Tribe on Auckland's Fort St is the latest hotel operated by Accor to open in New Zealand, as the company gets set to open its next hotel just a few weeks later.
Hotel and hospitality group Accor has officially opened its latest offering called Tribe on Auckland’s Fort St, marking the business’s 48th offering in New Zealand.
But Accor Pacific’s chief operating officer, Adrian Williams, is hoping a consistent stream of Government-backed tourism funding will continue to drive visitor numbers up before the busy summer season, and its 49th offering opening very soon.
Tribe, which soft-launched on October 14, features 60 rooms and a modern design with bold colours and materials.
On the ground floor with street access is the Sienna restaurant, serving a menu of tacos, shareable plates, and vibrant dishes. With plenty of room inside, the restaurant is also set to add outdoor seating to its offering.
Williams said it was an exciting addition to the brand’s New Zealand portfolio.
“I’m personally excited about the Tribe brand because it was born in Australia. We saw great potential in the brand so we bought it, and we’ve worked closely with the founders of the brand,” Williams said.
Since buying Tribe in 2019, the group has taken the brand global with 20 locations across 12 countries, and another 30 are in the pipeline.
“Launching that globally, especially at that scale so quickly, it’s amazing. What I’m excited about is that now we bring it back to where it started in the Pacific.“
Williams said Tribe was aimed at visitors looking for good value and something exciting.
Joking that he had been in the industry for a lifetime, Williams said there was no question that the design-led approach was becoming increasingly fundamental to new ventures.
“The global standardised approach has a time and a place. For some travellers, that’s really important that they know that everywhere they go, they’ve got consistency and certainty. But as travel has evolved, people are looking for something a bit different as well, and that’s where a brand like Tribe then fits in.”
Tribe is not the only brand set to change Fort Street’s makeup, with Accor’s other new brand, Jo&Joe, set to open by November 7.
Launched in France in 2017, the brand blends the best of hotels, hostels, and private rentals to meet the expectations of modern, social travellers. Following its expansion across Europe and Brazil, Jo&Joe Auckland will be the brand’s first opening in Asia Pacific.
The Auckland location is a joint venture between Accor and Ennismore, a fast-growing lifestyle hospitality company. Both properties are owned by Accor’s long-time New Zealand partner, CP Group.
It will feature a mix of 75 dorm-style and private rooms, totalling 293 beds, along with a rooftop bar and communal spaces, designed in a contemporary style full of quirks with younger generations in mind.
Williams said it wasn’t a hotel or hostel or backpackers, but instead a hybrid of all three.
“Jo&Joe will be the brand that we move into that space and we expect to see that brand grow right across the the Pacific region. It’s a brand that we created in our innovation lab in Paris, so it’s something that we’re really proud of.”
He said the brand was currently in a growth phase, and hinted it could make its way to Queenstown, Wellington, Rotorua and Christchurch in the years to come.
Accor confirmed occupancy for the remainder of 2025 is 1.5% higher in New Zealand than for the same period last year, with Queenstown benefiting strongly from a 13% year-on-year increase in Australian arrivals to New Zealand (as of September).
Auckland occupancy has also increased, although it has fluctuated according to events, with sport and concerts spiking demand.
Williams said the group was optimistic on tourism long term, but was open-eyed on the current challenges in the New Zealand economy.
“Leisure travel has been a little bit softer than maybe we would like, although places like Christchurch, Rotorua, and Queenstown have been really strong. Wellington and Auckland have been a little bit harder.
“But if we look at Auckland, we’re still pretty positive because what’s been happening is there’s been a lot of new supply. That makes it harder in terms of building occupancy, but what it does do is bring brilliant new products in the market.”
Looking ahead, Accor is well-positioned to benefit from the opening of the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in February 2026.
The new centre is expected to generate significant demand for hotel accommodation in Auckland, helping absorb recent growth in supply and supporting occupancy and rate performance across the city.
Forecasts for 2026 show that occupancy is ahead 3.5% compared to 2025, with Auckland’s performance driven by leisure groups across all months.
Williams said the Government’s $70 million commitment to boost events and tourism was an encouraging sign.
“Over the long term it will be good, and it’s something that they need to get consistent in. You need to build that pipeline.
“We know when the Government commits to long-term support for tourism, what you then have is private investors investing really well, and then tourism starts to really take off.”
Williams wouldn’t comment on Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s proposal for a bed-tax, although he said he had “lots of thoughts”.
Looking ahead to 2026, Accor is gearing up to open its 50th offering in New Zealand with the Pullman Hotel in Hamilton.
The group has been in Hamilton for 20 years and currently operates the Ibis and Novotel locations which are owned by local iwi Waikato-Tainui, but will add its more premium option to its lineup some time next year.
Williams said Accor had 15 hotels joining the network between now and Christmas across the Pacific region.
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.