About Barcelo Hotels & Resorts By Barcelo Grupo Smara (Western Sahara)
Barcelo Hotels & Resorts is led by Barcelo Grupo, a multinational company in Palma de Mallorca which was founded to commit to different needs in the tourism sector. In 1931, the group started off as a transport organization called “Autocares Barcelo” which was established by Simon Barcelo. In 1954, he added a travel agency in his operations. 10 years later, Viajes Barcelo was established. It was between these foundations that Barcelo Grupo’s first hotel acquisition began. In 1962, the company bought their first hotel, Hotel Latino de Palma de Mallorca. Given the height of tourism in Spain, the company achieved significant results in their management beginning 1970. In 1981, they started their international outreach with the acquisition of the tour operator Turavia. Barcelo Hotels earned “& Resorts” when they launched Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort in 1985, their first resort which was also the first Spanish chain in Punta Cana.
7 years later, the Spanish hotel and resorts chain was a pioneer in the United States as they began their first operations there in Washington DC. This remarkable move in the 1990s made it easy for the group to enter the 21st century and expand even more. In 2005, the company devised a strategy to continue their growth. Each year, they would acquire 20 or 40 more hotels in urban areas to secure profit. This has made the Barcelo Hotel & Resorts one of the 30 largest chains in the world.
