A gathering of over 400 hospitality professionals and invited press came together for the second Summit Mexicano de la Hospitalidad, held in Merida on May 27-28. Themes such as experiential tourism, architecture and design, AI and robotics, big data, luxury hospitality, and wellness were discussed on stage and during the networking breaks.
Brand Creation: The Importance of Being Unique
Moderator:
Elena del Palacio; Founder; Atypic
Panelists:
Ronald Custodio; Co-founder; Base Agency
The creative process must take the brand out of its comfort zone, creating the concept with an innovative point of difference.
Jesús Parrilla; CEO; Experiential Hospitality
Having worked with many brands across many countries and cultures, Jesus explains that the brand messaging must connect with the psychology behind the message being delivered and how it will resonate with the clientele. From the architecture and interior design to the culinary program – everything must be considered carefully.
Carolina Rosado; Directora de operaciones; Bienal
What is important is to create an authentic identity, the DNA of the brand, by identifying the clientele the brand is designed for and ensuring all messaging speaks to this sector.
Jorge Escobedo; Fundador; Resonante
Jorge loves to work with brand creation and communication. He believes in the power of the moment and how it shapes the experience each guest has.
The Crisis (and Evolution) of Hospitality Education: Voices from the Industry
Moderator:
David Escalante; General Manager; CIC
Panelistas:
Marco A. Rivera; Director; Anáhuac Mayab
David Luna; Executive Chef and Partner; Instituto Gastronómico de Mérida
Jose A. Sierra; General Manager; Instituto Regiomontano de Hotelería
Pierre-Andre Rüegg; General Manager; Hospitality Business School
The panel discussed the importance of training and education and the need for students to learn the skills to withstand the demands of the industry – graduates made of metal, not of glass! Hospitality staff must be warriors, able to work long hours, serving guests, and doing it all with a smile.
In the kitchen, work is even tougher; dealing with the personalities of head chefs can be challenging, and staff must be willing to navigate this. What they are looking for is students who see the value in this education and have a passion for hospitality. The younger generation has a lot to offer, and the professors have a lot of wisdom and knowledge to share.
Services That Think and Robots That Act: Efficiency Reinvented
Mario Rodríguez; Robotics Engineer; Hanson Robotics
Labor shortages, advances in artificial intelligence, and decreasing costs in robotics are driving a major transformation in the hospitality industry. 80% of hospitality workers leave the industry within their first year, while 86% of employers expect AI to transform their businesses by 2030. Furthermore, the cost of humanoid robots could drop to between 20,000 and 50,000 usd, allowing them to compete directly with labor costs.
The robotics market is divided into two categories, each with its own timeline and level of maturity: specialized service robots are already ready for deployment, and approximately 42,000 units for the hospitality industry were sold in 2024; and general-purpose humanoid robots, an emerging market whose adoption is projected between 2028 and 2030, with estimates of up to 250,000 units shipped annually by 2030.
Robots are already being used in hotels for cleaning tasks, room service delivery, and even guest services. The integration of this technology into major hotel brands around the world could come as soon as 2028 and 2029.
The United States currently leads the development of AI and robotics software, while China dominates manufacturing and could account for 55% of global shipments of humanoid robots by 2030. In comparison, Latin America continues to lag technologically behind markets such as Japan and Switzerland.
Rocco spoke with Sophia, the renowned humanoid robot, about the future of hospitality in Mexico and Latin America. Sophia commented that robots are not here to replace staff but to collaborate with them!
Beyond Occupancy: The Value of Comparative Data in the Hospitality Industry
Stefania Maroso; Senior Sales Executive; STR
When analyzing occupancy levels, average nightly rates, and RevPAR, STR advises always ensuring the figures are benchmarked against your competitive market. Only then can true success be measured. STR has 40 years of experience benchmarking the hotel industry with over 95,000 partners.
High-Level Decisions: The Value of Independence vs. The Strength of the Consortium
Moderator:
Rocco Bova; Director and Founder; Summit Mexicano de la Hospitalidad
Panelists:
Antonio Vera; Regional Director; Preferred Hotels & Resorts
As a hospitality company that provides strategic branding, marketing, sales, and distribution services to independent hotels, resorts, and destinations globally, Preferred Travel Group can help independent hotels gain visibility to successfully capture their market while remaining unique and true to their purpose.
