An Experience to Cherish
One of the leading hotel companies in the world, Minor Hotels is an international hotel owner, operator and investor that passionately explores new possibilities in hospitality with a diverse portfolio of properties designed intelligently to appeal to different kinds of travellers. Here, we spend some time with Ramón Aragonés, CEO of Minor Hotels Europe & Americas to learn more about the organisation.
With a portfolio of more than 540 hotels through its Anantara, Avani, Oaks, Tivoli, NH Collection, NH Hotels, nhow, Elewana, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Radisson Blu and Minor International properties, Minor Hotels operates in 56 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe, South America and North America.
With dynamic plans to expand existing brands and explore strategic acquisitions throughout opportunistic markets, Minor Hotels pursues a vision of a more passionate and interconnected world.
Discussing the portfolio of Minor Hotels, the CEO of Minor Hotels Europe & Americas explains that the business has announced the debut of luxury brand Anantara in Austria, with the opening of Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna, as well as the openings of Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat and Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah Resort, both in the UAE.
“In addition, the NH Collection brand, which this year marks its tenth anniversary, has launched in the Middle East with the NH Collection Dubai The Palm and in the Maldives with its NH Collection Maldives Havodda Resort site,” says Aragonés.
Additional growth includes the launch of three NH hotels in Paris along with new sites in China and Thailand, the arrival of the Tivoli brand in Spain and Italy and the launch of Avani hotels in new markets such as Spain, Italy, Germany, Mexico and Colombia.
“Our goal is to open over 200 properties in the next three years, adding more than 30,000 rooms to our global portfolio,” Aragonés explains.
Always considering new markets in which to launch their brands, Minor Hotels aim to emerge as one of the most dynamic players in the hotel industry, expanding their presence both in the countries where they are currently established and in those where they want to grow. Their objective is to refine their market segmentation across Europe, ensuring a well-balanced portfolio with a stronger emphasis on luxury and resort segments.
When selecting a new hotel location, they primarily consider the destination itself, as it needs to be an appealing city or resort area for their target audience. Once a desired location is agreed upon, they then analyse the market, the competition and feeder markets. However above all else, the project itself must align with the existing brands of Minor Hotels.
“To keep our hotels attractive and exciting, apart from the quality service and amazing spaces, we also offer our guests the opportunity to immerse themselves into the local life and experience the destination through gastronomy, culture and any other local attractions. We are constantly evolving our spaces in-line with the changing demands of guests. To do this, we are always listening to all our stakeholders to see how the destination evolves and adapts,” highlights Aragonés.
Recognising the pivotal role of e-commerce and social in shaping the modern travel experience, the company leverages innovative strategies and implements dynamic e-commerce platforms to streamline the booking processes and enhance customer engagement. In addition, they harness the power of social media channels to curate immersive brand narratives, foster guest interaction and solicit valuable feedback, ensuring a seamless and personalised guest journey from booking to checkout.
As our discussion with Ramón moves onto the topic of sustainability, he explains that their commitment to sustainability is steadfast and the company takes great pride in their ongoing efforts to create what they believe is a sustainable hotel portfolio. He continues by saying that consumers are increasingly seeking ‘sustainable experiences’ and that is precisely what they strive to offer their guests in their hotels and brands.
“To achieve this, we have established specific sustainability criteria that all our hotels must adhere to. Furthermore, we have implemented various initiatives as part of our UP FOR PLANET & UP FOR PEOPLE strategy, including the use of eco-friendly amenities, the integration of renewable energy sources, offering sustainable and locally sourced food and beverages and promoting green mobility, among many others.”
When it comes to Minor Hotels and its array of brands, their success over the years has come not only from their expertise and deep understanding of the industry, but also from their ability to offer a diverse portfolio of brands tailored to various types of travellers. No matter where they are in the world, any traveller can find a connection with one of Minor’s brands and indulge in an experience to cherish.
Speaking on the challenges that lie ahead, the CEO comments that in such a dynamic market, the real challenge for the business lies in choosing the right opportunities and they aim to continue to being one of the most active players in hotel growth, but aspiring to do this both logically and selectively.
“Wherever we are, we strive to have the most positive economic, social and environmental impact. Our priority is to deliver memorable experiences to our guests. We are proud to serve and we strive to be the best, even if we are not the biggest. We are all responsible for our results; we care for our people and people care for our guests. We are active in the communities where we live, we are young minded, we enjoy what we do… and we do all this with a smile,” Aragonés concludes.
