The Spanish hotel corporation, Meliá Hotels International recently announced at the International Tourism Fair in Cuba that it will extend the number of Melia brand hotels in central Cuba. Melia will be adding eight more hotels to its extensive network of hotels on the Island. At the same time, Melia will promoting multi-destination vacations.
In 2015, Meliá Hotels International celebrated the 25th anniversary of its hotel operations in Cuba. The company is focusing on enhancing quality and service in the new hotels through with renovation and updating to its brand standards.
Meliá’s Vice President, Gabriel Escarrer Jaume said, “These eight hotels are an important challenge which we face with great enthusiasm and responsibility, given that we are also taking on a commitment to strengthen the multi-destination vacation segment, guaranteeing the service and quality of the Meliá, Innside, and Sol House brands from the east to the west of the island.”
The agreement between the Cuban hotel groups, Gran Caribe, Cubanacan and Islazul fulfills one of the objectives of the Cuban tourism strategy to promote organized multi-destination vacations to add new Cuban destinations. At the same time, the strategy increases the visibility of other cities and regions which also have the potential as viable tourist destinations. Meliá Hotels International already include several towns and cities on the island. New destinations in Cuba will enhance the visibility of a number of cities and regions with huge potential for quality tourism.
The city of Cienfuegos, nominated in 2015 as a World Heritage Site, is one of the locations into which Meliá will expand. These hotels include the management of the 56-room San Carlos Hotel, the 49-room Union Hotel, and the Jagua Hotel. The 173 room Jagua Hotel is to operate under the Innside by Meliá brand, Meliá’s top-rated and most avant-garde urban brand.
In Trinidad, the company will renovate and manage the 279-room Ancon Hotel under the Sol House brand. Also in Trinidad, a new 102-room Meliá brand hotel will be constructed on the Ancon peninsula.
Lastly, Meliá will begin to work with the Islazul hotel group in Camagüey, managing three Islazul hotels. The 72-room Gran Hotel and the 58-room Hotel Colón and the Hotel Camagüey will also be renovated by Melia.
Meliá Hotels Cuba reported positive earnings growth for 2016. Meliá is to take over responsibility for the hotels on November 1 of this year. The transitional process in their management will be completed by January 1, 2018.
Zoe Veraz is a content writer, freelance journalist and regular contributor to the Cuba Business Report.
