TFD Interview with Gregg Anderson & Antigua, Guatemala

N O. 02 | S P R IN G 2015 | T H E - F R O N T D O O R . C O M

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AESTHETIC IDEAS

ANTIGUA GUATEMAL A: C E N T U RIE S OF GR E AT NESS LIVING BY THE VOLC ANOES

Ideas that become experiences THE FRONT DOOR BY LA REVISTA, EL MUNDO DEL BUEN GUSTO

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GREGG A NDERS ON is General Vice President of The Registry Collection. His job is to travel to luxurious properties across the world. He studied Communications at Florida State University and later archeology in Florence.

Gregg Anderson by: Santiago Oria Probert photos: Ignacio Galar

In an interview with Gregg H. Anderson, Global Vice President of The Registry Collection, we reviewed the current state of tourism, analyzing the point of view of developers and travelers alike, always taking into account destinations, experiences, and the lifestyle of luxury that characterize both The Registry Collection and The Front Door.

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Beyond the tranquility that set the scene for us —The Front Door’s beautiful property in Marina Vallarta— and Gregg Anderson’s accessible and pleasant personality, our conversation turned out to be key to understanding the hospitality industry.

There were many surprises, but the first one in the conversation was finding out that Gregg is an archaeologist, an academic background that seems unrelated to his current profession.

However, at a young age it allowed him to travel and to live in places like Japan, Sweden, and Italy, moving throughout the world with his family. “I’ve always been involved in some way in the world of tourism,” he says.

Later, after two decades of working in the tourism and hospitality industries, the business is in his blood. “Getting to this position at The Registry Collection is a combination of training, knowledge, and experience. I am a traveler who works with what I like most. I have the best job in the world – I get paid to visit the best destinations and resorts. It’s a good life.”

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Over the last 20 years, as you would guess, he has seen a lot in terms of destinations, lifestyles, luxury, vacation, etc., and he is convinced that “luxury means different things to each person depending on the time of year and their circumstances. If a person does not travel a lot and has the opportunity to go somewhere, even if it is very nearby, and it is a first-class residence, then it becomes the most luxurious vacation that person has ever had.

But if someone travels to another part of the world to sleep in a tent, on safari, this is his or her experience of luxury and lifestyle. When I work, I encourage developers to determine what they want from their properties and to build for people who dream of going on such a vacation. It can be totally different in Mexico than in India; they are different experiences.

When you talk about development and luxury, you have to get to know scenes and circumstances to offer something that works.”

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Finally, it is all about experiences. “In the last ten or fifteen years, traveling means knowing what I will get from the experience.

Will I learn something about the food, the music, the culture? And it has to be comfortable and beautiful. If you have an impressive location but no activities, it is not a good vacation. This is what developments consists of now.”

Going further into the conversation, I said I imagined that all developers are looking to offer a unique experience, but also are located in the same environment and have almost identical conditions. Gregg’s response was simple but conclusive: “If I’m going to build ten other properties, I have to find added value in what people will experience there, especially in alternative destinations for skiing, mountain climbing, golf, health and wellness trips, or diving. You have to develop properties according to which people can do the activity.

FOR GREGG ANDERSON, T R AV E L I N G I S ABOUT KNOWING S P E C I F I C A L LY W H AT YO U W IL L GET FROM THE EXPERIENCE: TRYING NE W FOOD, HE ARING NE W MUSIC, GET TING TO K NO W A N E W C U LT U R E .

THE PROFILE: GREGG ANDERSON

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It is much easier when you find out what people want and you find a place where they can do it. “ This search for more and more focused experiences is due to a change in the audience: “now, people in their thirties are the ones reaching an economic peak. Before, it was people in their seventies. But for both audiences there are different experiences.”

So, from the point of view of the developer, “you can focus on all ages, like they do in Disney, but this rarely happens today. Developers think of a key element of the activities you can do, in the experiences offered at the destination, but you will always have a place to eat, shop, and do other things, which will never change. These days it is very hard to please everyone. It is no longer the best thing to do.”

