Accor is seeking hotels to join a new eco budget franchise brand with plans to open 300 properties under the ‘greet’ label in Europe by 2030.
Greet is flagged as a new “alternative hospitality and sustainable tourism offer that combines environmental considerations with a socially responsible approach for travellers seeking authenticity”.
Prospective franchisees must ensure that 20% of rooms can accommodate between four and six people.
Each hotel owner is then free to express themselves but they must include three brand elements – salvaging objects sourced via second-hand networks or from eco-responsible suppliers; re-cycling unusual decorative items and re-purposing them to give them a second lease of life.
Greet hotels are also required to include its logo in the common areas and a large table d’hote “for sharing special moments”.
The first in the new economy chain opened in Beaune in France in April with other locations to include London, Marseille, Paris, Lyon and Darmstadt.
“At greet, spaces are no longer standardised, instead the focus is placed on second chances and optimising what already exists to give new life to hotels and create warm and friendly locations,” Accor said.
“Greet was created in response to a single observation – today, more than ever before, travellers want a high-quality and affordable hotel experience, while simultaneously seeking to add meaning to their purchases and reduce their impact on the planet.”
Accor Europe CEO Franck Gervais said: “With the launch of greet, our aim is simply to provide an ideal solution to independent hotel owners by offering a brand that combines the regeneration of existing hotel structures with cost control, both in terms of renovation and redevelopment of the spaces.”
Partnerships with key organisations will be encouraged as part of Accor’s plan to expand greet as a socially responsible brand.
“These partnerships are essential as they help to turn our commitment to giving second chances into reality, both for our franchisee partners and our customers. greet is an inclusive brand, where the community genuinely plays a key role,” added Gervais.
“We firmly believe that it is by working together, by creating synergies at both national and local level, that we will be able to have a positive impact on our society.”