Inside Hyatt’s All-Inclusive Bet: 9 Brands, Billions Spent

Hyatt has wagered billions on all-inclusive resorts, hoping that its nine luxury brands crack a market dominated by specialist operators.

Hyatt has wagered billions on all-inclusive resorts, aiming to crack a market dominated by specialist operators. Now it wants to scale these resort brands globally.

Its $2.6 billion purchase of Playa Hotels & Resorts, which closed in June, is part of a buying spree that began with its $2.7 billion takeover of Apple Leisure Group and continued through last fall's 50/50 joint venture with Grupo Piñero.

Hyatt has assembled these brands under the Inclusive Collection, overseen by Javier Águila. Skift interviewed Águila to learn what comes next.

Hyatt runs an all-inclusive portfolio that's more sprawling than any of its peer global hotel groups, with nine luxury all-inclusive resort brands.

Managing nine brands may pose a challenge, as it can be a struggle for any hotel operator to establish strong brand positioning.

Águila said Hyatt is "thoughtful" about its brands. "Each one has a clear purpose and is designed to appeal to a specific type of traveler," he said. "We’re very intentional."

Hyatt plans to have distinctive swim lanes for t