Riu On A Roll – Worldwide

with Martha Chapman

Riu is one of the best-selling all-inclusive resort groups
here in Canada, and to reinforce their long-term relationship with their sole
vendor, Signature Vacations, the Senior Vice President of Sales & Business
Development Oliver Kluth recently visited Toronto.

“We’re now in our 4^th year of marriage with The
Sunwing Group,” smiled Kluth, “And so far it’s been
plus-plus-plus.”   Signature outsells any of Riu’s American tour
operator partners, with all hotels selling well but particularly the Playa
Blanca in Panama, with Sunwing flights from multiple Canadian gateways in the
winter.

Hospitality is in the DNA of the company, according to
Kluth, who told us that the Riu family is now in its 3
^rd generation
of running the hotels, which started as a single property in Mallorca in 1952.
There are now some 28,000 employees at their 110 properties.  “We are
becoming more and more international,” says Kluth, adding that the 1
^st
long-haul hotel, in Mauritius, will open this year; Sri Lanka is slated for
2016 with the Maldives and Dubai both in the cards.

Another recent development is the opening of EP city
properties, such as the one in Panama City, which makes for a very interesting
dual centre holiday with its beachfront sister hotel. Other city hotels now
include Berlin and their Times Square NYC property slated to open by the end of
this year.

Within the all-inclusive beach resort group there are Riu
properties and Riu Palaces. The difference? About 30% of the hotels are Riu
Palaces and they have all the regular inclusions but also more a la carte
options; micro-cuisine (teeny tastings) in the buffets; premium drinks; room
service and turn-down service as well as WiFi not just in the hotel, as it is
in Riu resorts, but also on the beach.

Any message for Canadian agents? “Consumers shouldn’t wait
too long to book. Other markets such as Colombia and Chile are booking way
ahead of last year and rooms are filling fast!”