Karina Fuentes; Manager; Kiwi Collection
There is value in being part of a group or network; it provides global visibility, but this doesn’t necessarily mean sacrificing independence and identity.
Maria Olzabal; Founder and CEO; Ownia Collection
Working with hotels that offer something unique, Ownia Collection is a curated global hospitality consortium and booking platform dedicated to eco-luxury and regenerative tourism. They are looking for hotels with a clear purpose, aiming to be the best at what they offer. Maria highlighted the fact that guests are willing to spend more on hotels that have sustainability practices. The industry needs to realize that sustainability is not a cost but an opportunity and a valuable investment in catering to high-profile guests.
Hope Smith; Founder; Born2Travel
Having spent 34 years in the industry, Hope sees how essential it is to offer something unique within the hospitality industry. However, to gain exposure in the current market, hotels must be part of a consortium, and there are many options for affiliation. Leadership must educate themselves to choose the right partnerships for their property and invite travel agents that align with the values of the property and can market it well to their clientele.
The Art of Selling Wellness: Techniques for Converting Leads into Bookings
Moderator:
Diana Mestre; Partner; Mestre & Mestre Consulting
Having grown up in the wellness industry, Diana spoke about the importance wellness now holds in the world and how this has grown since Covid as people place a greater focus on living well.
Panelists:
Leopoldo Torres; General Manager; Matrix
Coming from Queretero, where they are surrounded by vineyards, Leopoldo realizes that creating an immersive experience is what attracts guests. At Matrix, they aim to hyper-personalize each fitness experience while also focusing on connection. Guests are now more informed than ever before; the experience must be accessible and offer synchronicity with the guests’ devices.
Arabelle del Pilar Rosario; Regional Spa Director; Meliá Hotels & Resorts
The new definition of wealth has shifted from material possessions to achieving wellness, with greater importance now placed on better health, sleep, nutrition, and a balance of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Travelers now seek conscious vacations where they can immerse themselves in local wellness practices and learn habits they can realistically integrate into their daily routines back home.
Driven by the younger generation, there is a back-to-basics movement, focused on simple, foundational habits like grounding (walking on grass), getting daily sunlight, and disconnecting from phones before bed. Wellness is no longer just a trend to follow but a personal commitment to continuous self-improvement, creating a deeper and more emotional connection with one’s health.
There are opportunities all around the resort to bring wellness and spa rituals to life for the guests to experience where they are. The sauna boom is not slowing, and now there are a range of activities performed in the sauna, such as DJ events, live music performances, and stand-up comedy, in addition to the more traditional Aufguss ceremonies.
Carlos Calvo; Global Vice President of Spa and Wellness; Epicutis
Wellness has shifted away from superficial, exterior looks to focusing on internal biology, longevity, and how a person actually feels inside. The industry is moving toward hyper-individualized, science-backed solutions, utilizing health data and advanced technology to optimize individual performance and recovery. Advanced health and biohacking tools that used to be exclusive or clinical are becoming accessible, mainstream parts of daily routines.
The wellness-focused traveler typically books a stay that is 0.8 nights longer than the average. That extra time at the hotel, multiplied by all the wellness travelers throughout the year, becomes significant when you also consider what else they will spend on experiences, food, retail, and other services around the property. Staff members who have direct contact with your guests should be invited to enjoy wellness experiences at the spa so they can share authentic stories and recommendations with guests.
Retail is often overlooked in spa and wellness; without investing in sales skills, wellness departments and resorts are missing an opportunity to provide homecare solutions to their guests while also improving bottom-line figures.
Jean-Baptiste Belledent; Co-Founder & CEO; Xinalani Retreat
Wellness is part of the DNA of Xinilani; having returned from a journey to Costa Rica, Jean-Baptiste set out to create an authentic barefoot luxury experience here in Mexico, where guests can connect with nature, engage in movement, and learn about the culture. Offering a retreat for people struggling with burnout, guests join for seven nights to take part in yoga, wellness rituals, and experiences created to reconnect with themselves while enjoying healthy cuisine, fresh air, and immersion in nature.
The Age of Luxury for All: Where Does True Excellence Fit In?
