PARIS – Accor, a world-leading hospitality group, is inviting travel professionals to join the HERA Challenge, recognizing the performance and expertise of the world’s top travel advisors. Open to HERA members – Accor’s global loyalty and rewards program for travel advisors – the Challenge will see 33 top advisors flown to Colombia to stay at the luxurious Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena and the Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort.
HERA (HERA.Accor.com) was launched a year ago, offering more brands, more features, and more capabilities as well as an enhanced digital experience with easy and efficient online tools for booking, tracking and reviewing activity. Travel advisors enrolled in HERA are rewarded with generous points, redeemable for hotel stays or shopping, and benefit from access to enriched hotel profiles, and hotel-level support contacts.
The HERA Challenge offers a new way for advisors to engage with the program, with the top three advisors in each of the 11 categories earning an invitation to an exclusive hosted trip in Cartagena, Colombia from March 9 – 12, 2026. With this challenge, Accor poses the question – what if the experts who design journeys for others were invited on a dream trip of their own?
The Challenge Categories include:
- Performance Champions: Top 3 HERA members by total revenue on HERA.Accor.com, and Top 3 by revenue on one reservation.
- Regional Stars: Top 3 HERA bookers in revenue respectively in:
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- The Americas
- Europe, Africa & Turkey
- The Middle East, Asia & the Pacific
- Brand Experts: Top 3 HERA advisors in revenue respectively for:
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- Orient Express
- Fairmont
- Raffles
- Sofitel, Sofitel Legend & MGallery
- Ennismore lifestyle brands
- Destination Diversifiers: Top 3 HERA bookers with the most diverse range of destination countries booked.
The trip itinerary for winning agents will feature meaningful local encounters and community integration, aligning with Accor’s long-standing commitment to sustainable, culturally sensitive travel.
The HERA Challenge is our way of recognizing and rewarding the extraordinary advisors who bring our brands to life for guests around the world.
We believe that it is incredibly important for us to celebrate the expertise, commitment, and the human connections that are at the heart of truly memorable travel. With the introduction of HERA last year, we take great pride in our ability to provide travel advisors with the tools and opportunities to thrive in their profession – and now, a chance to be honored among the best of the best. Pascal Visintainer, Global Chief Sales Officer, Accor Luxury & Lifestyle
The trip itinerary begins at Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena, a 17th-century convent transformed into one of Cartagena’s most iconic addresses. Set in the heart of the walled city, the hotel blends colonial architecture with refined French luxury, offering a tranquil health spa, elegant event spaces, and acclaimed cuisine. After one evening, the winning travel advisors will be transported to Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort nestled along the pristine shores of Isla Barú, just 40 minutes by boat from Cartagena. This LEED-certified sanctuary offers a harmonious blend of French elegance and Caribbean charm, boasting 187 contemporary rooms and suites, each featuring a private balcony or terrace with sweeping views of the turquoise sea. Guests can indulge in diverse culinary experiences across three restaurants, including Asian-Latin fusion at Humo and beachfront dining at Bahía. The resort’s wellness offerings encompass a state-of-the-art spa with treatments inspired by local traditions, multiple infinity pools, and a fitness center.
All bookings made with the travel advisor’s HERA number between November 15, 2024, and November 15, 2025, will count towards the HERA challenge, with the final winners notified in December 2025.
Offering access to over 350 luxury and lifestyle addresses across more than 15 iconic brands – including Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, MGallery, and Ennismore’s
Delano, SLS, SO/, The Hoxton, and more – HERA equips travel advisors with the tools, content, and support they need to deliver bespoke travel experiences with ease. For more information, please visit hera.accor.com.
About Accor, a world-leading hospitality group
Accor is a world-leading hospitality group offering stays and experiences across more than 110 countries with over 5,600 hotels and resorts, 10,000 bars & restaurants, wellness facilities and flexible workspaces. The Group has one of the industry’s most diverse hospitality ecosystems, encompassing around 45 hotel brands from luxury to economy, as well as Lifestyle with Ennismore. ALL, the booking platform and loyalty program embodies the Accor promise during and beyond the hotel stay and gives its members access to unique experiences. Accor is focused on driving positive action through business ethics, responsible tourism, environmental sustainability, community engagement, diversity, and inclusivity. Accor’s mission is reflected in the Group’s purpose: Pioneering the art of responsible hospitality, connecting cultures, with heartfelt care. Founded in 1967, Accor SA is headquartered in France. Included in the CAC 40 index, the Group is publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACCYY) in the United States. For more information, please visit group.accor.com or follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok.
Alexis Blottière
Media relations & PR Director
Accor