Thanks, 2024

The end of the year is a time to take stock of things and assess the actions and decisions that have brought us here.

Before delving in, I would like to thank 2024 for giving us 365 opportunities to reach new destinations and challenges.

I would also like to acknowledge how we can create a more just tourism concept and celebrate our successes as a company, at our hotels and through the recognitions given to our team for their commitment and daily efforts.

One of the biggest milestones this year was the significant progress made in our expansion plan, which began with the arrival of the Occidental brand in Morocco with the new Occidental Tanger hotel.

We currently have nine hotels in six Moroccan cities, making us the leading Spanish hotel chain in Morocco.

This momentum has continued with the grand opening of our first hotel in Thailand, confirming the company’s focus on growth in the Asian continent. In 2024, we also bolstered our presence in Portugal, where we have invested over €50 million to acquire, reposition and develop two hotels in Funchal. We have also written the Barcelo Hotel Group ’s first chapter in Cabo Verde by opening two hotels in the country: Barceló Praia Cape Verde and Occidental Boa Vista Beach.

But there’s more. In May, we announced the acquisition of a new hotel in Rome, and in November, we added the Occidental Dresden Newa hotel to our European portfolio, confirming our efforts to expand in the region. We also opened Barceló Cappadocia in Turkey, where the company already has three establishments.

Beyond making progress in our expansion plan, this year has also been key for consolidating our Barceló ReGen sustainability strategy. This ambitious project helps measure our positive impact on destinations and guides the company’s active participation in regenerative tourism. We are the first Spanish hotel chain whose sustainability standards are recognised by the Global Sustainability Tourism Council (GSTC).

Also worth highlighting is our strong focus on fine dining. This year, we earned two new MICHELIN Stars, aside from the seven we already held, including the first Green Star in the Canary Islands, at restaurants in hotels under the Royal Hideaway Hotels & Resorts brand. This makes us the Spanish hotel chain with the most MICHELIN-starred restaurants in our country.

What's more, three restaurants at two of our hotels received their first Repsol Sun at the 2024 Repsol Guide Suns Gala, in addition to the six already held by the company. None of this would have been possible without the teams running the dining establishments at our hotels, whom we paid tribute to this year with our Behind the Stars campaign, winner of the Silver category at the WIN Awards.

But these are not the only honours received this year from the red guide. Four of our Royal Hideaway hotels won the MICHELIN Key, a new award given to the best establishments in Spain that offer hotel and travel experiences.

And speaking of experiences, seeking and purchasing experiences at destinations will be top travel drivers in 2025, always prioritising the local factor and environmental awareness.

So, as leaders in experiential innovation who understand the need to update, adapt and digitalise these services, the Barceló Hotel Group has gone above and beyond with Barceló Experiences. This innovative platform sells 100% authentic Barceló and third-party experiences, and it recently won the Innovative Customer Experience Initiative category at the VIAJAR Awards.

As I mentioned earlier, 2024 has been filled with accolades and good news for the company. According to the latest report by the Brand Finance consulting firm, Barceló Hotels & Resorts was the top Spanish brand in terms of brand strength this year in the Travel & Hospitality segment.

At the 2024 World Travel Awards, viewed as the Oscars of tourism, we were named the World’s Leading Hotel Management Company. We won this category in 2019, 2021 and 2023, and it is the highest honour that recognises the efforts and commitment of our entire team, inspiring us to continue working and improving daily.

Additionally, five of our hotels in Spain were honoured for their excellence at the 31st edition of the World Travel Awards.

Everything we have achieved would not be possible without the more than 38,000 people who work hard every day to offer guests memorable experiences and happy stays. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks and congratulations to them for making the Barceló Hotel Group one of the leading hotel chains in the world.

May 2025 be filled with success.

Happy Holidays!

Raúl González