Grupo Posadas Expands from Caribbean to US Border

Mexico — Grupo Posadas is experiencing what its Vice President of Development, Mauricio Elizondo, describes as a “very important” moment in its history. The largest Mexican hotel chain is in the midst of a significant offensive, expanding both within the country and abroad.

“We are the most important hotel group in the country. We operate 30,200 rooms and have 200 hotels with 10 brands. Our model is clear: we do not build, we are not owners; our service is to make a third party's investment profitable,” Elizondo explained.

The essence of the business is to work hand-in-hand with investors who build a hotel and trust Posadas to operate it, providing it with a brand, concept, and an integral experience for the guest.

The model has proven successful since 1967, when Gastón Azcárraga Tamayo created the group under the name Promotora Mexicana de Hoteles. Twenty-five years later, after several mergers and acquisitions, it became Grupo Posadas and was listed on the stock exchange.

In the second quarter of 2025, the company's revenue totaled $2,849 million pesos, a 10 percent increase compared to the same period the previous year. Its net profit reached $303 million, reversing the $250 million loss recorded in 2024, with an EBITDA of $509 million. Its average occupancy levels reached 65 percent.

The group is currently leading a development plan involving 32 new hotels with 5,083 rooms and a total investment of $19,659 million pesos.

Elizondo predicts that 2025 will be remembered as a year of major openings for the company. “We are going to open four all-inclusive beach hotels, which is very important for us because they represent significant income and are emblematic properties, very popular with the American traveler, groups, and conventions.”

The first, the Fiesta Americana Nuevo Vallarta in the Riviera Nayarit, has already been inaugurated. Just one month ago, they also opened the Devossion by Live Aqua Playa del Carmen, a luxurious all-inclusive hotel for adults only. The Son Vida Mazatlán is set to open in November, and by the end of the year, the Fiesta Americana Funeeq Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic will open.

“It will be the second hotel we have in that Caribbean destination and we are very proud because there are not many Mexican groups present there. This way, we increase our all-inclusive inventory by 1,600 rooms,” he explained in an interview.

But the expansion does not stop there. In the urban segment, Posadas opened the Grand Fiesta Americana Sumiya in Cuernavaca and the Fiesta Americana Ixtapan de la Sal this year, and is preparing to inaugurate a Hotel One in Ciudad Juárez.

Beyond Mexico, Elizondo is negotiating in three key destinations: Costa Rica, in the Guanacaste area; Jamaica; and Aruba.

“What we achieved in the Dominican Republic backs us: it was a project that started on a blank page, with many hypotheses, and which involved more than 25 trips over six years. Today we can say we have two hotels and 900 rooms in the most important Caribbean destination after Cancún, which opens doors to many more plans,” he stated.

Attentive to the United States

The chain's presence in the north of the country is also strategic. Monterrey, Chihuahua, Ciudad Juárez, and other industrial hubs have historically been high-occupancy destinations. However, some projects have entered a “timing readjustment” due to uncertainty over changes in U.S. trade policies.

“We have to wait and see how the policies settle. Hotel investment decisions are long-term, and Mexico still has a privileged location,” he assured.

Travelers in Search of Experiences

The executive also acknowledged that the guest has changed. “After the pandemic, people travel more times a year, although for shorter periods. Before there were one or two long vacations; now there are three, four, or five getaways. And travel has moved up in priority: it is above buying a car or a house. Above all, the new generations prefer to spend on experiences.”

This change has boosted the bleisure segment, where travelers mix work and leisure thanks to company flexibility to work from home. “Today companies allow someone to travel on Tuesday and Wednesday for work, and stay on Thursday and Friday to explore the destination. Those travelers must be attended to in both facets: suit and tie one day, shorts and sandals the next,” he explained.

Technology has also become indispensable, requiring everything from QR code menus to chats with the concierge and online activity reservations. Simultaneously, Posadas is exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to personalize offerings and capture the traveler's attention the moment they decide on their next destination.

Elizondo assured that sustainability also holds a central place in the company, led by the Azcárraga Andrade family. “It is increasingly important for the guest to know how we treat waste, how we care for the beaches, and what we give back to the community, as that defines their choice.”

Regarding competition from platforms like Airbnb, he assured that they attract a different traveler, so they have a minimal impact on formal hospitality, especially for all-inclusive resorts and hotels catering to business travelers.

“An executive who needs good internet, room service, and a business center is not going to trade that for an apartment. A guest also wants a spa and ten restaurants,” he explained.

In the Not-So-Distant Future

When asked about the trends that will define the future of hospitality in Mexico, Elizondo mentioned three: the consolidation of new destinations outside traditional circuits, such as Todos Santos, Valle de Guadalupe, and Puerto Escondido; the intensive use of technology and AI to inspire and sell; and sustainability as an indispensable brand criterion.

“Tourism is not just the hotel; it is the entire experience. You can have the best property, but if the destination is not up to par, if there are no services, if there is no security, and if it is not sustainable, the guest does not return. The brand we sell is Mexico, and that one always has to be well cared for so people decide to come… and come back,” expressed Elizondo.