What if your travel life got easier overnight? In this episode of Always Business Class, we sit down with Emilie Couton, CEO of Accor Plus Explorer, for her first Australian podcast.

Emily shares how a one-way ticket to Thailand turned into two decades across Asia and a leadership career in hospitality, plus the real strategy behind Accor Plus Explorer 2.0: simplicity, transparency, instant value, and a membership that blends certainty (lounges, early check-in, recognition) with serendipity (surprise upgrades, experiences, and discovery).

We unpack the perks members actually use, why staycations can be as powerful as international holidays, and how the future of travel is moving toward curated memberships, wellness, and hyper-personalised experiences.

If you travel for business, lead a team across cities, or want travel to feel smoother, calmer, and more rewarding, this one is for you.

Subscribe for more travel strategy, points thinking, and business-class level upgrades to how you move.

In this episode

• The “one-way ticket” mindset and why some people never move back

• Living in Asia vs visiting: why your travel world expands fast

• Certainty vs serendipity: comfort, timing, smooth travel, and surprise moments

• How Accor Plus Explorer 2.0 was rebuilt with 7,000-member research

• Why dining benefits (up to 10 people) can pay back the membership quickly

• Why lounges and hotel clubs are an underrated business advantage

• Staycations as a reset tool, not a luxury

• “Red Hot Rooms” as a new way to choose destinations

• Subscriptions in travel, global membership expansion, and what’s next

• Wellness in hotels: sleep, recovery, gyms, spa, and partnerships

• Airport and travel efficiency tips from a frequent traveller

• How curation beats choice overload

Guest: Emilie Couton

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emiliecouton/
CEO, Accor Plus Explorer
Based in Singapore, with 20+ years across Asia and hospitality leadership.

Sponsors:

• Join Flights Club: https://iflyflat.com.au/membership/
• Accor Plus Explorer Membership: https://www.accorplus.com/explorer-membership/

Chapters

00:00 The one-way ticket mindset
00:42 Welcome back: first recording of the year + special guest intro
01:24 Emily’s story: Thailand, Singapore, 20+ years in Asia
03:12 Journey vs destination: two travel philosophies
04:13 Why Accor talent stays: the “family” culture
05:35 Living in-region: Phuket, Bali, and discovering Asia properly
07:41 Why Accor Plus Explorer exists and how it fits Flyers Club
09:43 Certainty + surprise: the perfect travel balance
11:31 Staycations: the hidden reset most people miss
13:42 The “club” advantage: lounge access as a business tool
14:56 Status fast-track: 30 nights, Platinum, and instant ROI
18:37 Face-to-face beats Zoom: partnerships and serendipity
20:36 The future: travel subscriptions and global expansion
22:23 Will memberships go global across regions?
24:42 Experiences: chefs, shows, behind-the-scenes access
27:56 Travel hacks: lounges, airports, privacy, fast track
34:36 Points strategy: fixed-value points and keeping accounts active
36:22 Wellness: sleep, gyms, recovery, and where hotels are going
39:40 Choice overload: curation as the real advantage
40:40 Unexpected member behaviour: “Red Hot Rooms” as a travel compass
46:34 The dream state: consistency, scale, and global experiences