Above: the Paradisus Palma Real in the Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana region
By the Caribbean Journal staff
Melia Hotels International reported strong growth in the Americas in the first quarter of 2015, according to a new statement from the company.
RevPAR (revenue per available room) rose by 15.3 percent in the Americas region, a number the company said would have risen to 25.5 percent if the “negative impact of the devaluation of the Venezuelan bolivar were excluded.”
The company saw particularly strong growth in the Dominican Republic and Playa del Carmen and Cancun, with a 29.4 percent increase in EBITDA due to a reported doubling of direct sales and a 15 percent improvement in meetings and incentive business.
Paradisus Playa del Carmen on its own saw a 32.5 percent increase in EBITDA.
Finally, the company’s newest regional resort, the Melia Nassau Beach, tripled its results following the renovation and conversion of the former Sheraton Nassau Beach resort into an all-inclusive property.
“Meliá results certainly gain [sic] momentum from a favorable economic environment and the positive tourism trends, but the consistent performance and the extraordinary improvement of our results are primarily explained by our strong strategy over the past three years and our commitment and focus on globalization, innovation, digital transformation, quality and management excellence,” said Gabriel Escarrer, Vicechairman & CEO, Meliá Hotels International, in a statement.
