Accor Opens a New Hotel Every 23 Hours | Accor Hotel Expansion Strategy | ATM 2026 | Duncan O'Rourke
In this exclusive interview at ATM Dubai 2026 (Arabian Travel Market), Travel And Tour World sits down with Duncan O'Rourke, CEO of MEA, APAC, Premium, Midscale and Economy Brands at Accor, to discuss the company's expansion, talent strategy, and outlook on AI in hospitality. Key highlights from the interview: 1. Duncan O'Rourke shares his first-day impressions of ATM Dubai 2026, noting Accor is the largest player in the Middle East and this event has always been important for them. 2. He says despite initial hesitation given the current situation in the Middle East, the energy and buzz at the event are strong, calling it fantastic that the event continues to be held. 3. On B2B momentum, he describes the current regional situation as "a blip" against Accor's long-term strategy, expressing confidence in how the UAE and Dubai government has protected business resilience. 4. He highlights milestone lifestyle debuts, including the first Tribe hotel at King Salman Park in Riyadh, one of the largest Tribe properties, positioned in the heart of Saudi Arabia's capital. 5. He notes Accor's strength in luxury and lifestyle brands under its Ennismore portfolio, describing it as the largest lifestyle portfolio in the industry. 6. He shares that the split between rooms and food & beverage revenue at Accor is now nearly 50-50, reflecting the company's growing strength in F&B alongside room offerings. 7. On talent strategy, he reveals Accor opens a new hotel every 23 hours, driving a constant need to attract and retain new talent. 8. He addresses AI's role in the industry, describing Accor's philosophy as "automate the ordinary and humanize the extraordinary," while acknowledging AI will bring change but also create new roles not yet imagined. 9. He closes on an optimistic note about the future of the hospitality industry and Accor's continued growth. About Travel And Tour World: Travel And Tour World is a global travel media platform covering travel, tourism, hospitality, aviation, MICE, cruise, and luxury travel, with readership across 195 countries. [Accor Hotels, Duncan O'Rourke, ATM Dubai 2026, Accor CEO interview, Tribe hotel Riyadh, Accor lifestyle brands, Accor Hotels CEO MEA APAC interview, Accor opens a hotel every 23 hours, Tribe hotel King Salman Park Riyadh, Accor rooms food and beverage 50-50 split, Accor talent strategy hospitality 2030, Accor AI automation hospitality industry, ATM Dubai 2026 Accor Hotels interview, Accor Hotels MEA APAC, Accor Ennismore lifestyle portfolio, hotel industry growth Middle East 2026, AI in hospitality industry, lifestyle hotel brands trend, hotel talent attraction and retention] #AccorHotels #DuncanORourke #ArabianTravelMarket #TribeHotel #AccorLifestyle #HospitalityIndustry #AIinHospitality #TravelAndTourWorld #HotelExpansion