New Wedding Program, Luxury Brand, Show that Karisma Counts

It’s been a big year for Karisma Hotels & Resorts, which launched a new wedding program, Memorable Moments, enabling guests to choose from among six experiences. The company also recently introduced Generations, a new brand that caters to multi-generational families and just about anyone looking for a luxury resort experience. The first Generations opened at El Dorado Maroma in Riviera Maya, and the second, at El Dorado Royale next to Casitas Royale, will open in February. We sat down with Mandy Chomat, vice president of sales and marketing at Premier Worldwide Marketing, representatives of Karisma Hotels & Resorts, to talk about the company’s new wedding program, its expansion plans and its relationship with travel agents.

TravelPulse: How was last year and going forward?

Mandy Chomat: We’ve had a great year in 2013. Bookings for 2014 are coming in strong. We’re going to have an unbelievable winter. We’re already starting to see the summer move in, which is great for us — but we have to make sure that our partners and travel agents tell their clients they have to start booking early again. We have to change the booking pattern and let the consumer know now that there are closeouts... People are traveling again. Cancun and the Riviera Maya are hot. So we have to start educating the consumer again to reserve now, because it might not be there when you come back — especially when you have a wedding or a group.

TP: What’s new with your destination wedding program?

MC: We hired Alliance Connection, which is a major marketing company specializing in the wedding field, and we really listened to what brides and grooms want. We came out with six inspirational experiences called Memorable Moments, which is designed by brides for brides. That’s what we launched this year. It’s different from anybody else’s program in the marketplace. It’s a very simple program. A bride can either choose one of these experiences or tailor make any part of the experience for her own special day.  We noticed 45 percent to 50 percent of brides will buy the experience as is, but another 50 percent want their own little personal touches. We still offer the free wedding package that’s very popular and from there they can work up.

We rebranded our whole wedding experience, collateral and everything else. We re-launched the bridal show kit, which we’re famous for.

TP: What else is new with the program?

MC: We’ve also rebranded our bride’s Dress Rehearsal, a three-day event that we host every month. We charge $399 for the bride and groom to come down and go through a bridal show on property. They talk to everybody who will be touching their wedding. It gives the bride a first-hand chance to really talk to everyone who’s going to play a part in her wedding. In addition to that, brides and grooms get to see the locations where the wedding will take place. It’s very unique and the closure rate is 82 percent – 82 percent of the brides who go down book.

TP: Who is the Azul brand targeted to?

MC: Azul is a unique brand, because each hotel has its own feeling and market segment. At Azul Beach, you’ll notice that it’s full of toddlers, and we have the Fischer Price experience there as well as My Gym. The pools and the beach are less than 60 seconds to your room. Families with little kids really feel comfortable and enjoy their vacation.

Azul Fives is starting to get a following of families with teens. In today’s busy world everybody’s on text or phone or running around, and families no longer have time to come together and really talk. The beauty of Azul Fives is that its one-, two- and three-bedroom suites come with their own living rooms so that you can have your teens in one bedroom and you’re in another bedroom, but you have that living room that brings you together in the mornings, nights and the afternoons. We’re seeing more and more families with teens come to that property because of the rooms themselves — not to mention the proximity to Playa for teens to go out and explore.

Then we have Azul Sensatory, which is really for everybody. It has its own adult section, so honeymooners go there, and it’s very popular for weddings. All the Azuls are popular for weddings because of family travel. Azul Sensatory comprises a mixture of markets, whether it’s adults-only, honeymooners from the adult’s section, or families.

So each Azul property has its own identity. We opened Azul Sensatory Jamaica in December. It will be interesting to see what type of traveler property that attracts. It is a very high-end, five-star luxury hotel, Gourmet Inclusive in Negril Beach.

TP: Who is the El Dorado brand targeted to?

MC: The El Dorado brand is for that adult traveler who really wants exceptional food and exceptional service and experiences of coming together and really reuniting the romance that we all start with. Everything is catered to what I call “perfecting connecting.” It’s bringing two people back together again. Everything’s catered to get people to just relax, take a step back and enjoy each other’s company. Besides all the amenities we have, whether it’s day beds in the casitas, the swim-ups, the infinity pools, it’s just a romantic setting for adults. Having said that, we find that it’s also a popular brand for girlfriend getaways. They feel very comfortable at El Dorado properties.

TP: Who is Generations targeted to?

MC: Generations is an all-suite, all-butler Gourmet Inclusive experience. The Generations brand came about because people wanted to have weddings at El Dorado but they needed rooms for kids. So the brand Generations started to really service the Dorados for weddings and groups with those families that had kids but wanted that El Dorado experience. There was really a need for a product that was high-end in the marketplace, with one, two and three bedrooms for discerning clients who wanted space. The good thing about Generations is that you get to use the facilities of the El Dorado next to you.

We have two Generations. One is Generations Maroma next to our El Dorado Maroma on one of the best beaches in Cancun. And at Generations Riviera Maya, you can dine at one of 17 restaurants on the complex. So that’s a phenomenal added value right there. And your kids still have fun because we have all the major kids activities to entertain them.

TP: What other hotels is Karisma opening this year and next?

MC: As I mentioned, the Azul Sensatory Jamaica opened on Dec. 21 in Jamaica, with 144 suites. The property, formerly the Seashore Bay Beach Resort, closed at the end of May for renovations. Karisma has also launched Allure Hotels by Karisma and has converted two hotels in Colombia, the Allure Chocolat and Allure Bon Bon. It marks our debut in South America. Karisma will also debut a 144-room resort on the Croatian island of Kalamota in April.

Editor's note: A version of this story appeared in the January 2014 edition of Vacation Agent Magazine.