After two years impacted by the health crisis, the fiscal year 2022 posted a solid and sustainable rebound in Accor’s activity. The performance of hotels over the second half of the year surpassed pre-crisis levels in almost every Accor region. Only Asia, a region impacted by China’s zero-COVID policy until year-end, is still below 2019 activity levels.
Worldwide, Accor’s recovery was primarily driven by domestic guests, with levels exceeding those of 2019. Whereas international travelers, even whose number grows sharply, failed to return to the level of 2019. As observed in recent quarters, the recovery was led by a strong increase in prices, fueled by demand, and accentuated by inflation.
In 2022, Accor opened 299 hotels, corresponding to 43,000 rooms, accounting for a net organic growth in the network of 3.2 percent over the 12-month period. At year-end 2022, the group had a hotel portfolio of 802,269 rooms (5,445 hotels) and a pipeline of 216,000 rooms (1,247 hotels).
Sébastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of Accor, said, “Tourism recovered substantially in 2022 and our performances, up strongly in all
regions, reflected that rebound. We exceeded our financial and non-financial targets and can look to the future with serenity. Our brands are attractive, our distribution is powerful, our teams are talented and motivated, and our organization has been adapted to capture future growth even more effectively. These strengths combined with the genuine culture of the group, placing people and talents in the heart of its model, give meaning to our action. In 2023, our ambition is to keep our growth and reinforce our leadership by continuing to evolve the codes of the hospitality industry and remain the chosen partner of our hotel owners and customers.”
Consolidated Revenue
In 2022, the group recorded a revenue of €4,224 million, up 80 percent like-for-like versus full-year 2021. This growth breaks down into an improvement of 89 percent for HotelServices and 63 percent for Hotel Assets & Other. To provide a RevPAR comparison, the group reported an increase of 4 percent in like-for-like revenue versus full-year 2019.
Changes in the scope of consolidation (acquisitions, disposals, and reopenings) contributed positively with €72 million mainly due to the takeover of Paris Society and the reopening of the Pullman Montparnasse.
Currency effects had a positive impact of €189 million, mainly linked to the U.S. dollar (11 percent).
HotelServices Revenue
HotelServices, which includes fees from Management & Franchise (M&F) and Services to Owners, generated €3,194 million in revenue, up 89 percent like-for-like versus full-service 2021 (up 5 percent like-for-like versus full-year 2019). This increase reflects the solid recovery in business over the year.
Management & Franchise (M&F) revenue stood at €1,052 million, up 93 percent like-for-like versus full-year 2021 (down 1% percent like-for-like versus full-year 2019), with regional performances correlated to health crisis situations in the considered countries.
In some cases, the lower improvement in M&F revenue compared to RevPAR can be explained by the slower recovery in incentive fees based on the hotel operating margin generated from management contracts. This results from a lower business activity in 2022 in contrast with 2019 in Asia-Pacific and Northern Europe regions.
Consolidated RevPAR reported a global increase of 15 percent during Q4 2022 compared to the same period in 2019, improving on the excellent performance in Q3 (up 14 percent). Group RevPAR for the full-year 2022 was 2 percent higher than in 2019.
South Europe, driven by France, reported a 12 percent increase in RevPAR in Q4 2022 compared with Q4 2019. Business performance increased quarter after quarter, with RevPAR for the full-year 2022 exceeding that of 2019 by 3 percent.
- In France, RevPAR was up 13 percent in Q4 2022 compared with Q4 2019. The performance was driven mainly by Paris, which benefited from the return of international leisure guests.
- In Spain, RevPAR was up 5 percent in Q4 2022 versus Q4 2019.
North Europe posted a 5 percent increase in RevPAR in Q4 2022 versus Q4 2019, marked by a slight slowdown compared to Q3 2022, notably owing to Germany. Northern Europe RevPAR for the full-year 2022 was 6 percent lower than in 2019.
- In Germany, the sequential decrease in business activity was reflected by the seasonality of trade fairs and conventions, with fewer events as well as lower attendance in Q4.
- In the United Kingdom, RevPAR remained solid and increased from the previous quarter. London and the province achieved comparable performances despite transport-impacting strikes over the period.
Asia-Pacific benefitted from a sequential improvement in RevPAR (up 3 percentage points between the third and fourth quarters), to stand down 6 percent in Q4 2022 compared with Q4 2019. Asia-Pacific RevPAR for full-year 2022 is 18 percent lower than in 2019, offering the largest recovery potential in full-year 2023 due to the activity lag.
- In the Pacific region, business activity was stronger than before the crisis, with a 13 percent increase in RevPAR in Q4 2022 versus Q4 2019, still largely driven by prices.
- In China, RevPAR decreased compared to Q3, falling to 39 percent in Q4 2022 compared with Q4 2019 owing to the strict application of a zero-COVID policy until December 2022. Business has since improved despite the sanitary situation still challenging.
- Southeast Asia posted a substantial improvement in Q4 2022 (up 17 percentage points from last quarter), with RevPAR at 4 percent lower than in Q4 2019. The recovery was underpinned notably by Singapore, leisure guests in Thailand, and the reopening of Japan in October.
