International Group hotel operator Accor plans to open 16 new hotels across Indonesia by 2012 to support its expansion plan in the country’s growing hotel industry, says an executive of the hotel chain.

Accor chairman and CEO for the Asia Pacific, Michael Issenberg, said in Jakarta on Monday that one of the hotels would start operation in Bali by the end of this year, while another 15 would be launched between 2011 and 2012 in Jakarta, Banten, Central Java, East Java, Bali, East Kalimantan, Bangka Belitung, West Sumatra and North Sulawesi.

Issenberg said that Accor, which currently operates 39 hotels in Indonesia, focused its operations
in Indonesia on medium and economy classes, to ensure sustained network expansion in line with the growth in domestic and intra Asian travel.

As demand grows, he said, the market prospects for price sensitive segments would strengthen.
“With the opening of 16 new hotels, Indonesia will be at the forefront of the brands’ expansion in Asia,” said Accor’s vice president for Indonesia, Gerrard Guilloet.
Currently, Accor operates in Indonesia under several brands including Mercure, All Seasons, Ibis, Novotel and Formula 1. Pullman will make a debut this year.

The new hotels will include an All Seasons Hotel Bangka, Ibis Balikpapan, All Seasons Denpasar, Ibis Bali Kuta, All Seasons Gajah Mada (Jakarta), Ibis Manado, Mercure Padang, Ibis Surabaya Basuki Rahmat, Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana, Novotel Bangka, Mercure Simatupang (Jakarta), Mercure Bali Kuta Haverstland, Mercure Solo, Mercure Banjarmasin and All Seasons Yogyakarta.

Accor has been in Indonesia since 1993 when it developed a network across 17 cities throughout the county that employs more than 7,000 employees.

According to Issenberg, Indonesia contributes 10 percent of Accor’s network in the Asia Pacific region.

China is Accor’s top market with 93 hotels, followed by Thailand with 43 hotels. Accor operates 4,100 hotels and nearly 500,000 rooms in 90 countries. (not)