The Group triples European footprint to 52 resorts, and announces that by end of 2021 AMResorts® will have 103 branded properties in its collection
NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA – January 14, 2021 – Apple Leisure Group ® (ALG), the leading North American leisure travel, hospitality and resort brand-management group, continues its upward trajectory of growth, AMResorts®, an ALG subsidiary, closed 2020 with 69 hotels and a development pipeline of 59 properties in their branded portfolio across Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe. Due to AMResorts’® brands expansion in Europe, including entry into Greece and the significant growth of its portfolio in Spain, during 2020 the company achieved an 85% increase in room inventory.
According to ALG’s CEO, Alejandro Reynal, “this year marks a new chapter for the Group, as we come off of the successes of the last decade by nearly doubling AMResorts®’ portfolio and seeing demand return across our vacation brands. The solid foundation we have built has enabled us to be resilient during these challenging times, and we are eager to start a new chapter in our story of success.”
Currently, the AMResorts® development pipeline includes 22 new builds and 37 conversions. Upon completion, the hospitality giant will be on track to reach its goal of 103 branded properties by the end of 2021.
“Our business model has proven to resonate with owners and investors in Europe, leading to our rapid yet steady growth in that region,” said Javier Coll, the Group’s President for Global Business Development. “Despite the challenges of the past year, we are optimistic about the opportunities to continue executing a successful global expansion strategy which will take our portfolio of AMResorts® branded properties to more than 100 resorts by the end of 2021.”
Europe: Record Growth with the Addition of More than 10,000 Rooms
AMResorts® more than tripled the European portfolio in 2020, ending the year with 13,590 rooms and becoming the fourth largest hotel brand, by number of beds, in Spain. In total, 36 properties were added to the European footprint, representing a combined investment of more than 100 million euros from owners Hotel Investment Partners (HIP), Blantyre and Stoneweg to bring the properties to Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, and Alua® Hotels & Resorts brand standards.
As part of its European expansion, AMResorts® announced three new properties in the Greek islands of Crete, Corfú and Zante, bringing the first Dreams® Resorts & Spas and Alua® Hotels & Resorts-branded hotels to the destinations. The three properties will undergo extensive renovations before debuting as AMResorts® hotels in 2022. The company also marked its entry into the Iberian Peninsula, announcing an agreement to bring the first Alua®-branded properties to the Spanish regions of Andalucía and Murcia, beyond the Canary and Balearic Islands and in destinations that cater mainly to Spanish tourists.
According to Javier Águila, President of AMResorts® Europe and Global Strategy, “Even though it was an extremely complex year around the world, in 2020 we accomplished unprecedented growth for Apple Leisure Group® and AMResorts® thanks to our owners’ trust in our ability to consistently deliver a strong return on investment. In 2021, we will continue to rely on the same successful formula as we seek new opportunities to continue to grow in existing and new resort and urban destinations in Spain, Greece, Portugal, Italy, Croatia and Turkey.”
Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean: Enhancements with an Eye to the Future
The Group maintained its expansive presence in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean in 2020, opening Secrets® St. Martin Resort & Spa, Secrets® Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, Dreams® Macao Beach Punta Cana, Dreams® Vista Cancun Golf & Spa Resort, Dreams® Natura Resort & Spa, and Dreams® Royal Beach Punta Cana, while preparing for the debut of Secrets® Playa del Carmen Resort & Spa in 2021. The region remains a cornerstone of ALG’s strategy to expand the AMResorts® footprint, and the Group remains committed to supporting the recovery of these destinations from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Like fellow hospitality brands, AMResorts®’ branded-properties in the region closed for a short period as a safety precaution. During that time, several iconic resorts underwent renovations to offer an enhanced experience for guests upon re-opening. Enhancements included upgrades to the pool areas at several Secrets® and Dreams® properties, including Secrets® Maroma Beach Resort & Spa upgraded its pool with beach-like access on one side and Sunscape® Puerto Vallarta turned their kids’ pool into a 6,200 square foot waterpark designed for families to enjoy. Additional renovations included restaurants, guest rooms and common areas such as lobbies, theaters, coffee shops, meetings rooms and more.
