Accor, the world's leading hotel manager and market leader in Europe, have set an ambitious goal of operating thirty additional hotels in Vietnam by 2013.

Accor already operates hotels in ninety countries and employs more than one hundred and forty five thousand people.

Should Accor achieve their goal in Vietnam, they will have almost three times as many hotels under their management in the country.

Patrick Bassett, Accor’s Vice President of operations for Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan and South Korea made the announcement at a press conference this week stating; "Our first realistic objective is to have 30 hotels and we think we shall be able to have this network of hotels already open by the end of 2013".

Accor currently manage several different hotel brands in Vietnam including Sofitel, Pullman, Mercure, Novotel and Ibis.

Bassett told reporters Accor has just signed contracts to manage two more Pullman hotels, bringing the total to five. All five Pullman hotels will be in service by 2013 including the Pullman Haiphong Flamboyant Island Resort and Pullman Danang Beach.

The Pullman Haiphong is the most recent project from hotel brand Pullman. Situated on Flamboyant Island in Do Son District, the three hundred room hotel will cater to an increasing number of visitors to the northern industrial and seaport hubs of Vietnam.

The luxury hotel will feature a ballroom, meeting rooms, three restaurants, two bars, swimming pools, an entertainment centre, spa and an amphitheatre.

The Pullman Danang Beach, due to open in mid-2011, will have 207 guest rooms, four restaurants and three swimming pools.

Additional Pullman hotels are scheduled to open next year in the southern city of Vung Tau and the capital Hanoi.

The 360 room Pullman Vung Tau, which will be the first Pullman hotel to open in Vietnam, will have five hundred rooms but only limited function rooms and leisure facilities.

Currently the Pullman Hanoi Horison is under renovation; when re-opened it will be able to accommodate over one thousand guests.

"With sustained economic growth and significant investment in infrastructure leading to increased volumes for business travel and continued international and domestic leisure strength, opportunities continue for quality upscale hotel developments in Vietnam," added Basset.

Evan Lewis, Accor vice president of communications for Asia Pacific, told reporters; "Increasing foreign investment flows into Vietnam and continued economic growth would fuel strong demand for international quality upscale hotels in this country. This is why Accor introduces the Pullman brand to this emerging market".

Bassett concluded the press conference by predicting Ibis may outgrow the other Accor brands, as the demand for Ibis style hotels in the current economy is greater.