Because of this, every company must be defined within this group, and offer something different to a selected audience and make that decision a part of their work, helping developers to understand new trends, discovering what is happening in other parts of the world and in different generations. “One of the most complicated things, but one that is sure to bring success, is learning how to speak to people outside of your own generation.”

Among these business partners and customers, The Front Door stands out as “a world-class developer with a large working group” because through connections like this, which bring together specialists who have become successful, “our joint work adds strengths and values. What people want to know is that we have a lot to offer and they can travel to other places and have equal or better experiences; this is what makes the companies different – The Front Door and The Registry Collection help each other.”

Together, the mix they offer to their customers is divided into several levels of luxury and exclusivity. The differences meet with the needs of the customer, as “many require something better, whether it be location, experience, or service. the-frontdoor.com 33

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T T E N T ION TO DE TA IL A N D INCOM PA R A BLE SERVICE ARE OF UTMOST I M P O R T A N C E T O T O D AY ’ S L U X U R Y T R AV E L E R S ; MEXICO OFFERS THIS AND MORE

They want better quality in specific areas; what we do is offer that possibility. As developers, we create differences between products that make our different customers happy. Quality levels are part of the audience and segmentation changes according to each destination, considering what I want while I am there and what I want to experience.”

Speaking specifically about Mexico as a destination, Gregg mentions that for many customers it is interesting because of its proximity and low cost, but most important is not its beautiful places, but that the attention to detail be impeccable. Service must become casual at high levels, which is difficult to achieve but in Mexico it is done very well.

Finally, in talking about the future of tourism he remarked that “the creativity factor for keeping pace with the world is essential, although the way the hospitality industry operates is very traditional in its form and risks. Innovation is about creating synergies with other companies. It is to find what you do best and what someone else does best, and together to offer something unique and exclusive.”

We must add to the situation the touch of responsibility that is already a must for new businesses. In tourism this means supporting the inhabitants of the region, working with artists, farmers, schools, and all kinds of local producers. “The best thing is that 90% of the people we work with are already doing something like that.”

Just as the tourism industry depends on personal experiences, the consistency with which Gregg Anderson does his job made our time of conversation in one of The Front Door’s properties a truly authentic experience.

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THE PROFILE: GREGG ANDERSON

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the Journey by: Santiago Oria Probert photos: Courtesy

Antigua Guatemala: A tour through history

Antigua Guatemala is renowned for its cuisine, natural richness, the large cocoa and coffee farms that surround it, its traditions and customs, and extraordinary cultural heritage that is reflected in its streets and buildings with a beauty that can’t go unnoticed.

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page 036 Spring is the ideal season for golfing and discovering unexpected destinations – join us!

ANTIGUA GUATEMAL A : A TOUR THROUGH HISTORY

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Built more than 1,500 meters above sea level in a region prone to earth-

quakes and other natural disasters (which, as we will see, have significantly marked its history), Antigua Guatemala was officially founded in 1524 under the name Santiago de Guatemala, home of the Captaincy-General of the nation. Shortly thereafter, it was completely destroyed by a fire caused by an uprising of indigenous rebels and was reestablished in 1527. Fourteen years later, in 1941 once again it vanished under the power of strong earthquakes, a landslide, and a flood, forcing it to rise from the ashes for a third time.

In 1943, once again, the colonial capital of Reino de Guatemala was founded, which included the regions of Chiapas, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, and for 230 years it was the cultural, economic, religious, political, and academic heart of the nation.

During these more than two centuries, the inhabitants of the region raised up great temples over an urban road that was modern for the time, paying homage to the grandeur of the city. The temples weathered floods and volcanic eruptions, until Santa Marta earthquakes of 1773, which ended up defeating the unwavering city.

Following the disaster, the authorities decided to move the location of the capital to a more stable region, making what is now as Guatemala City and leaving behind, hidden among debris, lava, and water, the remains of its colonial and Renaissance past.

