IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts Celebrates 60 Years!

This year, GRUPO IBEROSTAR, one of the most important Spanish companies in the world, is celebrating its 60 year anniversary. The anniversary falls on a milestone year for tourism in Spain, with a record number of tourists - 70 million – having visited the country so far this year.

GRUPO IBEROSTAR's story is marked with success, passion and hard work and its history is also closely tied to the emergence of tourism in Spain. For the last 60 years, IBEROSTAR has been dedicated to providing quality offerings internationally, and now has top hotels in 16 countries around the world.

"When I was 12 years old, my father taught us something, which I believe is absolutely essential: you must have passion for your career", explained Miguel Fluxà,
founder and executive chairman of Grupo IBEROSTAR. "I found this passion with IBEROSTAR, and I'm so proud of our continued growth and to today have top hotels globally. Quality is our most valuable asset, and has positioned us at the forefront of today's international tourism industry."

Highlights from IBEROSTAR's history include:

  • In 1877, the company Inca was created, Majorca's first footwear company. Almost 80 years later, Lorenzo Fluxà acquired Viajes Iberia, a company founded in the 1930s, which led to the family's first venture into the tourism industry.
  • In 1961 the Fluxá family embarked on its first venture in the hospitality sector, following the acquisition of the company's first hotel in Playa de Palma. That same year Miguel Fluxà joined the company to focus on developing three key business areas: hotels, tourist services and tour package sales.
  • In 1979, GRUPO IBEROSTAR opened its first international offices and laid the foundations for the expansion of its hotel division thanks an exclusive agreement with tour operator, Neckermann.
  • Just four years later, the Fluxá family registered the IBEROSTAR trademark, the star logo everyone knows the brand by today.
  • In 2004, the Group created Fundación IBEROSTAR, a foundation aimed at promoting social action and education development in Spain and Latin America. This period was also one of diversification for the Group, with the founding of the cruise company IBEROJET CRUCEROS.
  • In line with its ongoing quest for excellence, IBEROSTAR launched The Grand Collection category when they opened the IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Paraíso in Mexico.
  • In 2010 the company ventured into the area of urban hotels, opening the IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Budapest in the Hungarian capital, and the IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Mencey in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
  • In 2015 the company's expansion plans received a boost due to the acquisition of the online travel agencyalmundo.com, and the international travel service provider W2M. A year later the company opened its first U.S. hotel, the IBEROSTAR 70 Park Avenue, situated in the heart of New York – just in time forIBEROSTAR's 60 year anniversary.
  • IBEROSTAR will open its first hotel in Miami, the IBEROSTAR Berkeley Shore, in 2017. This project will provide an added boost for IBEROSTAR's focus on urban products, which all share a common theme: they will be housed in historic buildings in the world's leading tourism destinations.

To celebrates and share IBEROSTAR's anniversary with everyone that accompanied the Group on their journey, the company has created the website 60yearsiberostar.com, offering insight into the thrilling story of IBEROSTAR from the late 19th century to present day. 60yearsiberostar.com also features a special section of congratulations messages from employees, guests and partners.

About Iberostar

Iberostar Group is a 100% family-owned Spanish multinational company that boasts over 65 years’ experience in the tourism industry and business origins dating back to 1877. Its main line of business is Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, which includes the portfolio of up to 70 hotels in 15 countries under this agreement, with a global team of more than 25,000 people of 95 nationalities. The Group has become an international benchmark by promoting a responsible tourism business model focused on caring for people and the environment. The Wave of Change movement, a pioneering and innovative initiative from Iberostar, reflects the company’s specific commitment to the environment and oceans, and its efforts to promote these concerns to society as a whole. With sustainability as the driving force and lever behind the business, the company places the circular economy at the centre of its strategy and is working on its own 2030 agenda to be waste-free by 2025, carbon-neutral by 2030, 100% responsible in its seafood supply chain by 2025, and to improve the health of the ecosystems that surround its hotels, among other goals. Iberostar was the first hotel chain to remove single-plastic use amenities in all their hotels worldwide back in 2020. The company is a leader in quality and drives differentiation in the customer experience through constant product innovation and commitment to digitalization.

Iberostar Group is advisor to UNWTO, WTTC and World Economic Bank, and has been recognized at international level supporting and participating as speaker at Harvard University, Stanford University, COP 25-26-27, OECD and FITUR amongst others. The company has received several international awards including Eco Trophea Germany (2022) and WTM Latin America Responsible Tourism Award (2022), and has been recognized by several international media amongst the Best International Resorts in Europe and The Americas.