During the South American Hotel Investment & Tourism Conference (SAHIC 2016) hosted at Hilton Colon Guayaquil in Ecuador, conference patron Hilton cemented its commitment to Latin America expansion, evidenced by Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton, acting as the conference keynote speaker.
“As Hilton drives remarkable global growth with the largest rooms pipeline in the industry, Latin America plays an incredibly important role in our expansion efforts,” said Nassetta. “We continue to achieve sustained year-over-year growth in the region and look forward to welcoming our 100th hotel in Latin America later this year.”
Hilton’s focus on Latin America is further solidified by the company’s track record of portfolio growth with new openings and signed deals, furthering the presence of the company’s brands in strategic markets throughout the region.
Based on Hilton’s second quarter 2016 results and for the 12 months ended June 30, 2016, Hilton has welcomed approximately 20 new hotels in Latin America and has signed nearly 30 deals. As a result of these steadfast efforts, Hilton now has more than 16,000 rooms trading across a portfolio of more than 90 hotels and resorts in Latin America, and boasts a robust pipeline of more than 50 projects throughout the region.
New hotels
New hotel highlights include several brand milestones in new markets such as Hampton by Hilton Santa Cruz, Bolivia – the company’s first hotel in the country; Hilton Garden Inn Guatemala City – the company’s first hotel in Guatemala; first in country Hilton Garden Inn brand hotels in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Cusco, Peru and Montevideo, Uruguay; two DoubleTree by Hilton hotels in Bogota, Colombia, including first for brand in country; Anselmo Buenos Aires – the first Curio – A Collection by Hilton hotel in Argentina and Latin America; and approximately 10 new hotels in Mexico, among others. Additional hotels are expected to open by the end of this year in Colombia, Honduras, Mexico and Peru, advancing plans to deliver the company’s 100th hotel in Latin America.
Development pipeline and brands
“The industry is showing growing interest in branded hotel supply throughout the region as owners see the benefit of a global brand’s recognition, distribution channels, award-winning guest loyalty program, standards and systems to fully maximize their market potential,” said Ted Middleton, senior vice president of development, Latin America for Hilton. “Hilton is seizing this opportunity and we are introducing our industry-leading brands in new markets to rapidly expand our portfolio.”
With nearly 30 deals signed in the 12 months ended June 30, 2016, Hilton maintains a strong pipeline of more than 50 projects and more than 7,750 rooms across Argentina, Belize, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Deal highlights include Hampton by Hilton Bariloche, Argentina; an exclusive management license agreement with Atlantica Hotels to develop and manage Hilton Garden Inn hotels in Brazil; two Curio – A Collection by Hilton hotels – Indura Beach & Golf Resort, Honduras and The Resort at Mahogany Bay Village, Belize, with the latter representing a new country for Hilton; Hilton Garden Inn Ciudad del Este, Paraguay representing a new country for Hilton; and seven deals across Peru including DoubleTree by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton and Homewood Suites by Hilton; among other developments.
Hilton’s current portfolio in Latin America includes 10 brands, while its expansion plans in the region span seven of the company’s existing brands: Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Curio – A Collection by Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton, with approximately 70% of the projects driven by focused-service brands.
