industry leader with the most diversified collection of brands offering business travellers a consistently high standard of remarkable hotel experiences across different needs and price points.” Ken Wong, Chief Commercial Officer, Accor Greater China, said, “We were the first to implement a domestic travel revitalization plan beginning early April with the focus on ALL – Accor Live Limitless, our all-encompassing programme to meet market needs. We strive for ALL to enhance the brands, services and partnerships offered by the Accor’s ecosystem with meaningful experiences, and innovative ways of catering to travellers’ behaviour and changing preferences. Now, with ALL Business Forum, we continue to drive the conversation in business travel and bring the best convenience of ALL to corporate clients.”

With centralised payment solutions fast becoming the new standard requirement for Chinese companies, Accor is committed to its partnership with leading travel management companies to provide worry-free business travel payment arrangements. This solution will be a win-win-win for corporate account holders, business travellers and hotels, with benefits including cost management, higher convenience and increased efficiency leading to higher guest satisfaction.

Steven Zhang, Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Travel, Ctrip, said: “ALL Business Forum provided a good platform to discuss many topics that the industry is currently facing. With the recovery paving the way for more streamlined travel, centralised payment is emerging as an ideal solution that focuses on our customers’ need for efficiency while adopting the e-payment trend.”

Mike Ding, Managing Director, HRS Greater China, said: “ALL Business Forum was an inspiring way to reconnect with the industry in this challenging time. We are committed to our alliance with Accor to establish new industry standards such as rolling out centralised payment options.”

Leon Huang, Chief Executive Officer, Datang Business Travel, said: “I’m honoured to participate in ALL Business Forum and join the inspiring discussions on industry trend. I believe the centralized payment solution will provide more convenient experience for business travellers, and ultimately increase employee satisfaction.”