Accor this week announced the global rollout of its digital key solution, “Accor Key,” in line with the group’s strategy to provide a contactless guest journey in its facilities.
The focus of the rollout will be to provide guests with a keyless door entry solution while ensuring that the hotel experience does not lose its human touch. Arriving guests will receive their room key virtually after downloading Accor’s digital key app. They will then be given access to rooms, entry to meeting rooms, and floor access via elevators using their smartphone. When leaving the hotel, the mobile key will automatically be deactivated.
“We are thrilled to announce the launch of ‘Accor Key’ within our entire network,” said Patrick Mendes, chief commercial officer, Accor, who is in charge of sales, marketing, distribution, and loyalty. “Making contactless and seamless guest experiences a reality is a priority for Accor. ‘Accor Key’ is a great example of how the group can build solutions and deploy them efficiently in all Accor operating countries.”
Floor Bleeker, chief technology officer, Accor, added, “We always strive to adopt technology which can improve the overall guest experience. Guests increasingly seek contact-light travel and hotel experiences. Therefore, the easy to operate and highly practical application will provide a streamlined process for our guests.”
The Accor Key program will be delivered through a partnership with STAYmyway. “We are honored to be working with such an innovative company at such a critical time in our industry,” said Faustino Fernandez, STAYmyway founder and CEO. “A recent Deloitte study shows that 60 percent of travelers are more likely to stay at a hotel that allowed contactless check-in and the ability to use a smartphone as a room key—16 percent even say it’s a ‘must have.’ The demand is even higher for frequent travelers.”
Following pilot programs in North America, Europe, and Asia, the rollout will start in new Accor hotels opening in 2021 and extend to existing properties with the goal of rolling out to 500 hotels this year and at least 50 percent of all rooms across the network within the next five years.
By providing access to rooms without a physical key, Accor also anticipates the rollout to reduce its use of plastic for traditional key cards and cardboard used for the key holder.
