Meta description: Meliá Hotels brought together Dominican tourism leaders to unveil the Gabriel Escarrer Juliá Hospitality School, Rafa Nadal Tennis Center and Fun Republic.
Keywords: Meliá Hotels Punta Cana, Gabriel Escarrer Juliá Hospitality School, Rafa Nadal Tennis Center, Fun Republic, Punta Cana tourism, hospitality training Punta Cana, sports tourism Punta Cana, Dominican travel industry
Punta Cana — Meliá Hotels International convened top figures from the Dominican Republic’s travel trade — including wholesalers, travel agencies and tour operators — for a strategic industry briefing aimed at deepening local partnerships and showcasing the company’s latest investments in Punta Cana.
At the gathering, Meliá highlighted two flagship projects that signal a broader push into talent development and experiential tourism. First, the Gabriel Escarrer Juliá Hospitality School, a training initiative designed to elevate local workforce skills and supply the region with professionally trained hospitality staff. Second, the Rafa Nadal Tennis Center, a new sports facility positioned to expand Punta Cana’s appeal as a destination for sports and wellness tourism.
In addition to these major undertakings, Meliá introduced its newly appointed commercial leadership team for the Dominican Republic — a move intended to strengthen sales channels and local market coordination. The company also announced Fun Republic, an innovative on-site entertainment concept that will bring age-inclusive activities and family-focused programming to its all-inclusive resorts.
Taken together, the announcements underline Meliá’s dual strategy in Punta Cana: invest in human capital while broadening the destination’s leisure offerings. The hospitality school aims to address talent pipeline needs at a time when demand for skilled service staff remains high, while the Rafa Nadal Tennis Center is expected to attract athletes, training camps and wellness travelers looking for premium sports facilities.
Fun Republic complements those efforts by enhancing guest experience across Meliá’s properties, offering new recreational options that cater to families and multi-generational travelers without altering the all-inclusive model.
Meliá framed the meeting as part of an ongoing commitment to collaborate with local industry partners and to support sustainable tourism growth in the region. The company said these projects will not only diversify Punta Cana’s product mix but also create job and training opportunities for residents.
