Accor is working through a significant digital transformation that includes a new customer relationship management system, reservation system and property management tech.
The France-based hotel giant believes the overhaul will enable it to better serve guests who are now looking for an experience, according to Alix Boulnois, chief commercial, digital and technology officer for the group.
During an interview at Phocuswright Europe 2025, Boulnois shared how far the company can go with existing technology but stressed the challenges, including system fragmentation, data silos and mindset.
“I think the industry is trying to make a mindset shift—from being a service provider to guests to becoming an orchestrator of experiences,” she said.
Hotel general managers are also part of the mindset shift and Boulnois stressed how much their roles had changed in the past 10 years.
“We expect them to run the operation perfectly but also to be commercially savvy, handle loyalty, create experiences—all of that powered by technology. It’s a tough job.”
She went on to discuss what needs to happen to achieve Accor’s goal of “augmented hospitality,” a term coined by the company whereby hotels offer personalized, lifestyle services to consumers within as well as beyond the walls of the property.
And she touched on the concept of “emotional intelligence at scale,” driving revenue per available guest and where Accor is using artificial intelligence.
See below for the full interview with PhocusWire's Linda Fox:
Accor's Digital Playbook - Loyalty, Innovation and the Power of AI