Moderator:
Rodrigo García; Director of Public Relations and Customer Relations; Forbes Magazine
Panelists:
Lourdes Hainlin; VP of Partner Services for South America; Forbes Travel
Forbes works with hospitality brands across Latin America, measuring the level of service offered and guiding properties to improve their best practices so that Forbes can verify excellence. Guests expect to arrive at the hotel and to enjoy a seamless experience, and to pay – they don’t expect problems. Training is imperative to ensure service is delivered at the expected level, while anticipating guests’ needs shows initiative, and this is something all hotels should strive for.
Rocco Bova; Director and Founder; Summit Mexicano de la Hospitalidad
Technology must be used to complement service, not replace it. We are all overloaded with information, but we are limited by time. Ultra-high-net-worth individuals need clear information that saves them time researching and deciding where to travel and which property to stay at. They are not concerned with price.
During his time at Aman Resorts, Rocco saw that ultimate luxury is all about frictionless service, delivered without errors. When the guests arrive, they have no interest in a welcome glass of champagne; this is not meaningful to them. Working with a welcome amenity budget of just 10 Mexican pesos, the team created many innovative options that were well received and had little to no cost to the hotel.
The Future Is Here: Mexico’s Upcoming Major Hotel Projects
Joshua Kremer; Co-founder; Paradero Hotels
Joshua presented the Paradero project in Todos Santos, which has been in operation for six years. The concept aims to create a lifestyle experience for its guests and now also offers residential villas. Coming soon are a longevity center focused on healthy eating, a longevity center, an athletic performance center, a barefoot spa, and a social club room.
Luis Ángel Canul; Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Atal Resorts
Atal Resort offers a hospitality concept centered on connection, allowing guests to connect with the world, with others, and with themselves. The property promises infinite encounters and celebrations of togetherness, inviting guests to the spa, a sanctuary of healing.
Alberto Remirez; CEO; Hamak Hotels
Alberto presented Casa Santa Fe, located in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca. One of the oldest hotels in Puerto Escondido, at about 50 years old, will be remodeled by Hamak Hotels, with 53 rooms, plus junior and master suites. The property will offer access to the famous surfing beach for immersive experiences where guests can surf like the locals, plus restaurants, spa, and leisure facilities at the hotel.
Simon Quernin; Director de Marketing México; Belmond Hotels
Belmond brings together a collection of 32 hotels, 7 trains, 7 boats, and 2 safaris. The Orient Express is one of the most iconic train journeys in the world, now with routes across Asia and South America, in addition to the UK and Europe. Part of LVMH, the group has two hotels here in Mexico, Belmond Maroma in the Riviera Maya and Casa de Sierra Nevada in San Miguel de Allende, with Milaroca coming in 2028 to Riviera Nayarit and Hacienda Katanchel here in Yucatan, set on 220 hectares of land.
Nicolás Martínez; Vicepresidente Regional de Desarrollo; Accor
Nicolas shared the news that a Raffles-brand hotel is coming to Los Cabos. Accor, the second global player in the hospitality industry, includes Raffles within its luxury portfolio. Dating back to 1887, Raffles brings a history of excellent service and luxury. They are currently focusing on reimagined butler services with storytelling and guest engagement. Raffles residences are a testament to the strength of the brand. In Los Cabos, 80 residences are planned in a low-density layout to ensure that the connection with nature remains.
Gustavo Ripol; Principa; Leisure Partners
Nayara Resorts offers an experience of luxury and immersion in nature, with simplicity in its design, situated in the Arenal Volcano National Park in Costa Rica. They are now opening resorts in Panama and Chile, with future plans to open in Espita, Yucatan, featuring 690 rooms and 10 branded estate homes.
Normand González; Director Ejecutivo de Desarrollo; GND Properties
Normand presented the new GND project: the iconic Mexican wellness resort brand, Chable, will be opening in Valle de Guadalupe. This wine-region resort will offer 70 villas and 10 branded residences amongst vineyards, an ecological reserve, and fine dining restaurants.
The summit closed with Rocco Bova sharing the news that next year’s event will become the Summit Latinoamericano de la Hospitalidad, held in May, once again in Merida, welcoming representatives from countries across the region. A new event will be launched in September: the Summit Latinoamericano del Turismo Wellness, which will be held in Merida.
By Sara Jones, Editor
