Interview with Gabriel Bover, General Director of Andalucía at Hipotels Hotels & Resorts

We took advantage of the Fitur fair to explore the challenges, achievements, and trends that set the course within the tourism sector in the complex recovery scenario.

Gabriel Bover, current General Director of Andalucía at Hipotels Hotels & Resorts, with more than 25 years of experience in luxury hospitality, stands out for his dedication to offering exceptional levels of customer service and his ability to plan and execute a wide range of responsibilities. Previously, he held significant roles at Iberolat Consulting & Investment, Concept and Design Hotel Group, Iberostar, and Majestic Resorts, among others, where he managed operations, expansion strategies, and business development, highlighting his ability to optimize revenues, manage costs, and lead teams to success.

During the interview, the achievements of 2023 are highlighted, including Hipotels' commitment to the continuous improvement of the product they offer. He also emphasizes the challenge of digitalizing operational processes within hospitality and the importance of specialized training to retain and attract talent. Additionally, he analyzes the trends and challenges the hotel industry will face in 2024.

Jose Carrillo, Chief Strategy Officer & Co-Founder of EISI SOFT and Gabriel Bover, General Director of Andalucía at Hipotels

What have been the major challenges in 2023?

For us, it has been a fundamental year for product improvement. We have carried out a comprehensive renovation of the only five-star hotel we have in Andalucía, where new decoration, new infrastructure, and new gastronomic concepts have been applied, creating a product different from what existed until now in the province of Cádiz.

On the other hand, we have also created a vermouth bar in the hotel we have in Jerez, which is being very successful. Additionally, we have renovated the different beach clubs we have at Playa de la Barrosa. Something that sets Hipotels apart is that we are constantly improving our product.

In your view, what are the biggest challenges hotels face in terms of digitalizing processes?

The biggest challenge is moving from very analog procedures to 100% digitalization. But we need immediacy, real-time data that can be analyzed and that this analysis impacts the customer experience, and why not, seeking service excellence. But to achieve this excellence, we need to digitalize the establishment's operational processes and forget about Excels and Microsoft Office, which have helped us in the past but should not be the future.

Regarding the customer experience you just mentioned, what are the key aspects you think impact operational processes to ensure a positive customer experience?

In the end, it is what I mentioned earlier, seeking efficiency and being aware that we need immediate, real-time data to stay one step ahead of the ever-increasing customer demands. And understanding that digitalization is no longer the future, but the present, and it becomes a necessity in today's hospitality industry.

How do you think specialized training can leverage the available human talent and at the same time elevate service quality?

We are in a people business: we are people working to serve other people who want to go on vacation, so people are very important in our sector. It is necessary that we are trained in new technologies, languages, procedures, and it is essential not to lose the foundation that has brought Spanish hospitality to the good position we are in and to continue evolving.

Additionally, training is also a way to retain and attract talent. If people know that those who work with you are trained and improve every year, it becomes very attractive to those looking for work or those who want to continue growing to see that possibility of growth in your company.

From your position, what are the challenges the hotel sector will face this year?

In 2024, if there is nothing new at the political or geopolitical level, it looks like it will be a good year for the sector. I think the challenge lies in maintaining the staff, from the position of Hipotels Andalucía, maintaining the great teams we have built is becoming increasingly difficult because there is more competition, more hotels in the Cádiz area, and it will be challenging because the competition is very good. But we will try to train people and provide them with the necessary tools so that they can work comfortably and decide to stay with us.

It's not easy, as I said, there is more information and technology, more competition, more good hotels, and we need to provide stability and an attractive product to make them want to work with us.