Not just Cuba – Meliá doubles its Canadian sales, lands in Toronto to update trade

“Canada has become our second market – and it’s growing,” said Sara Ranghi, director of marketing and brand development for the Americas at Meliá Hotels International.

Ranghi was in Toronto on Wednesday (Sept. 4) to meet with trade media, and travel advisors, to share the latest updates from the Spanish hotelier, which has apparently doubled its Canadian sales over the past year.

The growth is particularly noted at Meliá’s properties in the Caribbean, Ranghi said (in Mexico and the Dominican Republic primarily, as opposed to Cuba, where Meliá resorts, for years, have received a steady flow of Canadian sun-seekers).

This is where Ranghi intervenes. The Punta Cana-based director (who has worked at Meliá for 17 years) oversees the company’s resorts in the Americas, except for properties in Cuba, which is managed directly by the company’s head office in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Besides thanking the trade for their loyalty (an elegant, sky-high dinner was held for select advisors at Toronto’s Stratus Restaurant last night), Ranghi was in town to remind the industry that Meliá extends beyond Cuba.

Speaking to PAX in a sit-down interview at Toronto’s Hotel X earlier in the day, Ranghi admits that, at one point, it was common for some to think that Meliá was a Cuba-specific experience.

But after various marketing initiatives in Canada, that perception has cooled, she said. 

“We’re very proud of the efforts we have made in recent years to create that awareness – that we’re not just Cuba,” she said. “We have many other hotels and brands to explore.”

350 hotels in 41 countries

Meliá Hotels International, founded as “Sol” by Gabriel Escarrer Juliá in 1956 in Palma de Mallorca (it added “Meliá” in 1987 after acquiring a hotel chain of the same name) operates 350 hotels in 41 countries.

The company, which today is run by Escarrer’s son, Gabriel Escarrer Jaume, also has 64 new hotels in the pipeline.  

It's an organization that has something for everyone. Meliá has nine hotel brands, each of which have their own personality.   

Destinations included at Paradisus

At the top of the chart, under “luxury,” is Gran Meliá (where luxury meets the Spanish way of living. “It’s like being in a theatre,” Ranghi said. “Everything is set up, and just happens.”); The Meliá Collection (boutique properties with a cultural legacy that tell a story); ME by Meliá (a lifestyle brand, where’s it’s not about how old you are, but how you feel); and Paradisus by Meliá (resorts that are shaped by idyllic locations, such as the Mayan Riviera or the Sea of Cortez).

Paradisus is the most relevant brand in the Americas, and about two years ago, these properties launched a “destination included” proposal, tapping into local culture, food and activities.

For Paradisus guests staying in the adults-only Reserve and Family Concierge Superior Room categories, an off-site excursion (a catamaran sailing in Punta Cana or tour of a San Jose chocolate factory, for instance) is now included in the price.

“The idea is to have the destination always inclusive,” Ranghi explained.

In other cases, there are opportunities to incorporate local festivities and events into properties. ME Cabo, for example, will welcome guests to an elaborate Day of the Dead celebration on November 2 – live music, make-up and all.

Rafael Nadal’s “Zel” brand

Meliá’s “premium” brands include Meliá Hotels and Resorts (which the company has the most of – it’s a combination of both leisure and city hotels); Zel (inspired by the homes, culture, and lifestyle of the Mediterranean) and Innside (affordable urban and beach hotels).

Zel, in particular, is a new-ish concept developed in collaboration with Spanish tennis superstar Rafael Nadal (who’s good friends with Meliá current president).

The fun-focused brand is meant to be “synonymous with feeling good at all times,” Nadal once told Forbes. The first 26-room Zel property opened in Mallorca, Spain – Nadal’s hometown – in 2023. A second Zel, “Zel Costa Brava,” was added in Tossa de Mar (Spain) a few months ago.

“[Nadal] wanted it to be a brand that was representative of his lifestyle – that we work a lot, but we also love to have fun. It’s a brand that goes from fiesta to siesta,” Ranghi said. “You get to be active and social, but you also have time for yourself.”

It’s a hotel to watch for as Zel will soon debut in the Americas. The first one will open in the Dominican Republic, in Punta Cana, this December, taking over what used to be The Reserve section of Paradisus Palma Real (which then became the Gardens).

The intimate property will have 192 suites, and while not a “tennis brand,” it will offer tennis and pickleball options.

Zel is also set to debut in the hippie-chic surfing town of Sayulita, just north of Puerto Vallarta (in lush Nayarit) in 2025.

“It’s right beside the cemetery in Sayulita, but we don’t want anyone to be afraid,” Ranghi told PAX. “The cemetery is actually beautiful. It’s all decorated. The hotel will also have a beautiful rooftop, overlooking the water.”

Meliá’s “ME” brand will also open in small-town Sayulita later this year.

Finally, there’s the Meliá “essential” brands. These include Sol by Meliá (family-oriented, 3-4 star hotels) and Affiliated (a collection of independent hotels that retain their own identity while benefitting from Meliá’s leadership).

Future openings 

To recap, Meliá will see 11 hotel openings between 2024 and 2027. This year (2024) will see three newcomers in the portfolio, including Zel Punta Cana (Dec. 12), Meliá Casa Maya (Dec. 1) and ME Sayulita.

Next year (2025) will see the opening of ME Guadalajara and Zel Sayulita, followed by Gran Meliá Punta Canuva and ME San Miguel de Allende (Mexico) and Meliá Puerto Plata (the D.R.) in 2026.

The following year, 2027, will see the debut of Paradisus Vallarta (a rebranding of Meliá Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) and Paradisus Punta Cana (for everyone) and Paradisus White Sands (for adults only) in the D.R. (the latter two mark the reopening, and rebranding of, Paradisus Punta Cana).

Ranghi, who was in Quebec City on Tuesday (Sept. 3), will continue her meetings with travel advisors this week as she wraps up her visit in Montreal.

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