The Business Year

Jesús Durán

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Real Estate & Construction

Full Service Offering

Country Representative, Grupo Piñero

Bio

Jesús Durán holds a law degree from the University of Seville and an MBA from ESADE-Barcelona. He has held the position of CEO in the Dominican Republic for some years, having previously been the General Manager at companies in such sectors as tourism, and real estate development.

How has Grupo Piñero achieved its international presence? Grupo Piñero is a multinational company established in Spain with over 40 years of experience in the tourism industry. The dynamic entrepreneurial […]

How has Grupo Piñero achieved its international presence?

Grupo Piñero is a multinational company established in Spain with over 40 years of experience in the tourism industry. The dynamic entrepreneurial character of the Piñero family has been one of the key elements underpinning success. I would say that experience is one of our core strengths; although the company first started with its tour operator Soltour, today it has become a hospitality sector giant, owning the prestigious “Bahí­a Prí­ncipe” hotel chain. Over the years, the company has diversified its portfolio, today being active across a comprehensive range of tourism services such as passenger transport, retail travel agencies, and residential tourism real estate, among others. We entered the latter segment with our Playa Nueva Romana real estate project having identified many opportunities with clients who enjoyed spending holidays in the area, and were highly satisfied with the services of our company. Our real estate resort is a 6.5 million sqm development, located just 45 minutes from the international airport of Santo Domingo, 15 minutes from La Romana international airport, and 70 minutes from that of Punta Cana. One of our slogans is Make dreams come true, and entering this particular business clearly showcases who we are as a company. As for group synergies, our clients appreciate the solidity of our business group at the international level. This is a key element for our clients when it comes to deciding on the purchase of a service or property through our company. Our Bahí­a Prí­ncipe hotels are present in Spain, Jamaica, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, with 12 hotels and over 6,000 rooms, employing 6,000 people in the Dominican Republic alone.

What are some of your competitive advantages in the residential tourism real estate sector?

We offer numerous complementary services alongside the property itself, with many integrated facilities included. The projects we develop always feature appealing and dynamic hotels, as well as restaurants, casinos, beaches, spas and wellness areas, sports facilities, and shopping areas. All facilities are part of the property offering, with each client becoming another member of the family. Additionally, our experience in the sector enables us to offer highly competitive products from a price-to-quality margin perspective, as well as a much-differentiated product thanks to the surroundings and quality of the final product.

What do tourists look for in the Dominican Republic?

Nature is one of the main tourist draws, as well as the climate. Yet, all clients are different, and for that reason we try to provide them with the chief entertainment features they expect when vacationing in the Dominican Republic. In terms of countries of origin, tourists come mainly from the US, Canada, Europe, and Russia; however, over the past few years, we have seen a rise in the number of South American arrivals.

What is the ratio of local to international travellers?

In 2012, the Dominican Republic received around 4 million international foreign visitors, while around 700,000 tourists were Dominican citizens. That makes a ratio of around 80:20.

What are the company’s main plans in the Dominican Republic?

We plan to continue building hotels as well as complementary services for the villas we currently develop. Our main goal is to develop a small town that clients need not leave, featuring schools, health, sports and entertainment facilities, as well as beaches, and nature.

What is your medium term outlook for the tourism sector?

I have always believed that tourism is the only economic sector capable of swiftly changing a country, as has been the case already. The future prospects for the industry, and of other economic sectors, are positive, because the country has performed economically in a challenging international environment.

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