The Vik family, residing in the Canary Islands, owns 26 percent of the shares of the well-known international chain Ifa Hotels with a presence in Italy, Austria, Germany, Spain (Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura) and the Dominican Republic. And this year at the International Tourism Fair of Madrid (Fitur 2008) it has launched its own hotel chain "Vik Hotels Group", with assets close to 2,000 accommodation places in establishments with a category of 4 and 5 stars, located in the Canary Islands, Dominican Republic and the upcoming openings in Chile and Uruguay.
The presentation ceremony of the new hotel chain was attended by the tourist authorities of the Canary Islands such as the Minister of Tourism, Rita Martín and the Minister of Tourism of Lanzarote, María José Docal Serrano, as well as presidents of business organizations and tour operators such as the president of Asolan, Francisco Armas López.
Vik Hotels acquired the Hotel Villa Vik in 2007, the second 5-star hotel in the capital of the island of volcanoes, which together with the Hotel San Antonio add around 800 tourist places on the island of Lanzarote.
Dominican Republic
The Vik Hotels chain has recently completed the acquisition of 50 percent of two hotels in the Caribbean, specifically in Punta Cana; the first of them 4 stars (Vik Hotel Arena Blanca) and the second 5 stars (Vik Hotel Cayena), in the well-known Playa Bávaro in Punta Cana, which together add up to about 1000 places between both.
Vik Hotels Group, in addition to its segments of 4 and 5 star hotels, is developing a line of exclusive and luxury boutique hotels. In Uruguay they are currently building two establishments in the José Ignacio area in Punta del Este. One of them is a Estancia located in the José Ignacio lagoon on an area of 44 hectares and where each stay is decorated by a Uruguayan artist. The second boutique hotel in the Vik chain is being built on the beach, in the José Ignacio Lighthouse, and will be equipped with a spectacular sculpture (the architect of the latter is Carlos Ott, creator of the Burj al Arab hotel in Jumeiraah Beach, Dubai).
These last three hotels are distinguished by being located in a spectacular environment, surrounded by nature. The Vik chain will market these establishments, as announced at the presentation of the chain, at a price of around one thousand euros per person per day.
In addition, the Vik group has partnered with the RICANA firm to create an international marketing company that aims to bring together different national and international brands and provide commercial advice to independent hotels. This company, under the name of VMAR turismo, will be under the supervision of its CEO Ricardo Martínez Marrero
