The Caribbean is entering a golden era of hotel development, aligning strongly with the bullish sentiment expressed by hospitality leaders at the recent Americas Lodging Investment Summit CALA. As highlighted in that summit, global hotel executives remain confident in the long-term opportunities across Latin America and the Caribbean (CALA), and the latest expansion moves by brands like Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and Wyndham clearly reflect that optimism.
Hilton’s Historic Growth in the Caribbean
In line with comments from Accor and Wyndham executives that “volatility is nothing new” and “hoteliers know how to navigate downturns,” Hilton has just recorded its best year ever in the CALA region, adding 64 new properties in 2024. The company now plans to nearly double its Caribbean footprint, building on an existing portfolio of 45 hotels. With over 130 projects in the pipeline—and more than half already under construction—Hilton’s aggressive expansion strategy echoes the confidence that CALA remains a highly attractive region despite macroeconomic uncertainties.
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Marriott Leverages Midscale Momentum
Just as IHG and Accor noted the strength of local economies and rising middle-class travel, Marriott International is expanding its City Express by Marriott brand into markets like Argentina, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Peru. Eight new properties are slated for opening over the next three years, reinforcing the region’s importance not only for luxury offerings but also for affordable, quality lodging—a trend aligned with growing intra-regional travel.
Hyatt’s Big Bet on All-Inclusive Demand
Hyatt, which recently announced a $2.6 billion acquisition of Playa Hotels & Resorts, is accelerating its regional investment with plans to launch 30+ new properties by 2027. New all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic and St. Lucia are part of this strategy, reflecting what Playa CEO Bruce Wardinski called a “pro” of shifting Canadian and European travel patterns favoring the Caribbean. Hyatt’s growing pipeline of 129,000 rooms supports earlier summit insights that high-end hotel development with residential components is “proliferating across our business.”
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Wyndham Doubles Down on Local Partnerships
Reinforcing the original article’s emphasis on local private equity and family offices, Wyndham continues to prioritize partnerships with regional developers. The brand now has 268 hotels and 45,000 rooms in CALA and is actively leveraging residential-unit-inclusive developments and creative deal structures to weather short-term turbulence—just as leaders like Accor’s Gilda Perez-Alvarado and BWH Hotels’ Larry Cuculic outlined in their strategies.
A Promising Horizon for Caribbean Hospitality
The strategic investments by these global brands directly validate what many industry executives emphasized at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit: that while deal activity may ebb and flow, the fundamentals in the Caribbean and Latin America remain strong. With diverse offerings—from luxury resorts to midscale accommodations, and a resilient demand across traveler demographics, the region is not just surviving volatility, it’s thriving because of it.
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