President Danilo Medina attended the symbolic start of construction of Apple Leisure’s next branded Secrets Cap Cana Resorts and Spa on Friday 20 February 2015. The US$160 million hotel will have 470 suites, eight restaurants and six bars, and several rooms for meetings and conventions. Speaking at the event, Apple Leisure Group founder John Mullen announced that around 900 people would be employed at the hotel.
Apple Leisure Group CEO Alejandro Zozaya said the hotel should be ready in time for the 2016-17 winter season and announced a soft opening for October 2016.
Apple Leisure already operates seven hotels in the country. Mullen said that in 20 months’ time, the company expects to have a portfolio of 10,000 hotel rooms and 7,000 employees.
Frank Rainieri of the Punta Cana Group, National Hotel & Tourism Association (Asonahores) executive vice president Arturo Villanueva, Minister of Public Works Gonzalo Castillo, Banco de Reservas general manager Enrique Ramirez Paniagua and Jean Alain Rodriguez, executive director of the Center for Exports and Investment of the Dominican Republic (CEI-RD) also attended the event.
Apple Leisure Group is the top seller of all-inclusive vacation packages from the United States to the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Jamaica. The parent company includes travel marketing companies Apple Vacations, Travel Impressions and CheapCaribbean. The company has been strengthening its positioning as Mexico and the Dominican Republic’s largest destination management company.
In Punta Cana, the company manages the Zoetry Agua Punta Cana, Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana, Breathless Punta Cana, Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana, Dreams Punta Cana Resort and Spa and the Now Larimar Punta Cana.
In La Romana the company operates the Dreams La Romana Resort & Spa and as of October 2015 will also be managing the Dreams Dominicus La Romana.