In the India, Middle East, Africa, and Turkey (IMEAT) region, business benefited considerably from the Soccer World Cup in Qatar in November and December, with RevPAR 73 percent higher in Q4 2022 than in Q4 2019. The World Cup had a knock-on effect across the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia also benefited from a solid activity linked to pilgrimages. Regional RevPAR for the full-year 2022 was 47 percent higher than in 2019.
In the Americas, the improvement in RevPAR was also noteworthy (up 6 percentage points between the third and fourth quarters), increasing 18 percent in Q4 2022 compared with Q4 2019. RevPAR for the Americas region in full-year 2022 was 5 percent higher than in 2019.
- North/Central America and Caribbean region RevPAR was 8 percent higher in Q4 2022 than in Q4 2019, still strongly fueled by prices.
- In South America, business also remained robust with Q4 2022 RevPAR exceeding that of Q4 2019 by 42 percent, the sustained rise in prices having been driven by inflation over the last three years.
The revenue from Services to Owners revenue came to €2,143 million in 2022. It includes the Sales, Marketing, Distribution, and Loyalty division, as well as shared services and the reimbursement of hotel staff costs. In 2022, the reimbursement costs also included the re-invoicing of the costs incurred by Accor related to the services regarding supporters accommodation provided during the Soccer World Cup in Qatar.
Hotel Assets & Other Revenue
Revenue in the Hotel Assets & Other segment was up 63 percent like-for-like versus 2021 and up 2 percent like-for-like versus 2019, reaching €1,084 million. This segment, which is closely linked to business in Australia, notably benefited from a recovery in leisure tourism demand on the northeastern coast of the country where most of the group’s Strata activities are located (i.e. room and apartment distribution activities and managed properties).
Since early 2021, this segment includes concierge services, luxury home rentals, private sales of hotel stays, and digital services for hotel owners. All these activities benefited from the uptrend in tourism.
At year-end 2022, this segment, which includes owned and leased hotels, represented 114 hotels and 22,436 rooms.
Positive EBITDA
Consolidated EBITDA stood at €675 million in 2022, compared with €22 million in 2021. The figure exceeded the target set in October 2022, notably owing to robust business activity in December.
The EBITDA margin came to 16 percent in full-year 2022 versus 1 percent in 2021.
HotelServices EBITDA by Business
HotelServices EBITDA was positive at €661 million for 2022. The figure breaks down as positive EBITDA for Management & Franchise (M&F) and a negative contribution from Services to Owners related to marketing expenditure ahead of the rebound in business activity in first-half 2022. Services to Owners EBITDA came out at a positive €14 million in the second half of the year. Rebilling of costs (with revenue at €1,273 million) remained structurally at breakeven at the EBITDA level.
Management & Franchise EBITDA by Region
The Management & Franchise division of HotelServices reported EBITDA of €737 million, higher than in 2021 (€275 million) and down 5 percent like-for-like compared with 2019.
Hotel Assets & Other EBITDA
Hotel Assets & Other EBITDA came to €137 million in 2022 versus €48 million in 2021. It was mainly driven by Asia-Pacific where business has recovered strongly since the end of 2021. New businesses, which have benefitted from the momentum of the tourism recovery, reported positive EBITDA in full-year 2022.
Net profit
Net profit, group share was €402 million in 2022, compared with €85 million in 2021.
- The share of net profit of equity-accounted investments was positive at €33 million for 2022, compared with €(273) million in 2021, reflecting the substantial improvement in AccorInvest business in its main market, Europe.
- Other income and expenses reached €63 million, notably including the net impairment reversals, the restructuring expenses, and the capital gain on the disposal of ResDiary, specialized in developing systems for reserving tables and optimizing table management for restaurants.
In 2021, this line mainly included a €649 million gain following the partial sale of a 1.5 percent stake in H World Group Ltd (Huazhu) in February 2021.
Profit from discontinued operations mainly reflected a partial reversal of provisions for risks linked to guarantees issued as part of the AccorInvest disposal program in 2021.
Return of Recurring Free Cash Flow
Group recurring free cash flow returned to positive territory in 2022 at €373 million compared with cash burn of €246 million in 2021.
The cost of net financial debt decreased from full-year 2021 to full-year 2022 following the redemption of two high-coupon bonds.
Recurring expenditure, which includes “key money” paid by HotelServices for its development as well as digital and IT investments, reached €159 million in 2022, at the lower end of the initially indicated range of €150-200 million. Recurring investments in 2023 are expected to be higher than €200 million.
Change in working capital requirements remained close to breakeven. As in 2021, payment of fees was in line with business levels during 2022 as well as the collection of certain fees for which payment deadline extensions were granted to certain hotel owners.
Group net financial debt as of December 31, 2022, stood at €1,658 million, versus €1,844 million as of December 31, 2021. This decrease resulted primarily from:
- The cash generation from the business recovery mentioned above,
- The sale of a 10.8 percent stake in Ennismore for €185 million, announced on June 21, 2022,
- The partial sale of shares in H World Group Ltd (Huazhu) before the end of the year for €154 million,
- And these three items offset the increase in debt arising from the full consolidation of Paris Society following the take-over of the company in November 2022.
As of December 31, 2022, the average cost of Accor debt came to 2.1 percent with an average maturity of 3.6 years, with no major maturities before 2026.
In end-December 2022, combined with the undrawn credit facility of €1.2 billion, Accor had a liquidity position of €2.8 billion.
