PESTANA HOTEL GROUP
Gonçalo Marques Oliveira , CIO , discusses how COVID-19 may change hospitality and why Pestana Hotel Group believes in a managed approach to technology
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I f one was to consider the industries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic , hospitality would probably feature prominently . The prolonged closure of buildings , the introduction of new ‘ spread prevention ’ measures , and international travel restrictions have all conspired to make operations much more difficult . Despite this , there remain some prominent examples of companies that have combined perseverance with a highly innovative mindset to achieve profitable outcomes and positive customer experiences . Pestana Hotel Group ( Pestana ) is one such company .
Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Funchal , Portugal , Pestana is a chain managing 100 hotels across three continents ( Europe , South America and Africa ), as well as six golf courses , two casinos and more . A proudly Portuguese entity , the company even began a collaboration with Cristiano Ronaldo in 2015 to open a hotel chain under his ‘ CR7 ’ brand - the first of which opened one year later in Madeira Island .
NOVEMBER 2020