26 INTERVIEW
I ENTREVISTA
Welcome to GRAN CANARIA
APRIL I ABRIL 2018
In March, ably accompanied by the president of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina, together with five of his ministers, the Canarian-German group Lopesan officially celebrated construction work on the new hotel started on last September on the Caribbean island. The hotel, which is to be commercialized under the brand name of Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino, will operate as an All Inclusive 5 star establishment. It is located at the exclusive area of Playa Bávaro, at Punta Cana, alongside the Ifa Villas Bávaro, also owned by the Group. It will have over a thousand rooms and is part of a masterplan that foresees the construction of a second hotel making a total of 2,500 rooms. The event here ended with the symbolic “laying of the first brick” as is traditionally done in the Republic, by President Medina and his ministers, together with Lopesan’s CEO, Francisco López, who kindly gave us the following interview.
FRANCISCO LÓPEZ CEO of LOPESAN
“The work at the resort is backed by the Dominican Government, who came to lay the first brick” BY I POR SERGIO ARÁN
■ What are the key aspects to Lopesan’s new hotel project in the Dominican Republic? Lopesan Costa Bávaro is the latest addition to our main “Lopesan Hotel & Resorts” logo outside the Canaries. This is the same brandname used by the three grand resorts located in the area around Meloneras in Gran Canaria, which is currently the driving force behind top quality tourism on the island. All three sit within a resort concept that presents differenciating elements compared to other large resorts that also operate in the Dominican Republic destination. In keeping with our Canary hotels, we have been particularly careful in our unique architectural style, the finishing touches we have put to the building, and the landscaping of the surrounding areas, especially with the infinity pool in its double perspective which represents a level on from the pool we built at the Lopesan Costa Meloneras, which itself is one of the most photographed pools in Europe.
The resort has been designed by top international firms. What differenciating values does it offer to the hotels currently in Playa Bávaro? American firm HKS has already worked with us in previous projects, and is also behind some of the most stunning hotels in Las Vegas, as has EDSA in the hotel garden landscaping. But hotel architecture is not just a matter of aesthetic appearance, especially on such a large scale, it should also be practical and functional, to facilitate operations. In this sense, it will be the first hotel in the area to have a central underground passageway which will cross it from one side to another, and will allow employees, merchandise and operatives to move around without interfering with the guests. It will also feature the afore-mentioned double level infinity pool, creating the sensation of a beach right up to the interior of the hotel building, while at the same time, disappearing into the horizon. Above all, this project encompasses our experience in developing shopping
boulevards with attractive shopping premises and restaurants that are open to the general public. This we believe not only adds to the overall value of the hotel but also raises the level of the whole tourist area around Playa Bávaro, as it makes the hotel a more spacious venue. What kind of tourist is the hotel aiming at? Hotel guests in the Dominican Republic are looking above all else for a place to unwind in an idyllic setting comprising white sandy beaches and deep blue water, without them having to move great distances to eat at top restaurants or to enjoy leisure and entertainment. For this reason, the All Inclusive model is, par excellence, the most successful one at Caribbean destinations. Clients in the Dominican Republic are less varied than at our establishments in the Canaries, as they are mostly recently married couples and families. As well as our traditional clients from the United States and Canada, there is
another differenciating factor compared to the rest of the hotels around here, and that is the high demand by German tourists, who make up our main market at Ifa Villas Bávaro, as they do at our hotels in the Canaries. This project is proving to be a massive boost for the economic and touristic development in this region... The Dominican Republic are going great lengths to make tourism the driving force behind the country’s economy. They have a clearly thought out agenda and growth objectives, and it is quite clear how these hotel investment plans are benefitting the country’s people, because every new project is another employment opportunity that means they no longer have to go abroad for work. Playa Bávaro, and Punta Cana in general, have everything they need to become the Caribbean’s top holiday destination. With our commitment to quality, we aspire to contribute to this goal, and to continue to progress along the path of excellence which we have always set ourselves.