Gianpaolo Bellomunno. Corporate Director of Sales & Marketing in Latin America

In the course of the recently concluded Havana Convention, Caribbean News interviewed Gianpaolo Bellomunno, corporate director of sales and marketing in Latin America for Barceló Hotels. His professional career in the world of tourism got its big break in the aviation sector, working for Alitalia airline, then taking responsibilities in the hotel sector and finally getting hired by Barceló Hotels a couple of years ago.

CND: To begin with, we’d like you to tell us briefly about your professional career in the realm of tourism.

A: <I>I got my foot in the door of tourism working for the Alitalia company. Then, I moved to hotels with Allegro Resorts in Brazil, and we started opening offices in Brazil, Chile and Argentina. Later on, I was hired by Sol Meliá when the firm opened the Meliá Juan Dolio Hotel in the Dominican Republic. It&#8217;s been two years now since I&#8217;ve been working for Barceló Hotels as corporate director of sales and marketing in Latin America. I must confess I feel in my elements in Barceló given the company&#8217;s expansion projects and the tremendous challenge that policy embraces.</I>

CND: How do you conduct your professional activity in Latin America for Barceló Hotels & Resorts?

A: <I>As compared to the markets in the U.S., Canada or Europe, the Latin American market is a completely different ballgame. We&#8217;re working directly with the owners of Latin American enterprises, unlike contractors in the rest of the countries. That implies a totally different approach.</I>

<I>I&#8217;m in charge of sales and marketing for the whole Latin American region, from Mexico and the Caribbean all the way down to Santiago de Chile. Mr. Ricardo Martinez is the marketing director-general of a region that splits in three divisions: U.S. and Canada with Alvaro Lopez de Haro at the helm; Europe under the leadership of Christian Van Manen, and Latin America led by myself. I direct sales managers for Chile (Gonzalo Caballero); Uruguay (Fernando Gutierrez); Brazil (Divaldo Garcia); P