Hilton Hotels Corporation Announces Major Expansion Plans to Quadruple its Caribbean, Latin America Portfolio

Hilton Hotels Corporation today announces expansion plans to quadruple its presence in the Caribbean and Latin America by adding 150 new hotels to the portfolio over the next five years. The company also reveals a new development structure, made up of six dedicated staff, to lead the efforts in achieving this objective. This news underscores the company’s stated goal to add 1,000 hotels to its international portfolio in ten years.

Steve Goldman, president, global development & real estate, for Hilton Hotels Corporation, explained, “Expanding our global platform is a strategic priority for Hilton. We are focusing on accelerating the growth of our international management and franchise business by securing strategic development agreements and employing resources in international markets. This is the most exciting time in the company’s history and there are tremendous opportunities which we are acting on to accomplish our ambitious plans.”

Hilton Hotels Corporation currently has 42 properties in the Caribbean and Latin America development pipeline and has identified a number of strategic markets in gateway cities and resort destinations for further growth of selected Hilton Family brands. With an existing portfolio of 51 hotels throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, this expansion will bring the company’s total presence in the regions to more than 200 properties.

Daniel Hughes, senior vice president of operations, Caribbean, Mexico, and Latin America, for Hilton Hotels Corporation, commented, “This is a momentous time for Hilton as we announce efforts to quadruple our portfolio to 200 hotels and resorts. Our success will be a result of the perfect combination of exciting brands, a dedicated professional development team, and targeted markets with great potential for growth.”

The Caribbean development efforts will be lead by Gregory Rockett, vice president, development, Caribbean and Southeast U.S. The company currently has 13 hotels in the region and anticipates bringing an additional 17 hotels to the Caribbean over the next five years.

The goal of Hilton’s development efforts in the Caribbean will be to add focused-service hotels, such as Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn, to commercial centers such as San Juan, Trinidad, and Nassau. Another area of growth will be developing luxury branded hotels and residences in high-end mixed use developments in markets such as Turks & Caicos, the Lesser Antilles, and The Bahamas.

Hilton Hotels Corporation has already announced eight properties under development in the Caribbean: Conrad Bimini Bay Resort & Casino in The Bahamas; Hilton Bonaire; Hilton St. Maarten; Doubletree by Hilton San Juan in Puerto Rico; Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Providenciales; and the planned conversion of three existing LXR resorts in Puerto Rico.

With two developers dedicated to development in Mexico, the company is set for significant growth in the country. The existing portfolio of 19 properties in Mexico spans most of the Hilton Family of brands. George Massa, sr. director of development, Mexico, and Luis Alvarado, director of development, Mexico, will focus future development efforts in all regions of the country by adding 60 hotels in the next five years.

Growth is expected throughout Mexico’s border cities, as well as the central and southern regions, covering all 31 states and its Federal District. The Hilton Family of Brands will expand in prime resort areas, capital and large industrial cities, as well as develop focused-service brands, such as Hampton by Hilton and Homewood Suites by Hilton, in border locations, interior commercial cities, and resort areas.

The company has 20 hotels in the Mexico pipeline including Homewood Suites by Hilton hotels in Puebla and Monterrey, as well as Hampton by Hilton properties in Guadalajara, Ciudad Victoria, Centro Historico Ciudad de Mexico, Toluca, Querétaro, Los Cabos, Cancun, Guadalajara, and Tulum.

Simon Suarez, chief development representative, Central America, will be responsible for expansion in Central America and adding 23 properties to the current collection of seven hotels. One component of this plan is to grow by forging several multi-unit development alliances concentrating on the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton focused-service brands.

The company’s growth is expected in all of the region’s capitals, as well as secondary markets such as Liberia, Costa Rica; David, Panama; and Leon, Nicaragua. This will be complemented by active pursuit of opportunities in the principal resort destinations of Guanacaste, Costa Rica; Antigua, Guatemala; Atlantic coast of Honduras and Belize; and Pacific coast of El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Panama.