SOL MELIA ANNUAL REPORT 00 COMP

COMPANY HISTORY
A dream is born ...
a
1956.- At only 21 years of age, an entrepreneurial Gabriel Escarrer
began to rent and operate his first hotel, the Altair in the residential area
of Son Armadans (Palma de Majorca). 60 rooms that would later become
Sol Meliá.
60’s.- The tourism boom of the 1960’s were fundamental to the consolidation
of the structure of a growing business. Through reinvestment
of profits, increased co-operation with Tour Operators and bank loans,
the company began to take shape. The tenacity of Gabriel Escarrer and
his team, led by Juan Vives, his charisma and innate flair for sales and
marketing would do the rest.
70’s.- This was a time for growth in the Balearic Islands, the most popular
destinations on the Spanish mainland and the Canary Islands with the
acquisition of the company’s first resort hotels. The entrepreneurial vision
and spirit of its founder and, once again, a risky but firm commitment for
making his name in the hotel business were key in this growth.
Sol Cala Blanca
Over a 20 year period, coinciding with the growth of Spain as a tourism
destination, Escarrer built up a small hotel chain with a strong presence
in the Balearic Islands operating as Hoteles Mallorquines until 1976,
and also laid the foundations for what is still company philosophy: reinvestment
of profits in new hotels, growth through the purchase of other
hotel chains and constant renovation of hotel facilities.
The embryo of a great company
At the end of the 70’s, Sol Meliá began to consolidate its expansion in
Spain with a presence in most popular tourism destinations on the
mainland and in the Canary Islands, changing its name along the way to
Hoteles Sol.
1984.- Time for real growth. In a joint deal with Aresbank (financial
representative of the KIO group in Spain), the 32 hotels of the HOTASA
chain in Spain were acquired. The purchase meant the beginning of a presence
in the city hotel market and the company moved up to number 37 in
the world ranking of hotel chains. At the same time, the company also
became the largest hotel chain in Spain, a position it has held ever since.
S OL
M ELIÁ
A NNUAL R EPORT 2000
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