Enric Noguer, director general of Grupo Hotelero Hotetur Hotels & Resorts presented the Spanish company’s Strategic Plan for 2007-2010 during a meeting at the Mitre Wine Bar in Santo Domingo last week. The presentation emphasized that the company, which has hotel operations in Spain and Mexico, will continue to push investments in the DR over the next two years.
Noguer stressed that the company chose to invest EUR250 million worldwide, with a particular focus on the DR. The company invested heavily to convert the Villas Doradas in Playa Dorada into a BlueBay hotel and resort, their luxury brand. The company also completed renovations at its Hotetur Dominican Bay recently, including the opening of a leading convention area.
The investment will be followed up by Grand Punta Cana (Uvero Alto) scheduled to open in 2009 and Samana, scheduled for a 2010 opening, hotel and residence investments that will soon go on market. The hotel company has 3,200 rooms between its Hotetur and BlueBay brands, according to Reyson Pimentel, Caribbean sales director for the corporation, who introduced the visiting executives during the event.
“We are convinced that the DR is the country in the Caribbean with the greatest potential, because of its natural surroundings, facilities, location and the people, and we want to be a part of it”, he said. Hotetur is part of the Grupo Marsans, which describes itself as the largest tourism group in Spain. The company owns Air Comet, Aerolineas Argentinas, Pullmantur, Aerolineas del Sur, and the tour operators Mundi Color, Club Caribe, Marsans and New Co, among others.