Central & South America - Latest

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Expert Views (8)
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Costa Rica's Peninsula Papagayo to Unveil Second Oceanfront Andaz Residences Neighborhood near Andaz Peninsula Papagayo

Peninsula Papagayo today announced plans for a second oceanfront collection of Andaz Residences, following the debut of its initial phase in 2023. The new neighborhood near Andaz Peninsula Papagayo will feature 35 thoughtfully curated residences in two-, three-, and four-bedroom floor plans with elevated amenities and finishes. Early commitments from existing owners have already been secured ahead of the public release, a reflection of the neighborhood's resonance and the Andaz brand's appeal.

Introducing Alila Mayakoba: A Soulful Luxury Retreat on Mexico’s Riviera Maya

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) and RLH Properties today announced the opening of Alila Mayakoba, a luxury retreat rooted in nature and wellbeing on Mexico's Riviera Maya, marking a milestone moment for the Alila brand globally as it debuts in Latin America and the Caribbean through one of the brand's most fully realized resort expressions. Defined by Alila's place-led approach to hospitality, with wellbeing at its core, Alila Mayakoba brings the brand's core principles to life through architecture open to nature, living Mayan traditions, and an intentionally crafted guest journey.

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The Phoenix Rises Anew: Complete Refresh of Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort

If you've caught a glimpse of the Phoenix shining brighter than ever over Aruba's stunning Palm Beach, you're witnessing the transformation of one of the island's most iconic resorts. The famed Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort, a landmark on Palm Beach since 1996, has just completed an extensive, top-to-bottom refresh. Divi Aruba Phoenix is kicking off 2026 revitalized, reimagined, and ready to welcome guests home to Aruba.

Hospitality Leading the Immersive Experience Economy

EHL Research team argues that hospitality is entering a new phase of the experience economy, where guests no longer seek just “nice stays” but fully immersive, multi-sensory, and often co-created experiences that transform how they feel and remember a place. Drawing on frameworks like Pine & Gilmore’s four realms, it shows how hotels can blend human connection, storytelling, gamification, live events, and technology (VR/AR, projection, sensory design) to create deeply engaging moments that go far beyond functional service.

The Future of Food: From Sustainability in Foodservice to Tech Innovations in Food Production

The EHL Research Team explores how food has evolved into a powerful lever for health, identity, and planetary well-being, with hospitality uniquely positioned to drive this shift through sourcing, menu design, and guest experience. Drawing on new research, they show how foodservice businesses can move from incremental sustainability toward system-level change, reconnecting people with how food is produced while using technology (from advanced cooking to blockchain) to boost transparency, efficiency, and trust.

Villa Del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa Cabo San Lucas Unveils Inspired Renovation as Part of Visionary Growth

Villa del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa Cabo San Lucas has taken a bold step toward the future with a remarkable transformation that includes reimagined pools, revitalized entertainment spaces, and renewed culinary destinations. Far beyond mere upgrades, the renovation reaffirms a longstanding commitment to delivering extraordinary vacation experiences—for both today's travelers and generations to come.

Minor Hotels Announces First Signing under its New Minor Reserve Collection Brand

Minor Hotels, a leading global hotel owner and operator, has announced the signing of the first property under its new luxury collection brand, Minor Reserve Collection. Slated to launch in 2028, Aventora Resort Baía Formosa, Minor Reserve Collection, will be located in Brazil's Rio Grande do Norte in the northeast of the country, in an area recognised as a key destination for eco-tourism.

Regenerative Hospitality: Embedding People, Place, and Planet

The EHL Research Team argues that hospitality must move beyond “doing less harm” toward regenerative hospitality, where hotels actively restore ecosystems, strengthen communities, and create net-positive impact. Using their Regenerative Hospitality Canva playbook, they show how place intelligence (local nature and community) and people intelligence (transformative guest–host interactions) can turn regeneration into a viable business model, not just a philosophy.

Fixing Hotels’ Biggest Sustainability Blind Spot: Waste

Greg Poirier, Global Director, Hospitality Certification Programs at Audubon International, highlights that, unlike energy and water, hotel waste is still poorly measured and managed, making it a major sustainability blind spot. He argues that real progress depends on circular procurement (designing out waste from the start) and standardized tracking using tools like HWMM and tech platforms to automate data, improve diversion, cut methane and PFAS risks, and reduce hauling costs.

AI Agents in Hospitality: Driving Innovation, Well-Being, and Personalization

The EHL Research Team outlines how AI is shifting from hype to practical tool in hospitality, with most professionals expecting a major impact on guest communications, personalization, and operations by 2026. Current adoption is still limited and focused on easier, guest-facing use cases, but early results show clear gains in time savings, efficiency, decision speed, and revenue – provided AI is integrated into a broader digital strategy and used to empower, not replace, staff. 

Agentic AI: An Inflection Point for Hospitality in 2026

Wouter Geerts of Mews argues 2026 is when agentic AI moves from hype to quietly running hotel operations—handling routine tasks, predicting demand, and coordinating systems so staff can focus on meaningful guest interactions. The key enabler: a "semantic layer" unifying real-time data across PMS, CRS, and other hotel systems. Without it, AI can't act effectively.

Sitting at the crossroads of tradition and AI: What lies ahead for hotel stars?

Dr. Dimitris Koutoulas, tourism consultant and Assistant Professor of Tourism and Hotel Management, explores what lies ahead for traditional hotel star ratings in an AI-driven world. He explains why official classifications still matter alongside guest reviews, how rigid or outdated criteria can distort hotel development, and how cross-border initiatives like Hotelstars Union point to a more harmonised future.