Written by Accor in collaboration with Ennismore today announced an unprecedented long-term master franchise agreement with Country Garden’s core alliance enterprise, Funyard Hotels and Resorts. Together with Funyard, one of the top hotel and property developers in China, Accor and Ennismore will introduce the lifestyle brand JO&JOE to China, with a commitment to open at least 1,300 JO&JOE hotels, representing more than 100,000 guestrooms. Funyard will be the exclusive strategic partner of the JO&JOE brand in China.
“Alongside Ennismore, Country Garden’s core alliance enterprise Funyard, Accor will create a new kind of travel experience, with unconventional, uplifting, and environmentally-conscious hotels that welcome visiting guests and neighborhood locals, mixing personalities, ideas and talent to fully express the heart and soul of the JO&JOE brand experience,” said Gary Rosen, CEO, Accor Greater China. “Accor is already experiencing record growth in Greater China and our newly formed partnership with Funyard continues to accelerate our leadership position in lifestyle hospitality. We are thrilled to be joining forces with Funyard, which already has a strong presence in the market.”
“We can think of no better way to celebrate the second anniversary of Funyard than to embark on a mission with Accor and Ennismore to bring the JO&JOE experience to China,” said Zhang Yong, Executive President of Funyard Hotels & Resorts. “We share their values, mindset, and commitment to delivering unique experiences. We also have many synergies to explore – such as Accor’s global expertise and distribution network, and our immense inventory of property. Together, we look forward to establishing JO&JOE as a benchmark of affordable lifestyle hospitality in China.”
JO&JOE is part of Ennismore, a global collective of lifestyle brands. In 2021, Accor and Ennismore entered a joint venture to create a new autonomous entity, with Accor holding a majority shareholding.
Positive, authentic, and fun, JO&JOE was created purely and simply to challenge conventions. Each destination welcomes travelers and locals with the comfort of a hotel and the friendly atmosphere of a community gathering place. Parties, entertainment and an easygoing bar and restaurant invite mixing and mingling – for a few hours, an overnight stay, or an extended holiday.
“Globally, the lifestyle segment is generating robust interest and has a strong growth trajectory,” said Gaurav Bhushan, Co-CEO, Ennismore. “We continue to strengthen our position in this segment, with concepts that integrate the notion of entertainment and feature restaurants and bars that appeal to locals as well as guests. Our lifestyle brands are linked directly with their local communities – at JO&JOE, the mix of street art, music, and food, all work together to make each destination unique and compelling for a new generation of travelers.”
Funyard is fascinated with the growth potential of lifestyle hospitality and by forming this partnership with Accor and Ennismore, is determined to become a key player in this space. The company recognizes the value of providing opportunities for a young generation to travel, connect, and socialize. With JO&JOE, guests will be inspired to further explore China and the world, with multiple trips, high-quality yet affordable accommodations, trendy hubs, great food and beverage, and shared living spaces, all while respecting the environment, conveying love, and creating transformative adventures.
This is not the first collaboration between Accor and Country Garden. For several years, the two companies have worked together on hotel projects involving premium hospitality brands and have built a strong and cooperative relationship. Now with the newly formed JO&JOE agreement, Accor, Ennismore and Funyard will jointly create a new dimension in China’s hotel industry.
Accor Greater China recently surpassed the 500 hotels milestone, with a robust pipeline of new hotels opening in 2022 and beyond. The initial locations of JO&JOE in China will be announced this year, with further updates to provided by the summer.
JO&JOE currently has operating properties in France, Austria, Colombia, and Brazil.
ABOUT FUNYARD HOTELS & RESORTS
Funyard Hotels and Resorts is the core alliance enterprise of Country Garden and ranks Top 41 among the international hotel groups in the world, and Top 8 hotel groups in China. Funyard partners with Accor, Hilton, Minor Hotels, Oakwood® and Country Garden Commercial and Culture Tourism Group. Funyard Hotels and Resorts has a strategy to lead the development market for luxury, premium and mid-scale to lifestyle hotel sectors in China. It currently operates and manages a total of 19 major hotel brands and branded residences, with a presence in more than 50 countries and regions around the world. Offering 300 high-quality hotels with more than 60,000 guest rooms, Funyard’s mission is to create a better life and more pleasant travel experiences for global travelers.
About Accor
Accor is a world leading hospitality group consisting of more than 5,300 properties and 10,000 food and beverage venues throughout 110 countries. The Group has one of the industry’s most diverse and fully-integrated hospitality ecosystems encompassing more than 40 luxury, premium, midscale and economy hotel brands, entertainment and nightlife venues, restaurants and bars, branded private residences, shared accommodation properties, concierge services, co-working spaces and more. Accor’s unmatched position in lifestyle hospitality – one of the fastest growing categories in the industry – is led by Ennismore, a joint venture, which Accor holds a majority shareholding. Ennismore is a creative hospitality company with a global collective of entrepreneurial and founder-built brands with purpose at their heart. Accor boasts an unrivalled portfolio of distinctive brands and approximately 260,000 team members worldwide. Members benefit from the company’s comprehensive loyalty program – ALL – Accor Live Limitless – a daily lifestyle companion that provides access to a wide variety of rewards, services and experiences. Through its Planet 21 – Acting Here, Accor Solidarity, RiiSE and ALL Heartist Fund initiatives, the Group is focused on driving positive action through business ethics, responsible tourism, environmental sustainability, community engagement, diversity and inclusivity. Founded in 1967, Accor SA is headquartered in France and publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACCYY) in the United States. For more information visit group.accor.com, or follow Accor on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.