In announcing the addition of the hotel, Sven Boinet, Accor�s management board member in charge of hotels, and Accor Asia Pacific Chairman, David Baffsky, said that Accor Asia Pacific had been appointed as long-term manager of the property.
 
The Novotel Canberra is scheduled to open in the first-half of 2000, in time to play host to competitors and visitors attending events staged in Canberra during the 2000 Olympic Games.

The hotel will be developed out of an existing commercial building, the Jolimont Centre, in Northbourne Avenue, Canberra�s main thoroughfare. The Jolimont Centre is already well-known as a tourist landmark, as it is the city�s main coach terminal and houses a number of tourism offices, including travel booking offices for Qantas and Ansett.

The 5-storey commercial building will be converted to create 201 spacious rooms, a function centre, restaurant, bar, indoor swimming pool, gymnasium and spa, and parking for over 70 cars. The complex also includes retail shopping outlets and the coach terminal.

Commenting on the new hotel, Accor Asia Pacific Chairman, David Baffsky, said that the company had been considering projects in Canberra for a number of years, as the national capital had been a priority in the company�s development strategy.

�Accor is Australia�s largest hotel company and our objective has been to have a major presence in all key cities in the country, so Canberra has been one of our main development priorities,� said Mr Baffsky.

�As the country�s capital, and a rapidly growing commercial and tourist destination, we are very pleased to secure such a prestigious site in the city..

�The Novotel will boast the most convenient and accessible location in Canberra for both business and leisure travellers. The hotel will target the mid-market traveller, and with the support of the worldwide Novotel network we are confident the hotel will make a significant contribution to Canberra�s tourism infrastructure�.

There are currently 16 Novotel hotels and resorts in Australia and over 320 Novotels worldwide, managed by Accor, the world�s largest hotel and tourism company. Accor�s portfolio of 2,600 hotels includes hotels under the Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure and Ibis brands. Accor is also a leader in the tourism sector with major interests in travel agencies, car rental, restaurants, casinos and catering. Worldwide, the brand has close to 400 hotels ranging from Grand Hotels to Hotels and Inns. 

Accor is the largest hotel operating company in the world, with over 2,600 hotels. It is also a leader in tourism services, with considerable interests in travel agencies, car rental, casinos, restaurants and catering.