The brave people who remained rooted in place began to repopulate and rebuild the city that would from then on be named Antigua Guatemala.

More than 200 years after the catastrophe, the integrity and authenticity with which the city is preserved are perhaps its greatest attributes, since its partial abandonment made it so that today the ruins

A Horn-Free City In Antigua, preservation and care of the city, as well as the quality of life of its residents, have reached limits of respect and tranquility rarely seen before. With the intention of reducing noise pollution and to educate people on traffic issues, the use of horns has been prohibited since 2009. This measure has been successful; at first, as you would assume, people would constantly forget and abuse the rule, but over the years it has taken root among antig端e単os, who now enjoy a more polite and silent city.

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FINALES

ONE OF THE MOST ATTENTION-DRAWING DETAILS ABOUT THIS PROPERTY, THOUGH IT SEEMS MINOR, IS THE HORIZON.

appear to be in their original condition, in the Baroque style they were founded with and with the influence of the aesthetic trends from each of its reconstructions. Plazas, streets, fountains, churches, and homes that are still standing were restored, and new buildings, following well-defined parameters, have been built in a neo-colonial style that some have called “Antigua” style because of its originality.

Among the many places that are worth visiting, the Palace of the General Captains is a must. Its construction began in 1549 and was completed nine years later, but after each earthquake or landslide it was partially amended, giving it a variety of styles and periods in a unique blend.

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Another beautiful example is next to Plaza de Armas, where the cathedral opened its doors in 1680 after eleven years of building. It is arranged in a cross shape but also seasoned by nature. Nearby you can find the Fuente de las Sirenas, designed in 1739 by architect Miguel Porras, and the town hall, whose origin dates back to 1743. Both buildings reflect the tradition of the city in every single detail. Another highlight is the Universidad de San Carlos, founded in 1676 but renovated as late as 1832; Las Capuchinas, a 1736 convent that is now partially preserved in ruins; La Merced, with one of the most beautiful facades in the city; as well as multiple mansions and humble homes that were part of the daily life of its residents.

L A R EUNIÓN Ruta Nacional CA 14, Km. 91.5, Alotenango, Sacatepéquez Antigua Guatemala T. (502) 7873 1400 lareunion.com.gt Facebook: LaReunionGolfResort Twitter: @LaReunionGT

ANTIGUA GUATEMAL A : A TOUR THROUGH HISTORY

World Heritage

LA REUNIÓN

In 1979 UNESCO declared it a World Cultural Heritage Site based on its history as a bearer of knowledge from different eras. These are some of the criteria that justify its inclusion in the list: • It is a living memory of the old Spanish culture, thanks to its baroque buildings from the eighteenth century.

• Being an export center for handicrafts and religious images, its collection of objects is unique and irreplaceable.

• It is one of the most important examples of urban planning in Latin America, retaining its design from 1543,

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which is matched by extraordinary colonial architecture.

• Its many convents and monasteries testify to the influence of the Catholic Church in the daily life of the city.

• The region developed its own “antigüeño” Baroque style, driven by the reconstruction after each of the natural disasters it suffered.

With the background of the great colonial city and surroundings including four volcanoes that have led both to the ruin and the greatness of the city, we find one of the most beautiful and important coffee plantations in the region: La Reunión.

This course is raised with the same “Antigua” aesthetic that characterizes the area, but it has been renovated with exclusive modern luxuries, the most stunning resort and golf course you will ever see. One of the most attention-drawing details about this property, though it seems minor, is the horizon. Whether you are in your room, on one of the many terraces, at the golf course, pools, bars, restaurants, or anywhere else, you will always have a unique and endless view, interrupted only by volcanoes, sunsets, or clouds.

With this feature as a standard, the enjoyment of any activity on any trip —whether it be with family or as a couple, or with the intention of playing golf, horseback riding, or mountaineering— begins with an advantage in the perception of visitors. This is an advantage we all hope to discover.

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