The President of the Dominican Republic inaugurates the Gabriel Escarrer Juliá Hospitality School in Punta Cana

The President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, along with members of his government and the President and CEO of Meliá Hotels International, Gabriel Escarrer Jaume, officially inaugurated the new Gabriel Escarrer Juliá School of Hospitality and Tourism in Punta Cana. The project stems from a strategic collaboration between the hotel chain and INFOTEP (National Institute of Technical and Vocational Training), with the aim of fostering the development of local talent and strengthening the country's tourism industry.

The creation of this school stems from a shared vision aimed at fostering employability, specialized technical training, and the continuous improvement of quality and competitiveness standards in an industry that is one of the country's main economic drivers. The partnership between Meliá and INFOTEP establishes the foundation for an academic model aligned with the real demands of the hotel market, ensuring that training addresses both current needs and future challenges in the sector.

The center, which has been operating since early 2026, has 11 fully equipped classrooms where theoretical and practical programs are offered in key areas of hotel operations, including reception, kitchen, food service, maintenance, bars, English, and IT. The school has the capacity to train up to 800 students per year and is open to Meliá employees, their families, and members of the La Altagracia province community, offering many of them their first opportunity to access vocational training.

Within the framework of this collaboration, INFOTEP provides the teaching staff and some of the necessary equipment, while Meliá contributes the facilities, additional material resources, and its operational expertise. This synergy allows training to take place in a fully professional environment, with direct access to international standards and a culture of excellence and innovation.

During the inauguration ceremony, Gabriel Escarrer Jaume emphasized the special significance of the project. “That this school bears my father’s name is deeply meaningful to us. It represents his firm belief that tourism has the power to pave the way and create opportunities. Seeing his name linked to a project that will educate new generations and directly contribute to the development of the community is, without a doubt, the best way to honor his legacy,” he stated.

The opening of the Gabriel Escarrer Juliá School of Hospitality and Tourism represents a significant step in Meliá's strategy to boost the social and economic development of the destinations where it operates. This initiative is part of the company's Travel for Good program, which promotes training, job inclusion, and the strengthening of human capital as fundamental pillars for the sustainable growth of tourism.