“ SOMETIMES IT ’ S EASIER TO SIGN A CONTRACT FOR A BUSINESS HOTEL OF 120 ROOMS THAN FOR A MULTIMILLION INVESTMENT OF A RESORT OF 800 ROOMS . RIGHT NOW , WE ’ RE HAPPY TO SAY WE ’ RE GROWING IN ALL THE SECTORS .”
Renderings of the Grand Fiesta Americana Punta Cana , Dominican Republic , and the Fiesta Americana
Punta Varadero
Calderon says working in Ixtapa and Acapulco taught him how to meet the needs of international guests and gave him insights into the needs of the business traveler . One of his early mentors was Batya Brykman , at the time GM of the Sheraton Acapulco . She also served as vice president of operations for Starwood Mexico and Central America before retiring .
POSADAS PLAN Today Calderon is expanding the company ’ s reach into the Caribbean , where it plans to open two hotels in Cuba this year and one in Punta Cana , Dominican Republic , in 2019 . The 5-star , 558-room Grand Fiesta Americana Punta Cana Los Corales all-inclusive resort , a US $ 130 million development , will be the ninth in the brand . The company sees opportunities to expand further in Punta Cana , but Calderon didn ’ t offer details . It may also look to expand to other Caribbean destinations , he says , such as Jamaica and Aruba .
As part of its expansion plan , Posadas seeks to have a mix of management-only hotels , with a mix of company-owned properties in areas it considers strategic ,
“ SOMETIMES IT ’ S EASIER TO SIGN A CONTRACT FOR A BUSINESS HOTEL OF 120 ROOMS THAN FOR A MULTIMILLION INVESTMENT OF A RESORT OF 800 ROOMS . RIGHT NOW , WE ’ RE HAPPY TO SAY WE ’ RE GROWING IN ALL THE SECTORS .”
including a new , unnamed 850-room project in a landmark district in Mexico City . Of the 54 hotels Posadas plans to develop , 18 will be its 5- and 4.5-star brands , Live Aqua , Grand Fiesta Americana , Fiesta American and The Explorean . The rest will be divided between four mid-market and one vacation club hotel .
Calderon adds that Posadas is developing its resort portfolio and increasing inventory in other brands . “ Sometimes it ’ s easier to sign a contract for a business hotel of 120 rooms than for a multimillion investment of a resort of 800 rooms ,” he says . “ Right now , we ’ re happy to say we ’ re growing in all the sectors .”
Posadas ’ Caribbean venture isn ’ t its first
ENRIQUE CALDERON
outside Mexico . In 1998 it acquired the South American Caesar Park hotels ; it sold the 15 hotels six years ago .
CHALLENGES AHEAD One challenge facing Posadas ’ plan to open so many hotels will be its ability to secure the right talent and implement corporate culture across the brands , Calderon says . He didn ’ t get specific on security in response to continued reports of violence in Mexico , particularly Acapulco and even Los Cabos . “ We ’ re working with the local authorities and the national police trying to spread out the message in terms of security , to try to give people a reference and a perspective of any incidents ,” Calderon says .
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