International hotel chain Accor pulled back its franchise from Karachi Airport Hotel after the owner started negotiating better terms with other brands, The News learnt on Saturday.

Mercure, one of the brands of Accor, was running the managerial affairs of the airport hotel opened in March 2007, as part of a Civil Aviation Authority drive to utilise its commercial estates effectively.

On February 10, Accor, which has over 4,000 hotels and other brands like Sofitel, Pullman, Novatel and Suitehotel around the world, cancelled its contract with United International Group (UIG) and later announced that it no longer guarantees hospitality standards associated with Mercure.

Despite repeated attempts, Akhtar Qureshi, CEO of UIG Private Limited, could not be reached at his office for comments.

Ideally located at a few minutes’ drive from Jinnah International Airport Terminal in the security limits of CAA, Grand Mercure Karachi International Hotel was the first international brand to come to Pakistan in the last two decades.

Alqra Atiq, Director Commercial CAA, told The News that land has been leased to UIG on condition that they bring a brand of international repute to run the management. “They have assured us that they will come up with a name in a few weeks.”

The CAA has set a two-month deadline, from the date Mercure stopped its operations, for the group to find a suitable match.

However, while Atiq and Director General CAA Farooq Rehmatullah stressed the French management of Mercure left because of internal rift, a UIG official said that the worsening law and order situation was behind that decision.

Afaq Ahmed, a sales manager at the hotel, said that the departure of the international brand is a setback, but soon another foreign franchise would take over the operation. He said the hotel was doing roaring business as most foreign passengers and guests of multinational firms were staying there.
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