Meliá accelerates its expansion in Latin America with new openings and strong growth in the Caribbean

At the latest edition of WTM Latin America, the hotel company reinforced its position in Latin America with positive figures, a key renovation in Cancún, and new openings in strategic destinations such as Peru and Argentina. In an interview with Travel2Latam, Quijano details the current situation and outlook.

What does the Brazilian market represent for you within your regional strategy?
Brazil is one of the most important partners for our segment, especially in tour operations. We have been registering sustained growth year after year. For example, this year we achieved a 60% increase to the Dominican Republic, which reflects the importance of this market for us.

How are you seeing the evolution of key destinations like Mexico and the Dominican Republic?
Mexico is recovering its booking rate, partly thanks to the easing of visa requirements. It's a destination that sometimes experiences situations that slow demand, but it always manages to recover. On the other hand, the Dominican Republic has continued to grow in recent years, especially for the Brazilian market, where we're seeing very strong figures.

One of the recent announcements was the renovation of an iconic hotel in Cancun. What can you tell us about it?
The Paradisus Cancun is one of the biggest projects of the year. It was closed for nine months for a very ambitious renovation, with an investment of $50 million. The rooms, common areas, dining spaces, and convention center were all renovated. It's an iconic property in the hotel zone, with architecture that's very representative of the local culture, and it's returning to the market with a completely updated offering. It has 773 fully renovated rooms.

Beyond Cancún, what other projects are you pursuing in the region?
We have a very strong expansion plan in the Americas. We will soon be opening a boutique hotel in Lima, near the Plaza de Armas, and also a project in Bariloche, Argentina. Both will be under the Meliá Collection brand, which brings together properties of great value due to their location, history, or architecture. It's a brand we are heavily investing in.

How is the group's international agenda progressing?
We continue with a very active agenda. We will participate in the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE), one of the most important events in the Caribbean, where we will have meetings with partners from Europe, the United States, Canada, and Latin America.

In a changing global context, how is demand behaving?
As a company with a presence in 44 countries, some regions are always more affected than others. However, the Americas remain very dynamic. For example, after a drop in demand from Asia, we saw the Caribbean regain prominence. Mexico is growing more moderately, while the Dominican Republic continues its steady expansion.

Looking ahead to major events like the World Cup, what are your expectations?
We're preparing special activities at our hotels, but demand is still heavily influenced by factors such as airfare and hotel costs. In Latin American markets, many decisions are made at the last minute, so we haven't yet seen a significant volume of bookings.

The MICE segment has always been key for Meliá. What are the projections for this year?
It's a very strong segment for us. We have ambitious goals and continue to drive its growth, supported by investments in hotel renovations and facility improvements, especially in event and convention spaces.