A new team of BDMs for Canada, new and renovated resorts, plus new services – from elite amenities to foamy pool parties – highlight a busy year for RIU Hotels & Resorts, which celebrated the holiday season last week with Sunwing at the travel partners’ 10th annual trade lunch at a venue north of Toronto.
On hand to wine, dine and update close to 50 travel advisors on what’s new at RIU was the resort company’s Director of Partner Marketing and Business Development for RIU in Canada and the US, Hugo Aguilera, along with destination hoteliers and members of the new-look business development team.
Cancun-based Aguilera told Travel Industry Today that his new team was doing “a little tour of Canada,” having already visited Montreal to introduce the company’s “new (BDM) plan,” which was prompted by the decision of two of the team’s established members in this country (Valerie Ward and Sandra Malette) to take a new path.
As such, Aguilera said RIU has chosen to keep three regional reps for Canada but has decided to have them based at head office in Cancun, though travelling to Canada often to visit agents “because we know that’s important and we know agents want to put a face to the BDM and to interact.”
But he added, “Most importantly, because we know that agents now need immediate support, and they want to have a quick turnaround time and that team that is able to support them when they are selling.”
And to that end, he says, Canadian agents can contact their BDM through whichever means they prefer (phone, email, zoom, etc.), but also know that that if the rep is travelling or perhaps on holiday, they will now be supported by an entire team at head office, which now includes an in-house BDM, plus another virtual BDM (though a live person), who will also correspond in real time by chat on the RIU group Facebook page.
Canada’s BDM team now consists of:
- Western Canada: Andre Oliveras, aoliveras@riu.com
- Ontario & Manitoba: Leslie Manilla, lmanilla@riu.com
- Quebec & Atlantic Canada: Paulo Roldan, proldan@riu.com
- Virtual: Karine Olivera, kolivera@riu.com
And for events, Aguilera says the company can also call on its US reps to help conduct 10 sales events at a time and, if required “take over Canada for a day,” he laughed.
“Now,” he says, “we are a more integrated team into one piece and (agents) can also benefit from that because they are in the head office and they will be able to interact a little bit quicker.”
Aguilera also noted RIU’s specialist course for agents as a key resource, which is available for Canada in both English and French.
Elite Club by RIU
Meanwhile for clients, specifically those “looking to take their holidays a step further,” Aguilera hailed the introduced premium concept Elite Club by RIU service provides, which guests with everything from the best room locations to access exclusive Elite Club lounge, bars and restaurants with Premium branded drinks, Elite Club beach or pool areas, as well as customized check-in and late check-out service. Other unique amenities include a mixology experience, the ability to stream from any device onto the room’s TV, welcome gift, and more. Aguilera noted that the new room category must be booked at source.
Riu Party
The new Riu Party concept has been launched in Los Cabos, Punta Cana, and Cancun – destinations that all have multiple RIU hotels from which to draw guests. Set in a dedicated section of the hotels (not the main pool), the twice-a-day themed pool parties (Mon-Wed-Fri-Sat) feature music with top DJs. spectacular lighting, and lots of foam. Notably, they are designed to be unobtrusive to other guests, and have neighbouring rooms earmarked for party guests. “People pick the hotels for it,” says Aguilera, who notes the parties are perfect for bachelor and bachelorette events – and because they’re free, can be much cheaper than alternatives. Notably, for more mature guests, music is not all electronic, but also ‘70s and ‘80s. Booking ahead (except for rooms) is not required.
RIU Partner Club
The RIU Partner Club loyalty program has been given a complete makeover, including making it easier for members in the Classic, Gold, and Diamond categories to earn and redeem points.
Members can now redeem the points that they earn as soon as they wish with no minimum, while new benefits include access to the exclusive Elite Club and a room upgrade during their stay, which is subject to availability at the hotel for RIU Gold members and guaranteed for RIU Diamond customers. The website has been updated to be more user-friendly and intuitive.
Renovations
In 2023, several hotels have been renovated in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.
- In August, RIU presented the new and improved Riu Caribe Cancun following a complete transformation. Both the common areas and the hotel’s 506 rooms were renovated and equipped with modern furniture and design. Additionally, the swim-out room with private pool is a new room category added for guests who look for a more exclusive experience. The biggest update at Riu Caribe is that the hotel now includes the Riu Party concept.
- In September, the company reopened Riu Palace Macao in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic featuring a total revamp of its common areas and more than 400 rooms. The most significant modification is the creation of the hotel chain’s largest wellness centre, which includes a fully equipped gym, hairdressing salon and spa divided by two water areas, plus steam baths and nine massage cabins. The property also now features the Elite Club by RIU.
- This month (December), Riu Palace Pacifico in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico will welcome guests once again after a complete refurbishment and conversion into an adults-only hotel. The renovation of the hotel, built in 2008, is accompanied by the expansion of new services for its guests, including more gastronomic options, improved experiences and the Elite Club by RIU.
- RIU will close the year with some news and improvements at Riu Palace Baja California in Los Cabos, Mexico and Riu Palace Jamaica in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where Elite Club will be opening as of Dec. 15.
2024
In 2024, Riu Palace Bavaro will be fully renovated starting Sept. 1, will operate as a family hotel, including a new section with family rooms, four new redesigned pools, a new Marketplace by the main pool with a variety of culinary choices to select from, a children’s pool with slides, new Mexican restaurant, Elite Club, and much more.
Openings
Next year, the company will add two new hotels to its portfolio with the opening of Riu Palace Aquarelle, its seventh hotel in Jamaica and first in the Trelawny area of Jamaica. The 24-hour, all inclusive resort will open to travellers with 753 rooms and a wide gastronomic offering with a main buffet and five specialty restaurants – “Krystal” for fusion cuisine, “Napoli” serving Italian food; Kyoto, a Japanese restaurant; a steakhouse; and a Jerk station.
About RIU
The international RIU chain was founded in Mallorca by the Riu family in 1953 as a small holiday firm and is still owned by the family’s third generation. It boasts now boasts 96 hotels in 20 countries and has added urban RIU Plaza hotels to its roster of holiday resorts. The city line saw London open this year, with Chicago due in 2024. Toronto is also being planned.