US, Nov. 9 -- The global hotel industry is increasingly becoming a contest between powerful distribution platforms, loyalty ecosystems and brands capable of creating experiences travelers cannot easily find elsewhere.

Accor and Hard Rock International have now proposed a partnership that could bring these three elements together without requiring a conventional hotel-company takeover.

Under the announced arrangement, participating Hard Rock hotels would gain access to Accor's global distribution and ALL Accor loyalty platform, while Ennismore would support international development and operations. Hard Rock would retain its own marketing and distribution channels.

The strategic question is whether this combination can establish a cred...