ACCOR will replace InterContinental Hotels Group in managing the reknowned Crocodile Hotel and Cooinda Lodge in Australia’s Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory and put greater emphasis on the indigenous tourism experience.
The hotel operator has signed an MoU with the owners of both properties to take over management duties effective from April 1 this year.
Both the 110-room Crocodile Hotel and 48-room Cooinda Lodge were the first major tourism properties developed by an indigenous organisation in Australia.
Rex Wild, chairman of Kakadu Tourism, commented in a press release: “What particularly attracted us to Accor is its championing of indigenous employment, which is a fundamental objective of the operation of the two properties.
“We already have extensive involvement of indigenous Australians in our tourism operations, but we believe we can increase the development of long-term, sustainable careers as a result of our association with Accor.”
Wild noted that the stronger Australian dollar and Asia’s rise in popularity for tourism have impacted traffic to Kakadu, but believes “Kakadu is one of the world’s most significant tourism destinations and there is vast potential to grow visitation from both overseas and locally”.
The current managers of the two hotels will continue under Accor management.
