134 years to the day after the first Orient Express trip between Paris and Constantinople (October 4th, 1883), SNCF Group, owner of the iconic "Orient Express" brand, teams up with AccorHotels to continue the development of Orient Express within the luxury hospitality sector globally.
As part of this partnership, which will combine the expertise and savoir-faire of the two groups, AccorHotels will be acquiring a 50% stake in the share capital of Orient Express, until now fully-owned by SNCF.
The Orient Express brand is a timeless symbol of the art of luxury travel, steeped in culture, splendor and refinement. The legendary train, which for almost a century connected Europe's greatest cities, from Paris to Istanbul, is imprinted in both History and imagination. Since 1977, SNCF Group has been actively involved in developing the brand's prestigious image, notably through the restoration of vintage carriages dating from the 1920s (known as the Pullman-Orient-Express) and the organization of events (such as the exhibition "Once upon a time the Orient Express" at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris in 2014).
AccorHotels intends to build on this partnership to strengthen its leadership in the luxury segment, by developing a new collection of prestigious hotels under the Orient Express banner. This collection, which aims to be the very epitome of the art of travel, will offer a unique experience steeped in history that combines the luxury, exoticism and sophistication of East and West in iconic locations.
In addition, the seven historic cars, symbols of French Art Deco, will remain the physical property of the state-owned rail group, and will be operated by Orient Express for private journeys and events. They will provide a new and exceptional setting for the organization of events, which may be held in collaboration with AccorHotels' other businesses such as Potel & Chabot, Noctis and John Paul.
AccorHotels and SNCF Group are also together committed to preserving, promoting and sharing the heritage connected with the legendary train and its history through the Orient Express Endowment Fund, a public interest body whose aim is to encourage and support awareness-building initiatives to benefit a wide audience in the field of the arts and culture.
Sébastien Bazin, Chairman & CEO, AccorHotels:
"We are delighted with this strategic partnership, which today cements the alliance of two major French players in the world of travel for a shared purpose, that of giving fresh impetus and international standing to an historic and world-renowned brand. Thanks to this partnership, our customers will be able to enjoy a prestigious range of services and exceptional experiences based on a portfolio of luxury brands."
Mathias Vicherat, Deputy CEO in charge of the Corporate Project, Communication and Image, SNCF Group:
"SNCF Group is proud to have contributed to the renaissance of this historic brand and we intend to continue our involvement and provide our expertise, acquired over the past 80 years in the field of rail engineering, to help develop this project. Through our heritage policy, we will be actively involved in promoting this legendary train to the widest audience. The interest shown today by AccorHotels bears witness to the relevance of the project which has been supported since 2008 by our Chairman Guillaume Pepy."
Guillaume de Saint Lager, Corporate Secretary, Orient Express:
"In its time, the Orient Express took the art of traveling to its peak. This ambitious project, which is unique, cannot come to fruition without the complementary skills of our two shareholders. We are proud and particularly look forward to being involved in writing this new chapter with such strong backing. Our ambition is to recreate this experience and make the Orient Express the gold standard in luxury travel and hospitality."
About AccorHotels
AccorHotels is a world-leading travel & lifestyle group and digital innovator offering unique experiences in more than 4,100 hotels, resorts and residences, as well as in over 3,000 of the finest private homes around the globe. Benefiting from dual expertise as an investor and operator through its HotelServices and HotelInvest divisions, AccorHotels operates in 95 countries. Its portfolio comprises internationally acclaimed luxury brands including Raffles, Sofitel Legend, SO Sofitel, Sofitel, Fairmont, onefinestay, MGallery by Sofitel, Pullman, and Swissôtel; as well as the popular midscale and boutique brands of 25hours, Novotel, Mercure, Mama Shelter and Adagio; the much-prized economy brands including JO&JOE,ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget and the regional brands Grand Mercure, The Sebel and hotelF1. AccorHotels provides innovative end-to-end services across the entire traveler experience, notably through the recent acquisition of John Paul, world leader in concierge services.
With an unmatched collection of brands and rich history spanning close to five decades, AccorHotels, along with its global team of more than 250,000 dedicated women and men, has a purposeful and heartfelt mission: to make every guest Feel Welcome. Guests enjoy access to one of the world's most rewarding hotel loyalty programs - Le Club AccorHotels.
AccorHotels is active in its local communities and committed to sustainable development and solidarity through PLANET 21, a comprehensive program that brings together employees, guests and partners to drive sustainable growth.
Accor SA is publicly listed with shares trading on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and the OTC marketplace (Code: ACRFY) in the United States.
For more information and reservations visit accorhotels.group or accorhotels.com.
Contact: Sandra Pinto Duhamel
sandra.pinto-duhamel@accor.com /
305-401-1556