Q & A with Antonio GonzalezMarketing Manager of Bahia Principe Hotels

by Jose Carlos de Santiago

Bahia Principe has traditionally betted on the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. Yet, its upcoming grand opening –scheduled for later this year- will take place in Jamaica. By doing so, the company joins an increasing number of Spanish hotel chains that are moving off the beaten track in the Caribbean.

About this new approach and other issues, Caribbean News Digital talked exclusively with Antonio Gonzalez during the latest ITB Fair in Berlin.

Q.- What´s Bahia Principe´s expansion strategy going to be for 2006 and 2007?

A.- Well, the expansion policy of Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts will basically focus on the search of new destinations we could work on all year round. We´ve so far focused on the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. However, out next grand opening –scheduled for December 15- will be in Jamaica. And that expansion is supposed to carry on as we continue to look for more exotic, easy-to-access destinations for the Spanish market.

Q.- What´s your tour operator doing to transport tourists from those places where there are no airlines?

A.- We´ve have the advantage of belonging to a vertical integration group in which Sol Tour is the acting tour operator. Bahia Principe is the group´s hotel chain, so this situation allows us to be independent as far as other tour operators are concerned. We are in a position to charter our own flights and open up new airlines in those destinations we want to be in.

Q.- How many hotels does your company have around the world right now?

A.- Well, as we speak, we own nine hotels. By the end of this year, there´ll be half a dozen new lodgings on that list for a grand total of 9,000 rooms.

Q.- What tour operators are buying from your group the most?

A.- Our top markets are Canada and the U.S. In the European market, we don´t have a tour operator selling large volumes of reservations. What we have there is the addition of a number of tour operators working together. If you want me to pick a country in Europe we´re interested in, that´ll be Spain, followed by Italy.

Q.- How are you planning to sell Jamaica and in which markets?

A.- Well, in Jamaica we´re going to open a five-star Grand Bahia Principe to target chiefly the North American market and the UK. Anyway, we´ll be complementing those efforts with the European market, especially with the Spanish market that has gotten a foot in the door in both Jamaica and the whole region with the opening of a good deal of hotels owned by Spain-based companies. This investment spree has also paved the way for the opening of a good amount of air routes and flights.

Q.- Will you join hands with Spanish tour operators to better sell this hotel in Jamaica?

A.- As I said at the top of this interview, our group belongs to a vertical integration company, so it can rely on the services of its own tour operators, in this case Sol Tour. We´ll be definitely working with Sol Tour. That´s it.