AccorHotels is expanding its global reach by striking a strategic partnership with all-inclusive Turkey-based chain Rixos Hotels.
The French hotel giant will end up owning a 50% interest in a joint venture management company to develop the Rixos brand worldwide.
Rixos currently has 20 resorts and hotels with 8,000 rooms across Turkey, the UAE, Egypt, Russia and Europe.
It also has invested in Turkey’s largest life and entertainment center, The Land of Legends Theme Park, which opened in Antalya last summer. The joint venture will also manage a hotel within the entertainment park.
The company also plans to reflag five city-centre properties to AccorHotels brands which will also be managed by AccorHotels.
Rixos will add a second hotel in Dubai in the short term as well as two other properties by the end of 2018 in Abu Dhabi and the Maldives.
Fettah Tamince, founder and chairman of Rixos said : “Our collaboration is part of Rixos’ objective for further expansion and growth globally with a strong partner in the hospitality industry.
“Combined with our partner’s strong brand portfolio, reservation and sales network supported by a wide range of digital marketing activities, Rixos will expand its current geographic footprint and customer base.
“It is also a great opportunity for our customers to benefit from our participation in Le Club AccorHotels, which is recognised as one of the most powerful loyalty programmes in the industry with over 100 million members.”
Accor Hotels chairman and chief executive, Sébastien Bazin, added: “This new partnership has many benefits for us. It enables us to become a leading resort operator in a growing market and to complement our offer with attractive leisure destinations to our guests and loyalty members.
“And moreover, we are going a step further in our ambition to be the best provider of multi-nature services to guests by operating hotels in major entertainment complexes which offers new opportunities both in terms of customer experience and of development strategy.”