(NEWS) PARIS, 2026-Aug-27 — /Travel PR News/ — Mercure Hotels & Resorts is introducing Mercure’s Local Maps, a new digital experience designed to help travellers explore the neighbourhoods around Mercure hotels through recommendations curated by local hotel teams.
The initiative turns the knowledge of Mercure staff into mobile-friendly destination guides, pointing guests toward restaurants, markets, cultural landmarks, community spaces and lesser-known places that reflect the character of each location.
Based on official press update shared by Mercure, the maps are available online and through QR codes in hotel lobbies and other guest touchpoints. The rollout covers more than 100 destinations worldwide, with more locations expected to be added throughout 2026.
The idea is rooted in a simple shift in how many travellers want to experience a destination. Instead of relying only on major attractions or generic online lists, guests are increasingly looking for places that feel more connected to local life — a neighbourhood restaurant, a market used by residents, a cultural stop with a story, or a small experience that gives a stay a stronger sense of place.
Mercure said its own research found that 86% of travellers consider the local food scene an important factor when choosing where to travel. The study also found that 57% value experiencing new things while travelling, while 58% believe experiences are more valuable than material possessions.
Mercure’s Local Maps responds to that appetite for discovery by using the perspective of hotel teams, described by the brand as Mercure Heartists. Their recommendations draw on personal routines, memories and neighbourhood knowledge, giving guests a more human guide to the destination.
Daniel Fang, Global Vice President, Brand Management and Guest Experience for Mercure, said the initiative invites guests to move beyond simply seeing a destination and instead experience the places and people that shape it. He said Mercure teams live and work in their neighbourhoods, making them well placed to share local stories and recommendations.
The maps are designed for both advance planning and spontaneous exploration. A guest might use them before arrival to shape an itinerary, or scan a QR code in the lobby and decide where to go that same afternoon.
Examples highlighted by Mercure show the range of experiences included. In Kyoto, guests can explore the historic Hozugawa valley by river cruise, visit Kyoto Tower Sando or discover ramen at Kyoto Ramen Koji. In Rio de Janeiro, the maps point to the Museum of Tomorrow and its futuristic waterfront architecture.
In Singapore, recommendations include the wall murals of artist Yip Yew Chong and the city’s hawker culture at Lau Pa Sat. Along France’s Côte d’Azur, the maps highlight places such as Château de Crémat, said to have inspired the Chanel logo, and the seasonal nativity circuit of Lucéram, known for hundreds of displays.
The concept fits closely with Mercure’s wider brand positioning around local discovery. Founded in 1973, the brand has long presented itself as a hotel collection connected to neighbourhoods through design, food and cultural experiences.
Today, Mercure describes that approach through its Local Shared with Care promise, which focuses on sharing authentic local experiences while supporting communities, protecting cultural heritage and sourcing responsibly.
For Accor, the launch also reflects the growing importance of digital tools in the hotel stay. Rather than limiting the guest experience to booking, check-in and loyalty, hotel brands are using mobile platforms to guide what happens outside the property.
Mercure now operates more than 1,000 hotels in over 65 countries, including Mercure Living, with locations across city centres, coastal areas, countryside destinations and mountain regions. The brand is part of Accor, whose global portfolio includes more than 5,800 properties in over 110 countries.
For guests, the value of Mercure’s Local Maps will depend on the quality and specificity of the recommendations. But the strongest idea behind the platform is clear: local knowledge remains one of the most useful parts of hospitality.
A good hotel team often knows where to eat, what to see, when to go and which places carry the everyday rhythm of a neighbourhood. Mercure’s new digital maps are an attempt to make that informal advice easier to find, easier to use and available wherever the guest happens to be.
