8 minute read
Modern Mexico
Can you give us the background to how you have become interested in the glamping/sustainable tourism sector?
Grupo Presidente has been a benchmark in Mexico’s hospitality industry. For more than 50 years, it has been consolidated in the market as a leading investor, co-investor of franchises, and operator of international hotel, restaurant, and retirement assistance franchises, being the master franchiser of Intercontinental in the country and an approved operator of IHG, Marriott, Hyatt, Accor, and other independent brands.
In recent years, a very important part of our CEO (Braulio Arsuaga)’s vision has been to consolidate our leadership position far beyond traditional hospitality and begin to venture into emerging segments with great potential and also prepare for the future of lodging by getting much closer to the new generations of travelers.
For this reason, when we saw the accelerated growth of Glamping, further catalyzed by the pandemic, this project, which had been inspired by African Safaris some years ago, was decided to be landed and developed professionally, not just as a test, but as the development of a new outdoor hospitality brand supported by a recognized hospitality group that could broaden GP’s customer base & diversify the portfolio, challenge our own mentality & develop a model of own brand success.
We got inspired by Millennial & Centennial hunger for experience while ensuring the level of ease, comfort, and certainty they’ve come to expect, shift the focus of travel away from the destination and toward the journey and give our traveler the tools to create their own adventure travel experience that takes you to multiple regions in just one trip.
What are your plans for this sector in Mexico?
In Mexico, as in many other parts of the world, the outdoor hospitality sector is mainly independent. Our plans include being able to grow with our own sites in destinations that offer a never-before-seen facet of the most wonderful ecosystems of our country, developing a solid brand that brings enough confidence in comfort and experience to the glamping sector to not only be considered as “alternative lodging,” but also to position itself as a new way to become immersed in nature and the local aspects of each site.
In addition to this, by having a solid structure and experience in the industry, we also want to affiliate Viatura with other independent brands we can help to expedite their growth so that in this way we can become a network of outdoor hospitality with different facets and unique personality at each site.
We also believe that Viatura can have enough strength to position itself not only as lodging, but in the world of experiences, boutique hotels, and other forms of travel that we are still exploring.
What kind of accommodation do you plan to offer guests and where?
Our Glamp-Siting concept provides luxury hotel-like comfort in natural surroundings through lodging circuits in various Home Bases.
Every Home Base, crafted by Mexican artists, blends contemporary style with ecosystem harmony, through:
Local materials
Simplicity
Vivid cheer
Curated technology
Sustainability
In each Home Base our travelers will be able to find:
Tents designed for every Home Base
Multipurpose Tent Lounge (F&B)
Swimming pool
SPA, Other spaces ad-hoc to the region/ ecosystem
How important is it for you to also work with existing operators of accommodation?
As I mentioned earlier, the ability to work and learn from other operators in the industry is a fundamental part of Viatura’s growth and positioning strategy. We are also very interested in contributing to strengthening the segment, so we are actively seeking to get involved, collaborate, and associate with other operators who share our values and vision.
How do you believe your plans will be able to extend the stay of guests in this kind of accommodation?
We can’t go with a simple protocol. We need to be known for something more than a tent and a nice jacuzzi. That’s why we created a concept that we internally call “GlampSiting,” which aims to offer lodging circuits in different Home Bases that have the comfort of a luxury hotel totally immersed in nature. This way, travelers have the option to experience multiple locations, in the same trip to live different ecosystems, try different flavors and be part of hyper-local experiences at each destination.
With the portfolio of Grupo Presidente, we also have the opportunity to offer, within the same trip, “traditional” lodging in the base cities where our travelers arrive, which will allow them to start and end this adventure in a comfortable and safe way.
How quickly do you plan to expand?
Our initial plan was to open the first site at the end of 2023. However, with the introduction of the Viatura concept, we have accelerated this timeline, and since July, we are already operating a site on the outskirts of San Miguel de Allende. This development, created in collaboration with a commercial partner who trusted our vision, has successfully transformed an extraordinary location surrounded by vineyards, olive trees, and lavender fields into a venue where ultra-luxury African tents provide shelter for a variety of unparalleled experiences.
With this in mind, we believe Viatura’s growth will be exponential and much faster than initially anticipated. Our next location on the Yucatán Peninsula is nearing completion, and we have two more slated for 2024. Furthermore, our ongoing efforts to forge partnerships with other commercial entities are bearing fruit even as we speak, which means that by next year, Viatura is likely to have a significant and consolidated portfolio.
What research have you done into this segment of the market and what did it tell you?
As a team, we’ve done our homework, deeply studying both the international and national markets. We’ve traveled, attended international glamping shows that opened our minds, and brought on board experts in glamping and brand strategy to join us on this journey.
Our main takeaways, although we continue to learn in this dynamic market segment, were based on five macro-trends in the initial development of Viatura:
Live for Experience
Wellness & Self-Care
Purpose-Driven Consumerism
Technology that Challenges the Status Quo
Outdoor Boom
We also identified different traveler segments, focusing primarily on Experience Explorers drawn to the potential of “Adventure Tourism” – a concept where the traveler steps out of their comfort zone to explore and experience remote places.
We’re aware that in recent years, glamping’s growth has surged into the triple digits, fueled by younger generations. Many operators are adapting their business basics to seize the glamping opportunity instead of coming up with new compelling concepts.
These are just some insights, but in reality, we are excited to be part of the statistics in Mexico and to learn from the continuous feedback, evolution, and understanding of our market and travelers.
What other resorts/glamping sites are you inspired by – if any?
While we studied and stayed at many of the brands in both the national and international markets, our primary inspiration comes from the authentic experiences of African Safaris. Their ability to elevate the surrounding fauna, combined with complete adaptability and multifunctionality tailored to what the traveler seeks, while also providing a luxury experience, we believe, makes them the original creators and master teachers of this concept.
We respect and learn from many other concepts in the market, and we would love for many of them to join the Viatura portfolio so that together we can make history.
What sort of price per night points are you looking at?
Considering the comfort, design, and variety of experiences we offer and plan to offer at Viatura, our price point is around $500 USD per night per tent. Although this rate may vary depending on the destination and market, we aim to position ourselves midway between ultra-luxury and the basic glamping experience.
By doing so, we believe we can attract a market that is willing to get to know us while also giving us the strength to continue building a path towards a solid and aspirational positioning in our market.
How will you market your unique offer to guests?
Viatura will introduce travelers to less explored escapes from a nature-immersive perspective, allowing them to experience the most popular destinations in a way that has never been seen before. We are redefining travel through experiential journeys and unveiling hidden wonders.
We give our travelers the tools to personalize their trip and choose their own:
STAY: Viatura unveils unique, less explored natural escapes for a novel perspective on popular destinations. Travelers may experience multiple locations in the same trip.
EXPERIENCE: We craft experiences, allowing our guests to tailor their activities and customize their unique way of exploring each destination.
We aim to offer a new way to travel, where side trips are not just possible; they’re the essence of the journey. We want our travelers to escape the ordinary, reignite the joy of discovery and to TRAVEL THEIR OWN PATH.
