Adrian Rafael Morales
BOHÍO Content Editor
adrian.editor@gmail.com
@adrian_r_morales
Brock Hochhalter, serving as an Area General Manager for Marriott International in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, boasts more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. His leadership has played a significant role in Marriott’s expansion and growth in the Caribbean and Latin American region.
Brock’s journey with Marriott started in 1996, following his economics graduation from the University of North Carolina. Interestingly, his entry into the hospitality sector was unplanned: originally, he intended to return to Ecuador, where he grew up due to his father’s occupation, but ended up joining the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Virginia, as a front desk clerk instead.
Over his career, Brock took on different roles at various Marriott establishments, beginning from the opening of the JW Marriott in Mexico City to his transfer to Santo Domingo to back the Renaissance Jaragua’s shift to the Marriott brand due to Hurricane Georges in 1998. His various career paths span multiple countries and Marriott sub-brands, including the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando and the JW Marriott in Cancun.
Throughout his career, Brock has tackled various difficulties, like economic downturns and natural disasters. But he underscores that the pandemic was one of the biggest hurdles he has tackled. During an exclusive interview for Bohio magazine, he said, “I’ve witnessed economic recessions in my career, where we’ve had to respond rapidly to the resulting changes in the sector. Still, nothing matches up to how the pandemic felt.” Despite this, he takes great pride in the actions implemented to safeguard both guests and employees during this period, which helped restore trust in the tourism sector and supported its recovery.
Additionally, one of his proudest career achievements is participating in the launch of over 20 hotels, primarily luxury sub-brands. He also takes pride in his role in nurturing leaders within Marriott: “The accomplishment I find most gratifying is getting to play a part in the development and growth of various of our existing and future Marriott leaders in the region,” he expresses with satisfaction.
Expansion in the Dominican Republic
As the Area General Manager for Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Marriott’s performance and growth strategy in these nations are Brock’s accountability. When asked about his key responsibilities, he said, “By overseeing the Managed by Marriott hotels, we aim to achieve the individual goals of each of these establishments, as well as the company’s and brands’ objectives.” He also works hard on establishing relationships with franchised hotels and nurturing local talent, particularly in the luxury and all-inclusive segment – vital for future growth.
Considering Marriott’s expansion strategy in the Dominican Republic, Brock feels hopeful. Since the inauguration of the Renaissance Jaragua in 1998, the company’s presence has continually expanded in the nation. He announced, “By 2025, we predict to have a total of 25 hotels, providing 5,935 rooms open in the Dominican Republic.” This expansion embraces a variety of sub-brands, from standard-service hotels to luxury, all-inclusive ones.
Having over 25 years of experience and a definitive vision for the future, Brock Hochhalter persists in leading Marriott’s extension and growth in one of the Caribbean’s crucial tourist regions.
Brock puts stress on the significance of keeping a clear value proposition for each customer while advancing premium and luxury brands. He says, “Despite Marriott operating over 31 brands, each one has a target customer and meets a promise to these patrons, which we reinforce in our operations and offerings. The focus is on developing unique experiences that encourage guest loyalty, particularly through the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, offering options for every kind of traveller.”
Marriott has strongly endeavored to broaden its luxury and all-inclusive standards in the Dominican Republic. According to Brock, success lies in operating efficiently and delivering what the customer aspires. He says, “We strive to present the right brands in the most suitable destinations, and we intend to continue looking for chances to meet a traveller’s need wherever it might exist.”
In a market where the all-inclusive idea is extremely popular, how do you ensure Marriott’s luxury offering maintains clear and appealing differentiation for discerning travellers? What strategies do you use to ensure service excellence and guest satisfaction?
Marriott’s luxury portfolio has a rich history and globally acclaimed service culture. All luxury brands selected to participate in Marriott’s all-inclusive offering have undergone extensive planning, such as the upcoming Ritz Carlton Punta Cana All Access in Punta Cana-Macao. Brock explains, “We ascertain that each all-inclusive luxury hotel always upholds the brand’s flag with the identity it is acknowledged for, ensuring each guest’s expectations are met.” He is confident that their all-inclusive offering will be received positively by top-level guests, who seek to explore new destinations with unique experiences, superior entertainment, a wide range of restaurants and bars, spa services, and a lot more.
How do you work on ensuring that each property preserves its unique identity and delivers a top-notch experience to visitors?
Each Marriott property and brand has a distinct purpose. Initially, we work on educating our team about the brand they represent and their guests’ expectations. We aspire for every guest to have an unprecedented experience to the extent they would recommend the hotel to others. Rather than simply selling them a room or serving a meal, we strive to curate experiences for our guests. Our goal is for them to have the opportunity to stay with us regardless of their travel destination and enjoy the perks we offer via the Marriott Bonvoy service and program.
What are your immediate and long-term expectations and goals for the market niche targeted at the company’s properties in the Dominican Republic?
In the short-term, the goal is ensuring Marriott’s presence in the country by responsibly operating our hotels. We aim to contribute to the extraordinary selection of hotels in the Dominican Republic, which presently enjoys unparalleled tourist demand. Our goal is to successfully integrate our new hotels, providing employment, training, opportunities and contributing to the popularity of the destination. We aspire to own the best hotels in the prime locations on this island. Our objective is to provide the best service for our guests, facilitated by happy, motivated and trained associates creating memorable experiences.
What trends do you observe in the hospitality sector and how does Marriott plan on adapting to them?
A trend I particularly appreciate in the hospitality sector is sustainability. Marriott’s analysis reveals that 83% of international travelers deem sustainable travel crucial. Additionally, 83% of talent tend to be more loyal to a company that lets them impact social and environmental issues. Moreover, 70% of investors consider environmental and social data important or even critical for investment analysis. But above all, its crucial aspect is the positive impact it can have on our planet. Another trend is artificial intelligence application. While substantial progress has been made in recent years, there is still a long way to go. Its present use includes decisions related to revenue management. However, I envision its application continually expanding in the sector. But what brings me peace is the irreplaceability of the warmth, hospitality, and personalized service a traveller feels upon encountering a great host.
How does it feel to be back at the Renaissance Santo Domingo Jaragua Hotel & Casino, where you served from 1998 to 1999? How much has the country evolved since then in relation to tourism development and hospitality?
Coming back to Renaissance Jaragua at this juncture turned out to be an amazing opportunity and it came at the perfect time. My wife and I found it easy to make the decision, as we are now ’empty nesters’, with grown-up kids, friends, and family here, and familiarity with the island. Add to all this the extensive development the company is experiencing in the country. We arrived during the summer of 2022 when Jaragua was celebrating its 80th anniversary and we got to celebrate the occasion at the Teatro La Fiesta, another city icon. The tourism sector has significantly evolved since 1998. Some of the places my wife and I would frequent no longer exist, but there are plenty of new destinations to explore. Furthermore, we love internal tourism and exploring the various parts of the country, immersing ourselves in its history, rejoicing in its beauty and soaking in the warmth of the people of the Dominican. We have visited Bahía de las Águilas, Montecristi, Puerto Plata, Samaná, Punta Cana, Isla Saona, Jarabacoa… and yet there is so much more left to explore. But unquestionably, the unparalleled quality is the authentic hospitality of the people of the Dominican!