MIAMI— Hilton International (HI) has aggressive plans to grow beyond its existing eight properties in the Caribbean, according to Danny Hughes, vp/operations for Hilton Caribbean. Plans are also to spruce up service at existing properties through a new employee training program, he said. The company’s existing eight properties are the British Colonial Hilton Nassau (Bahamas), Caribe Hilton (Puerto Rico), Hilton Ponce and Casino (Puerto Rico), Hilton Margarita and Suites; Hilton Trinidad and Conference Center, Hilton Kingston Jamaica and the Jalousie Hilton Resort and Spa St. Lucia. Its latest portfolio addition is the Tobago Hilton. Currently under construction is a hotel in Barbados, replacing the Barbados Hilton which HI demolished a year ago, said Hughes. That new property will open in March 2003, he said. As for other new properties, “We are working on the Dominican Republic,” said Hughes, noting that HI would like properties in both Santiago and Santa Domingo there. “We are also very far ahead with a development deal on St. Croix and we are working very hard on the north coast of Jamaica. We are also looking at Aruba and Granada,” he added. “There is still a tremendous opportunity in the Caribbean,” said Hughes, who took responsibility for the region six months ago after having served for HI globally in different capacities for 12 years. To date, said Hughes, no hotel company has taken a strong strategic approach to the Caribbean. HI, however, feels the region fits in with its long-term strategic vision, part of which includes developing leisure properties that will serve as an incentive to business travelers enrolled in Hilton Hhonors, the frequent-stay program which is jointly owned and managed by Beverly Hills, CA-based Hilton Hotels Corp. and U.K.-based Hilton International. “So if [business travelers]have the choice to stay in a Marriott or Hilton when traveling to San Francisco, perhaps they will stay in a Hilton” to earn points toward a stay at a Hilton property in the Caribbean, said Hughes, who noted that the six million members of the Hilton Hhonors program are a naturally built-in audience for the Caribbean hotels. “It is an incentive for our loyalty program,” said Hughes of the Caribbean development. Hilton International will develop the new properties with the governments of each island, he added, noting that typically the governments will bring the land to the deal while HI finances the development. As for future growth, Hughes noted that HI’s desire “is not to be on every island in the Caribbean,” but to be where both visitors from the U.S. and Europe like to go.” Hughes noted that the Conrad brand— which Hilton Hotels Corp. and HI have committed to growing jointly as a five-star brand— is also being considered for the Caribbean. “We think there will be opportunities there in some of the more exclusive resort locations, but we have not planned a specific property yet,” he said. There are challenges to developing hotels in the Caribbean, said Hughes. “It is harder to do business there because of the individual governments and characteristics of each island, they’re all different,” he said. “Also, when you develop resorts in partnership with the governments, how efficiently they tackle each project varies.” Moreover, “the islands are very reliant on the levels of air travel,” he said, noting that the region is also vulnerable to the “in vogueness” of new locations, meaning consumers can turn on and off to a destination depending on whether it’s trendy or not. “The islands are also susceptible to crimes stories,” said Hughes, noting “the U.S market turns off when they hear about crime in the islands.” Add to this the fact that “it is more difficult to raise investment capital for the Caribbean,” said Hughes. SUBHEAD HERE: Guest-Service Standards HI’s new guest-service standards in the Caribbean are called “Esprit,” said Hughes. “We are rolling them out in May, every employee will g
