Hyatt of the United States and Grupo Piñero of Spain announced the finalizing of a strategic joint venture for Hyatt to manage and market Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts-branded properties and own the Bahia Principe brand. The announcement comes at a time when the US market is consolidated as the most important source of visitors for the Dominican Republic.
The 50/50 joint venture increases Hyatt’s all-inclusive room portfolio by approximately 30%. The agreement brings 22 resorts totaling approximately 12,000 rooms, including 21 resorts under the Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts brand located across the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica, and Spain, as well as the exclusive Cayo Levantado Resort in the Dominican Republic to Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection.
The conclusion of the negotiations were announced concurrently on 27 December 2024 from both corporations’ headquarters in Chicago, USA (Hyatt) and Palma de Mallorca, Spain (Grupo Piñero).
Grupo Piñero is the owner of the resorts managed by the joint venture and is committed to driving the continuous improvement of Bahia Principe hotels through renovation projects as part of its ongoing goals and this transaction. Building on Grupo Piñero’s all-inclusive expertise and thriving European customer base, Hyatt will further contribute to the company’s success and provide expanded opportunities for growth with travelers in the Americas and other key markets.
Bahia Principe’s Chief Executive Officer Julio Pérez assumes leadership of the joint venture, with Grupo Piñero’s current Global Chief Executive Officer Encarna Piñero serving as Chairman of the Board. Izet Mahalbasic, Vice President Hotel Finance for Hyatt, will join the joint venture as Chief Financial Officer.
“It is a great honor for Grupo Piñero to embark on this long-term alliance with Hyatt—a groundbreaking model for both companies that promises significant benefits and advancements for our respective strategies,” said Encarna Piñero, Global CEO of Grupo Piñero and Chairman of the Board. “We are confident that the combination of our decades of experience as leaders in the all-inclusive sector in the Caribbean and Hyatt’s extensive global all-inclusive platform and systems will drive success for our joint venture.”
This transaction builds on Hyatt’s growth journey in all-inclusive, which started with the creation of the Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara brands in 2013 and combined with the largest acquisition in Hyatt’s history with Apple Leisure Group in 2021, expanded to more than 140 properties globally across 10 brands in Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection by the end of 2024.
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Grupo Piñero
Hyatt Corporation
7 January 2025