Q & A with Juan M. QuetglasMarketing Manager of Blau Hotels & Resorts

by Jose Carlos de Santiago

In addition to Majorca, where Blau Hotels & Resorts came into being, this company has only tapped the Caribbean region, especially on a couple of islands: Cuba and the Dominican Republic. The results reaped in these two destinations have prompted Blau to consider new expansion places within Latin America, in countries like Mexico and Brazil that “are packed with great business possibilities and enjoy bright sunshine all year round.”

Q.- What´s the expansion philosophy Blau is pursuing in Cuba?

A.- Our company crossed the Atlantic Ocean and we brought planeloads of hopes for the future of the Caribbean region. We were willing to work in an area that provides bright sunshine all year round, so that´s why we made up our minds to come to Cuba, a country where we can bring tourists to every single day of every year.

Q.- What travel destinations is Blau considering within the Caribbean region and in what of those places your company has invested over the past couple of years?

A.- Blau started out in the Dominican Republic back in 1999. In 2001, we landed in Cuba, and we´re now toying with the possibility of reaching out to Mexico and Brazil. We want to work in Brazil because we believe this is a nation with a great future on the road ahead, a country teeming with great business opportunities.

Q.- How many hotels does Blau have around the world?

A.- Our company has ten hotels, five of them in Majorca and the rest in the Caribbean. That´s broken down into one in the Dominican Republic and four in Cuba.

Q.- Is there any airline or tour operator associated with Blau, with stakes in Blau Hotels & Resorts?

A.- No, this is an independent company. We had the opportunity of selling part of our company to a partner tour operator, but we decided to stay put and continue on our own as an independent company, with capital of our own as well. We haven´t thought of selling part of the company to tour operators. It´s true we´ve cut major deals with some big-time tour operators like Apple and Thomas Cook, but we´re determined to remain solidly on our own.

Q.- What are Blau´s main markets?

A.- During the time we were operating exclusively in Spain, the most interesting market for us was the German market. Given its location and purchasing power, the German market suited us down to the ground. Since we´ve been in the Caribbean, Germany continues to be a major market, as well as Spain. But, of course, we need now to focus on other outbound markets, like the U.S. and Canada.

Q.- What should our professional readers know about Blau Hotels & Resorts, anything we haven´t let them in on yet?

A.- First of all, we must say we´re people with an attitude and a commitment, people who believe in what they do, and that´s why we´re working so hard in the Caribbean region. We´re not tour operators, yet we´re known among tour operators for the way we operate and put our ideas into practice. We´re trying to do exactly the same in the Caribbean, trying to apply the philosophy that customers and guests are always our best friends, that tour operators are always our best friends, because we depend on both of them.

Q.- Is there any other business you´re planning to carry out in the Caribbean?

A.- We see the Caribbean as a place of leisure and tourism. We´re Blau Hotels & Resorts, a tourism-oriented company. And I must say that even though I´m not the right person to answer this question, it seems to me that we´re not going to carry out any businesses other than travel and tourism in the Caribbean.