Mercure launches Mercure’s Local Maps to surface neighbourhood recommendations from hotel teams

# Maps are

# How the maps are created and accessed

Local Mercure staff—referred to as Mercure Heartists—curate the maps using their routines, memories and local knowledge. Each entry aims to go beyond guidebook highlights by recommending places that hold meaning within the community. Guests can access the maps at mercure.com or by scanning QR codes posted in hotel lobbies and key guest touchpoints at participating properties.

# Why Mercure built this

Mercure cites traveller research showing a strong appetite for locally rooted experiences: 86% of travellers consider the local food scene important when choosing a destination, 57% value experiencing new things while travelling, and 58% say experiences matter more than possessions. The Local Maps are positioned to meet that demand by offering personally selected places and moments rather than a generic list of sights.

# What's on the maps

Entries include locally loved restaurants, neighbourhood markets, farms and social enterprises, cultural landmarks, and smaller, lesser-known spots. The release highlights specific examples across regions:

• Kyoto: scenic Hozugawa valley river cruises and Kyoto Tower Sando shopping and snacking, and ramen at Kyoto Ramen Koji above the station.
• Rio de Janeiro: the futuristic architecture of the Museum of Tomorrow.
• Singapore: wall murals by Yip Yew Chong and hawker culture at Lau Pa Sat.
• France's Côte d'Azur: Château de Crémat and the seasonal nativity circuit of Lucéram with more than 450 displays.

# Rollout and availability

# What travelers can expect to gain

Visitors should expect recommendations grounded in local perspectives rather than anonymous listings. The intention is practical: help guests plan ahead or explore spontaneously with suggestions that connect them to everyday places, food, traditions and small-scale cultural experiences.

# Practical next steps for guests

• Scan QR codes in Mercure hotel lobbies to open the map for that neighbourhood.
• Visit mercure.com to browse maps ahead of travel.
• Use the maps to combine landmark visits with neighbourhood markets or locally loved eateries for a fuller daily experience.

# Examples and inspiration

The initiative lists concrete local experiences as inspiration: river cruises in Kyoto, murals and hawker centres in Singapore, modern museum architecture in Rio, and seasonal cultural displays on the Côte d'Azur. These examples show the mix of mainstream attractions and smaller local picks the maps aim to deliver.