In this context, Travel2latam spoke with Alba Mingo, Marketing Director of Bahía Principe Hotels & Resorts.
What are the new features that you are presenting at such an important event as FITUR?
This year, Bahía Príncipe Hoteles marks 30 years since we opened our first hotel in the Caribbean, but we also have a double anniversary with the 50th anniversary of Grupo Piñero, which is the group to which Bahía Príncipe Hoteles belongs, which we are all very excited about.
They have properties around the world but we see that America generates a lot of interest in this fair…
The Caribbean is very important to us. We are number one in terms of bed space in the Dominican Republic and we are also present in Mexico and Jamaica, and these destinations represent a very high percentage of our portfolio. We also have properties in Spain, Tenerife and Mallorca, and we are now ready to renovate some of our hotels. We are going to build a new hotel in Riviera Maya within the complex that we have, where there are already four hotels, and it will be called Grand Tequila. It will be adults only and will open on December 1, with 360 rooms. The concept is the Mexican feel, so it will be full of color at the decorative level, with many Mayan elements that will let the guest know that they are in Mexico. In addition, the entertainment part will be very important within the hotel, it will be very fun, always related to the Mayan culture.
What other details can you give us about this hotel?
We are currently creating it, but it is a Grand brand, so it will have 24-hour all-inclusive service, and of course there will be elements of Mayan culture in the rooms, with lots of exposed wood.
Is it open for sale yet?
No, December 1st. Right now we are working on a conceptual level to be able to open on that day.
And what other new developments are planned in the medium or long term that you can share with us?
We also have renovations in the Grand Punta Cana hotel, a renovation of the lobby area and we are also going to make more premium rooms. Also in Akumal, in Mexico, we are going to have new rooms that are going to be remodeled. Last year we already announced that there was a part of the hotel that was being remodeled at the room level, but now we are remodeling another part. And then in Tenerife, although it is a bit far away for the Argentines, we are also going to have another hotel completely renovated and we are going to convert it into an adults-only hotel. It will be the first luxury hotel in Spain.
You have always worked with regard to corporate social responsibility and sustainability. What is new in these two areas at the company?
I'm going to put it in the context of Fitur, because this morning we just presented the Somos Ecoístas award, which is about a movement that we launched within the Piñero Group, which is a play on words. Somos ecoístas means that you have to think about yourself to leave a better future for the next generations, because by thinking about yourself you achieve a better future in terms of sustainability.
It is a department that is constantly moving. We have the Eco Bahía Foundation in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, which is committed to direct sustainability policies within the hotels. Then, we are fully aligned with the European Union's 2030 commitments, working a lot with the communities.
It is good that we review the initiatives that they have regarding corporate social responsibility…
One of the important policies in terms of sustainability is that we help the local communities where we are present. And there is a great deal of financial help in opening schools in communities that are not so well off. We are also working on food and beverages, offering local raw materials, always seeking to help the local community.
We are just starting the year, today we are at Fitur, but there will be many more shows ahead. What other exhibitions do you have planned for this calendar?
We have recently formed an alliance with Hyatt, which is a highly recognized American lodging company that has several brands. We will enter the All Inclusive Collection of Hyatt as the Bahia Principe brand. So this year we have to work on finding synergies with our partners, seeing how we can support each other and move forward. Of course, we are very excited because it is a very large company, very well known, especially in North America, and we believe that it will bring us a lot of business and brand recognition in issuing countries where we are not so well known. They will also benefit from our all-inclusive experience in the Caribbean and Mexico.