Tuesday, August 20, 2024 Australia’s largest hotel operator, Accor, has become the Founding Hotel Partner of the newly established Australian Restaurant and Café Association (ARCA) . This partnership aims to address the economic challenges currently facing the local hospitality industry, which includes over 54,000 venues employing more than 450,000 people and contributing up to $64 billion to the Australian economy. ARCA, founded by industry leaders such as Neil Perry AM, Chris Lucas, and led by CEO Wes Lambert, has been created to provide a unified voice for the hospitality sector.
The association is actively working to influence government policy on key issues like taxation, skilled worker shortages, wages, rents, dining restrictions, and inflation, especially in light of recent data from CreditorWatch that predicts one in every 11 Australian hospitality businesses could fail within the next year due to the worsening cost of living crisis. Accor operates a network of over 223 cafes and restaurants and 167 bars across 350+ hotels, resorts, and apartments in Australia. Adrian Williams, Accor Pacific’s Chief Operating Officer PM&E, emphasized the importance of adapting to the current challenges to continue delivering exceptional guest experiences.
He noted that despite rising costs, Accor remains committed to offering memorable dining experiences at reasonable prices by focusing on innovation and efficiency. Ben Creek, Accor Pacific’s Director of Food & Beverage, highl.