Australia’s biggest hotel operator Accor, has declared The British & Irish Lions Tour a nationwide tourism triumph, as tens of thousands of travelling fans fuel record hotel occupancies and major economic benefits across the country.
The Lions are set to face the Wallabies in a sold out Accor stadium this Saturday night. Their passionate army of 40,000+ supporters has already delivered a roaring success for local tourism.
The influx of domestic and international visitors to our hotels is driving outstanding results for the visitor economy and our hotels. You can also read about the importance of this in our article Adrian Williams, Chief Operating Officer of Accor Pacific. This tour is an excellent reminder of the power that major sporting events possess in energizing cities, filling up hotels, and supporting attractions, restaurants, and bars across the country.
Highlights of the Tour to date:
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- In the cities hosting the majority of the games, Accor Hotels have seen occupancy rates exceeding 90%.
- Accor’s Adelaide hotels hit 100% occupancy on 12 July for the Invitational AU & NZ vs The Lions game.
- The Group Perth Hotels saw the biggest year-on-year increase with a +21% rise, reaching 92% occupancy during the Western Force vs Lions match.
- Accor Hotels across Melbourne The Wallabies and Lions game was 99% occupied. This is Accor’s best ever occupancy for Melbourne Centre. They beat the Taylor Swift effect which peaked at 96%.
- Accor’s Sydney The bookings of hotels for this weekend’s Wallabies game are +14% higher in the CBD than last year and +13% higher in Sydney West.
Book from the UK or Ireland using Accor’s Booking Platform, [all.com]ALL.com, The number of international trips has also increased, with 92.9% more than in 2024.
“This isn’t just a win for rugby – it’s a win for tourism, hospitality and every community lucky enough to host a game,” Adrian Williams.
Hotels across the country have taken advantage of the Tour’s buzz, welcoming fans of the Tour and providing a range of innovative, guest-focused services. From themed food and drink promotions to playful lobby activities, properties leveraged the energy of the Tour to create an unforgettable atmosphere for guests.
From luxury to economy, Accor operates more than 20 international brands across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and French Polynesia, including Sofitel, MGallery, Art Series, Pullman, Swissôtel, Mövenpick, Grand Mercure, Peppers, The Sebel, Mantra, Handwritten Collection, Novotel, TRIBE, Mercure, BreakFree, ibis, ibis Styles and ibis budget, as well as Ennismore’s Hyde, SO/ and Mondrian. Visit ALL.com.
