Lopesan Hotel Group has officially announced the appointment of Sara Matarrubia Calvo as its new Head of Marketing, a strategic move by the Canary Islands-based hotel chain to strengthen its international presence. Matarrubia, who has over two decades of experience in the sector, will be responsible for leading the group's global marketing strategy, digital transformation, and direct channel development. Her background, honed through her previous experience at Palladium Hotel Group and Meliá Hotels International, will be key to integrating the guest experience with a hospitality offering that maintains its Canary Islands roots as a key differentiator.
The first issue that will be encountered is that the company has been unable, perhaps due to having many men occupying positions of responsibility and visibility, despite the money committed, to win over public opinion in the wake of the 18 Lovas case, a major headache affecting the group's CEO. The case, publicly known as 18 Lovas, is a complex legal process initiated in 2016 related to an alleged sex trafficking ring. This matter has had a significant and lasting reputational impact, given that Eustasio López, president of the Lopesan Group, was among those prosecuted, generating considerable media and social attention in the Canary Islands in recent years.
Companies facing reputational or legal crises often choose to strengthen their management teams with professionals who bring a strategic vision focused on transparency, brand value, and consumer trust. The role of a Head of Marketing includes precisely this: working on public perception and aligning the brand with contemporary values. This can be part of the company's strategy for a future where it seeks to solidify its position as a leading international group.
Although the weight of legal processes such as the aforementioned 18 Lovas is part of the company's historical context, the management appointments of this technical and strategic profile are usually framed within the need to manage the growth, digitalization and competitive positioning of the group in the face of its new real estate and hotel challenges for 2026.
The new management team will oversee an ecosystem of areas encompassing everything from brand management and loyalty programs to communications and commercial performance. Their work will take place during a period of intense expansion for the company, which faces significant challenges in two strategic markets. In Madrid, Lopesan is finalizing the complete renovation of the Hotel Miguel Ángel, a luxury project under the direction of Nayra González that will mark the group's definitive entry into the premium urban segment. Simultaneously, the company is consolidating its international presence in Germany and Austria, markets where it already manages a dozen assets, including hotels and clinics.
The group's roadmap also includes an imminent milestone in the Caribbean with the opening, between April and May 2026, of a new mega-complex in Playa Bávaro, Punta Cana. This development seeks to redefine the vacation model by integrating three distinct concepts under one resort: the Caoba Lagoon Resort for the premium segment, the Serenity Bay Resort exclusively for adults, and the Splash Cove Resort focused on families. With this ecosystem, Lopesan aims to offer a disruptive experience that, together with the renovation of its Madrid property, positions the company for accelerated growth in the global tourism market.
