Melia welcomes agents to trade reception

The many faces of Melia Hotels were given the showcase treatment in Toronto this week, as the Spain-based hotel chain welcomed a group of top-selling Canadian agents to learn more about the brand and its new developments for 2017 and beyond.

Agents were welcomed to an intimate meet-and-greet with sales representatives from several properties across five of Melia’s brands – Melia, Gran Melia, ME, Paradisus and INNSIDE – followed by a dinner presentation detailing each, along with new developments and sales tips for the five hotel classes.

This was the second of three Melia events scheduled for Toronto this fall, following a showcase dedicated to Melia Braco Village in Montego Bay and taking place ahead of a Melia Cuba cruise event on Oct. 11.

According to Nathalie Carpentier, Melia’s sales manager for Eastern Canada, the company, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2016, is planning for increased development in both the U.S. and Asia in the coming years. While leisure travellers continue to make up the majority of Melia’s bookings at 56 per cent overall, 24 per cent of that total comes from groups, including weddings, golf getaway and families, Carpentier said, giving agents a large opportunity for making increased commissions.

Brenda Bradley, Melia Hotels International Cuba; Rodolfo Cresta, director - leisure sales, North America; Nathalie Carpentier, sales manager - Eastern Canada

Carpentier detailed each of the five brands as follows:

Gran Melia

“Sophisticated and elegant,” the Gran Melia category is comprised of 12 properties across Europe, Asia and South America, Carpentier said, with plans for Gran Melia Bintan in Indonesia moving along. The brand boasts the Red Level class of rooms available for booking, the top tier of all Melia brands.

ME

Geared toward the jetset and clients looking for something unique, ME is “the place to be seen,” Carpentier said. With events featuring superstar DJs and an ultra-modern design, the ME brand can be found in international hotspots including Ibiza, Milan, London, Miami, Cancun and Cabo San Lucas, the latter of which saw a total renovation (reopened in December 2015) following the devastation of Hurricane Odile in 2014. The ME brand will make its Dubai debut in 2018.

Paradisus

A “five-star, all-inclusive experience,” Paradisus is geared toward both multigenerational family travellers as well as couples, Carpentier said, adding that the brand’s properties feature an adults-only section.

Melia

The chain’s namesake brand, approximately 100 Melia properties can be found worldwide, including the recently-opened Melia Braco Village in Montego Bay, Jamaica. At just 252 rooms, the intimate property has maintained its colonial look while featuring updated rooms, restaurants and amenities.

“This property is for clients who are allergic to the big hotels,” Carpentier joked.

INNSIDE

Debuting this year in New York by way of Europe (the brand originated in Gemany), INNSIDE caters to guests looking for stylish downtown locations with access to amenities and attractions in international cities, Carpentier explained, making it a good choice for business travellers.