RIU closes all its hotels while working to ensure its viability

2 min reading time

Published on 07/04/20 - Updated on 17/03/22

Luis and Carmen Riu

Two weeks ago, RIU Hotels & Resorts announced that five of their properties would remain open, but the operator has finally had to close all its hotels due to mobility restrictions in the 19 countries where it is present.

Carmen and Luis Riu, have sent a letter to their 31,000 employees to update them on the situation the company is going through. They assured them that "we, the CEOs and all the company directors, are working tirelessly to make swift decisions that reflect the gravity of the situation. And we are working with a single aim in mind: to ensure RIU’s viability."

The owners admit that "Perhaps in the early days we hoped that this crisis would not prove to be so serious. But today we know it is the greatest emergency we have ever had to face. We have never experienced anything like this before. Never before has a depression, recession or crisis situation affected the entire world, at the same time, totally paralysing our activities in all 19 countries where we have hotels and in all the markets that our customers come from."

Both CEOs recognize that "Never before had we been forced to take the decision to close all our hotels […] That is why we made some communication mistakes that caused anxiety and uncertainty. We want to apologise to you for that."

As both of them emphasize, "Hotels without staff are just buildings. You are the ones that give meaning to RIU, through your professionalism, enthusiasm and good service. That is why, as we said, we are working to be able to count on your support again."

For all these reasons, the two CEOs would like to thank "all the collaborators in central services who are still working now to maintain the company. And those who are in the hotels, keeping our assets up to scratch so that we can restart operations when it is possible. And, above all, we want to thank all the workers who are staying at home."

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