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 Accor Warns Against Room Availability Confusion 
During Sydney Olympics
Rooms during the Year 2000 will  be plentiful 
 
26 May 1999: Australia's largest hotel company, Accor Asia Pacific, today allayed concerns that accommodation in Sydney and other Australian cities would be both difficult and costly during the Year 2000.

Accor Managing Director for Australia & New Zealand, Michael Issenberg, said that while the six week period of the Olympics would prove difficult for some groups in terms of securing hotel accommodation, alternative accommodation was being arranged by the Sydney Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (SOCOG) during that period, and for the rest of the year hotel accommodation would be both plentiful and inexpensive.

Accor will have 16 hotels in operation in Sydney by the time of the Olympic Games, including the two Novotel and Ibis hotels being built at the Olympic Village, Homebush Bay.

"Some inbound operators have been concerned that Sydney will be a difficult city to send their clients to during 2000, but the true situation is completely the contrary," said Mr Issenberg.

"It is important to stress that only during the actual Games will there be major pressure on hotel room availability. By early next year, Sydney will have received an additional 4,000 rooms in just over two years, and that will ensure that accommodation is both plentiful and available at remarkably low rates, especially when compared to hotels in other major cities.

"Where as a three-star room in cities such as London, Paris and New York would cost upwards of A$300, in Sydney a comparable room will cost less than half of that, and in some cases a four-star hotel might be available for that rate.

"Sydney has experienced its greatest-ever increase in room supply, and even with a number of large conferences scheduled for next year, the city will be able to cope with most accommodation demands."

Mr Issenberg said that the company expected major increases in demand for hotels and resorts in Cairns, Darwin and Melbourne during 2000, as visitors to Sydney before, during and after the Olympics take the opportunity of seeing other areas of the country.

"The Olympics, rather than dissuading people from visiting the country, should in fact prove a great impetus for people to come on down under and enjoy a remarkably diverse and inexpensive destination," said Issenberg.

Accor is Australia's largest hotel company with 61 hotels and resorts under the Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure, Ibis and Formule 1 brands.

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Contact:
Peter Hook (61-2) 93670860 
e-mail: [email protected]
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Also See: Eurest Australia Launched by Compass Group PLC and Accor, To Focus on Catering Services / April 1999
Accor Asia Pacific Managing Director Australia/New Zealand, Mr Michael Issenberg Debuts Planned New Generation IBIS Hotels in Australia / Dec 1998 

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