Global meetings are on the rise this year, in stride with rising costs and increased program diversification among hoteliers.
Hotel construction in Mexico and the Caribbean is up 40 percent year-on-year, according to CWT Meetings & Events’ “2018 Meetings & Events Future Trends” report, while Latin America is seeing a shift toward mid-scale hotels with wider F&B options and flexible services and Europe eyes rate caps over agreed-upon rates. In the middle of the frenzy is a range of new hotels and resorts that cater to all sides of the equation. Here are 5 international hot spots and the new hotels that should be on your radar.
Ireland
Ireland will soon attract groups looking for more contemporary lifestyle brands. Tech-savvy attendees will appreciate the 202-room Aloft Dublin City opening later this year. Featuring the brand’s signature WXYZ bar and Re:mix lounge, the property will create a communal space to catch up on emails, exchange business cards and the like. The 188-room AC Hotel Belfast opens this spring attracting a similar clientele in search of contemporary digs and award-winning cuisine at Chef Jean-Christophe Novelli’s first endeavor in Ireland.
Argentina
Buenos Aires hopes to meet the demands of a 4.5 percent increase in tourism with the opening of two new hotels this year: the Ker San Telmo and the MGallery by Sofitel. Located in the city’s fastest-growing neighborhood of San Telmo, the 132-room Ker San Telmo will open in March 2018, with space for business and social events. The 113-room MGallery by Sofitel is also scheduled to open later this year in the city’s diverse Retiro neighborhood.
Mexico
The 250-suite Fairmont Costa Canuva will join sister property Fairmont Mayakoba in Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit when it opens in late 2018. An integral part of the new 600-acre Costa Canuva development, the Fairmont will be one of five hotels situated amidst the beach, forest and mountains that make up the area. It will feature six restaurants, an expansive outdoor swimming pool and meeting space to boot as well as eventually offer access to a golf course designed by Greg Norman and Lorena Ochoa.
Canada
Montreal will soon get another luxury hotel with the opening of the 163-room Four Seasons Hotel Montreal later this year. A spa, indoor pool, extensive event spaces and three dining venues will keep groups entertained on-property, but attendees won’t have to venture far to find some of the city’s most exclusive shopping, with the popular Ogilvy’s department store conveniently connected to the hotel.
The Bahamas
Still a year or so from debuting its phased opening, Margaritaville at The Pointe is creating significant hype for the Bahamas’ capital city, attracting groups in search of the “it’s 5 o’clock somewhere” mentality. The $250 million, six-acre development will include the 150-room Margaritaville Beach Resort, 150 residences, a marina, water park, entertainment center and signature Margaritaville F&B.
