Meliá Hotels International was founded in 1956 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and is one of the world’s largest resort hotel chains as well as the absolute leader within the Spanish market. The chain has more than 370 hotels worldwide in 41 countries across four continents under its seven brands, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, Gran Meliá, ME by Meliá, Paradisus by Meliá, INNSIDE by Meliá, Sol Hotels & Resorts and Tryp by Wyndham. Meliá Hotels International has a fantastic collection of properties in some of the finest destinations around the world, with gourmet restaurants, exquisite local cuisine, and exceptional facilities for both leisure and business travellers.
In particular, Meliá currently has more than 120 hotels across all its brands with facilities and specialist equipment for hosting all kinds of events, as well as a team of expert professionals specialising in meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) who are able to deliver personalised service anywhere in the world. In addition, each brand has its own specialised programme, such as the RedGlove Meetings at Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, EcoTouch at Meliá Hotels & Resorts or Be Successful at TRYP by Wyndham.
Key properties within the portfolio include Meliá Castilla, Madrid. With more than 7,000sq m of meeting space and 915 rooms, this hotel can accommodate up to 1,830 guests making this one of the largest hotels in Europe. Meliá Barcelona Sky and Meliá Barcelona Sarria are two excellent city hotels perfect for hosting conventions, congresses and business meetings. Further abroad, Meliá’s three properties in the Dominican Republic, Meliá Caribe Tropical, Paradisus Palma Real and Paradisus Punta Cana offer outstanding meeting and incentive facilities in a stunning Caribbean location.
This year is set to be a year in which Meliá will keep up the intense pace of new hotel agreements and openings as seen in recent years where annually the company has added 20 to 30 new agreements. In 2017 it plans to open at least 23 hotels in different cities and destinations around the world, including key MICE properties such as management of the Congress Centre and adjoining Meliá Palma Bay hotel in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and the recently opened Gran Meliá Nacional Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the addition of a new convention centre set for completion in late-2018.
Meliá currently has more than 120 hotels across all its brands with facilities and specialist equipment for hosting all kinds of events
Meliá has pioneered the development of specific products to meet the new needs of meeting planners, such as the creation of flexible meeting packages with competitive prices, standardised by brand, thus making it easier to organise events and keep costs under control. All the basic services are included at a fixed price per person, allowing the meeting planner to control and adjust the cost of the event as they wish for greater transparency and flexibility. Meliá has also developed innovative organisation tools including creating a customised website for event attendees so they can make their own individual reservations at any time through the portal at the contracted event rate, at their convenience. Another key feature is the online Opportunity Dates tool, which allows customers to check all the existing promotions for groups and events worldwide with quick and effective tools to contact the key personnel in that region.
Environmental protection is a pillar of Meliá’s corporate social responsibility, promoting sustainable events and venues. The company holds certification as a Biosphere Hotel Company, which guarantees social, environmental and cultural commitment in all its dealings.
An excellent example of this is EcoTouch Meetings by Meliá, a programme which aims to raise awareness among customers about the need for a responsible use of resources and the environmental impact generated by our activity. Among the main features of the programme is the calculation of the carbon footprint of each event so customers know how much greenhouse gas has been emitted. All the materials used are recycled, including notebooks, pens, markers, flipcharts and coasters. There is also a more efficient use of resources, such as using glass jars instead of plastic bottles, energy-saving lighting, use of computers and audio-visual equipment with a low energy rating, and selective waste collection, among other initiatives.