To-date, all AMResorts® branded properties in Mexico have re-opened. In the Caribbean, all have opened with the exception of Secrets® St. Martin Resort & Spa, which will begin to welcome guests in late January, and in Central America, Dreams® Playa Bonita Panama will re-open in March.
Prioritizing Guests’ and Employees’ Health and Safety
As part of its re-opening process, AMResorts® implemented the CleanComplete Verification™ to provide a safe and comfortable experience for guests and to deliver the greatest safety and hygiene for its employees. The 360-degree program addresses all aspects of resort operations and the guest experience from welcome to departure, and is backed by one of the highest-level third-party certifications for quality and safety in the industry, the Cristal International Standards® certification.
In Spain, the CleanComplete Vertification™ is backed by Intertek Cristal, global leader in health, safety, quality and risk control, and also includes the audit from POSI-Check, specifically designed to develop and supervise an efficient response to COVID-19 in the hospitality and restaurant sectors.
All AMResorts® hotels continue to operate at limited capacity in accordance with local guidelines.
AMResorts® manages a total of 69 hotels and resorts in its portfolio, and 24,710 rooms located across Mexico, Jamaica, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, Spain and Greece.
To learn more about the Apple Leisure Group® advantage, visit www.algdevelopment.com.
About Apple Leisure Group®
Apple Leisure Group® (ALG) is the leading North American travel, hospitality and leisure management group with the only vertically-integrated business model, serving travelers and destinations worldwide. ALG consistently delivers exceptional value to travelers and strong performance to resort owners and partners by strategically leveraging the power of its portfolio of brands, including: the largest seller of vacation packages and charter flights in the U.S. for travel to Mexico and the Caribbean, moving approximately 3.2 million passengers annually through the well-established vacation brands Apple Vacations ®, BeachBound®, Travel Impressions®, CheapCaribbean.com®,, Blue Sky Tours®, Southwest Vacations®, Funjet Vacations®, and United Vacations®; brand management of 5-star and 4-star luxury resorts through AMResorts® award-winning brand portfolio including Zoëtry® Wellness & Spas Resorts, Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Breathless Resorts & Spas®, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Now Resorts & Spas®, Reflect Resorts & Spas®, Sunscape® Resorts & Spas and Alua® Hotels & Resorts; best-in-class destination management services provided by Amstar DMC and Worldstar®, the exclusive loyalty program Unlimited Vacation Club®; and the innovative technology solutions provider Trisept Solutions®, connecting over 88,000 travel agents with leading travel suppliers. To learn more about the Apple Leisure Group advantage, visit www.algdevelopment.com
About AMResorts®
AMResorts® collectively provide sales, marketing and brand management services to eight individually unique resort brands including Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets®, Breathless®, Dreams®, Now®, Reflect® Resorts & Spas, Alua® Hotels & Resorts and Sunscape® Resorts & Spas. The AMResorts® collection of brands is continuously raising the all-inclusive concept to a new level of luxury with its signature Endless Privileges®, Unlimited-Luxury®, and Unlimited-Fun® programs. Located throughout Mexico, Jamaica, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, and Spain, AMResorts’ 68 award-winning properties treat every guest to premium accommodations, desirable locations and extraordinary inclusions. The brands in the collection include: Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts (zoetryresorts.com; 1-888-4-ZOËTRY); Secrets Resorts & Spas (secretsresorts.com; 1-866-GO SECRETS); Breathless Resorts & Spas (breathlessresorts.com; 1-855-65-BREATHE); Dreams Resorts & Spas (dreamsresorts.com; 1-866-2-DREAMS); Now Resorts & Spas (nowresorts.com; 1-877-NOW-9953); Reflect Resorts & Spas (reflectresorts.com), Sunscape Resorts & Spas (sunscaperesorts.com; 1-866-SUNSCAPE) and Alua Hotels & Resorts (aluahotels.com). Images, logos and informational material about the AMResorts® collection of brands and properties are available at amresorts.com/mediasite/media.