The architectural landscape of Cuba for years has been dotted with vacant ancient buildings, exuding an eerie atmosphere of abandonment. The gloomy air of neglect is expected to perk up as real estate development started to roll since the thawing of the country’s relationship with the United States.
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| Image source: NYTimes.com |
Construction cranes line the horizon; construction sites are mushrooming in not a few locales of the island nation in the northern part of the Caribbean. Primary targets are the unutilized structures for conversion into hotels to accommodate the increasing influx of visitors from the country’s rich and powerful neighbors.
The reinvigoration of building structures is further boosted by the loosening of bureaucratic reins, welcoming foreign hotel developers into the fray. Restrictions on private enterprise are likewise lifted with the objective of arresting the decreasing growth of gross domestic product in 2016, a startling occurrence for the first time in two decades.
Ahead of the pack of newly refurbished luxury hotels is the 246-room Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana, which occupies a vast space in a renovated European-style shopping arcade that constitutes an entire block. It is scheduled to open in early June. Another, Hotel Inglaterra, located on the other side of Parque Central, which has been in existence in 1875 and boasts of having Winston Churchill as one of its guests, is set to start accepting bookings and guests by December 2019. Several other luxury hotels run by professional managers from Spain and France surround the vicinity.
Foreign experts known in the hospitality industry worldwide are being tapped to help manage the hotels, which, per structure and nature of Cuban economy, are all under the proprietorship of the government. For example, the Manzana which thrives on the investments by the Cuban state company Almest Investments is co-managed by the Swiss luxury hotelier Kempinski and the Gaviota Group of Cuba. Meanwhile, The Inglaterra will be under the management auspices of Marriott International.
The successful international market penetration of Cuba’s luxury hotels, however, has to reckon with several hurdles. Utility services such as water and electricity are still lacking. Sources of steady supplies of reliable raw materials for preparation of quality meals are scarce. Widespread poverty is still very visible, which may not be attractive to tourists.
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| Image source: NYTimes.com |
On the other hand, many Americans and Europeans have been intrigued and lured towards a cultural exploration of Cuba owing to the country’s isolation for so many years. The Cuban Ministry of Tourism recorded over four million visitors in 2016, up 13 percent from the previous year, enough to propel its hospitality industry.
Born in Hampshire, UK, John Jefferis is an acclaimed hotelier who has 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He is the chairman and owner of Coco Reef Resorts, a high-class tourist spot located in Bermuda and Tobago. Mr. Jefferis is famous for his hands-on approach in managing his businesses. His strong involvement in the various aspects of his business, from conceptualization to logistics is one of the qualities for which he is truly admired, and also the reason behind his indisputable success. Visit this blog for more updates in the hospitality industry.
