Accor Plus, Accor’s long-running subscription-based travel loyalty programme in Asia-Pacific, has appointed Emilie Couton as its new CEO. She takes on the role after more than two decades with the hospitality group and its digital subsidiary, D-EDGE, signalling a strategic shift as Accor Plus looks to strengthen its position in a rapidly evolving loyalty market.
Couton brings 24 years of industry experience to the role, much of it spent in senior positions across loyalty, distribution and digital marketing. Most recently, she served as managing director for Asia-Pacific at D-EDGE Hospitality Solutions, which supports over 17,000 hotels worldwide with distribution and marketing tech.
Accor’s chief loyalty and e-commerce officer, Mehdi Hemici, called the appointment “defining”, noting Couton’s “data-driven approach” and experience in scaling Accor’s footprint across Asia Pacific – from 250 to 1,200 hotels in the region. During that period, Accor’s brands – from luxury labels like Sofitel and Raffles to economy players like ibis – achieved consistent above-market performance.
Now at the helm of Accor Plus, Couton takes over a programme that marked its 30th anniversary in 2024 and claims over 450,000 members. The past year saw members book 3.1 million hotel nights and redeem more than one billion ALL – Accor Live Limitless reward points.
In a statement, Couton said the next phase of Accor Plus will focus on personalising the member experience and strengthening value creation across hotels, partners and the customer base. “For me, Accor Plus is far more than a loyalty programme,” she said. “In partnership with our hotels, we create opportunities for our members to travel more, savour more and enjoy exclusive moments that bring people together. We’re proud to showcase the breadth of our hotel brands and network.”
Known for offering members benefits such as hotel discounts, dining offers and early access to promotions, Accor Plus is increasingly positioned as a hybrid between a subscription and traditional points-based loyalty scheme. This hybrid model is gaining traction as more hotel groups experiment with paid membership tiers in an effort to deepen customer engagement and reduce reliance on third-party booking channels.
Couton’s understanding of Asia-Pacific markets – having lived in Thailand and Singapore for much of her career – is expected to be instrumental in tailoring offers and digital experiences to local preferences. She is also a regular speaker at travel and hospitality conferences, often focusing on tech innovation in loyalty and distribution.
The appointment comes amid a broader industry push to monetise loyalty and elevate personalisation. Competitors such as Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors have also expanded benefits and tier perks in the Asia-Pacific region.
