The group’s Chief Commercial Officer Finn Ackermann told TTG the three-year project, whch featured both acquisitions and significant renovations, had helped Iberostar continue to impress guests even where increased operating costs had forced up hotel rates.

“When people pay more, they tend to have higher expectations and it’s more difficult to meet or exceed them, but we’ve never measured a higher NPS in Iberostar’s history, which is really amazing,” he said.

After devising three new categories for its collection in 2024 – Waves, Selection and Joia – the group has been defining each concept, with the soon-to-open Joia Rose Hall by Iberostar in Jamaica's Montego Bay poised to set the standard for the highest-end Joia brand going forward.

The hotel opens next month after a total renovation including all 295 suites and new dining concepts, which Ackermann said will represent “the first real showcase of what the new Joia brand will look like”.

“We’ll now be elevating the experience at each Joia property, hotel by hotel - but it’s certainly not a case of one size fits all,” he emphasised. “The Joia brand expresses the service level you can expect, but each hotel will have its own personality.”

Refurbs create value opportunities for agents

Ackermann highlighted major refurbishment projects at Iberostar Waves Pinos Park on the east coast of Majorca, and of Iberostar Waves Tucan and Iberostar Waves Quetzal in Playa del Carmen, as giving agents a great opportunity to secure incredible value for their clients.

“The UK market always grows disproportionately for one of our newly refurbished hotels, and it’s a smart choice because guests always get the best value in the first year after refurbishment,” he said, explaining hotel operators tend to ramp up rates slowly over three or four years when a hotel’s standard has been elevated.

The official opening of Iberostar Selection Zanzibar this week, meanwhile, marked the group’s expansion into east Africa for the first time.

The group had been “almost surprised” by the reaction of the UK market, Ackermann revealed. “The UK market has made up almost 20% of sales and we didn’t expect that much.”

The group intends to continue growing the portfolio, but Ackermann said it takes a rather “opportunistic” approach. “We’re very selective about new locations and we’re not a public company; we don’t have to go out and say we need 10 more Joia or 10 more Waves next year,” he explained.

Future expansion will include the Waves and Selection brands, but he admitted the pipeline is “probably more Joia heavy”. “We really see a lot of potential in the all-inclusive luxury segment,” he explained.