Australian Open serves up strong start to 2026 for Accor’s Melbourne hotels
An early surge in Australian Open demand saw Accor’s Melbourne hotels lift holdings by 12% year-on-year during the tournament’s opening days.
Pictured: Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur with Accor Pacific COO Adrian Williams at The Como Melbourne.
The Australian Open has once again delivered a strong early-year boost for Melbourne’s tourism sector, with Accor reporting robust performance across its Melbourne portfolio during the opening weeks of 2026.
Demand arrived earlier than usual this year, with increased bookings recorded in the lead-up to the tournament. The early uplift was driven by expanded programming and new activities at Melbourne Park, prompting fans, teams, media and event crews to arrive ahead of the first serves.
The latest print edition of AccomNews is out now read it HERE
Accor’s 33 Melbourne hotels were close to full during the opening week of competition, with particularly strong results recorded between January 19 and 21. Holdings during this period were up an average of 12 percent compared to the same stage of the tournament in 2025, signalling heightened early momentum.
Strong and consistent demand continued throughout the remainder of the event, contributing to a year-on-year improvement in overall performance across Accor’s Melbourne properties.
“The Australian Open always gives Melbourne’s tourism economy a strong opening serve,” said Adrian Williams, Chief Operating Officer for Accor Pacific. “The uplift we saw during the first week, particularly the double-digit increase compared to last year, reflects how quickly demand intensifies when the city hosts events of this scale. It reinforces Melbourne’s position as a destination that consistently performs on the global stage.”
The results highlight the role major events play in driving hotel performance and extending demand beyond peak weekends, particularly when event programming broadens the traditional booking window.
Read more news from Accor in AccomNews HERE
Looking ahead, Melbourne’s major events calendar remains busy, with the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix set to take over the city from March 5–8. Accor is already reporting strong forward bookings for the four-day event, with holdings tracking ahead of last year, pointing to another high-performing period as Melbourne continues to convert global events into tangible tourism gains.
