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This Selling Guide is your one-stop shop for all things Iberostar Hotels & Resorts. In it you’ll find everything from a resort map to sales tips, as well as marketing advice and information about agent rewards. With more than 100 properties around the world, tap into Iberostar's potential and learn to sell it with confidence.
Providing essential information and marketing tools, the TTG Iberostar Selling Guide is the one-stop-stop for travel agents.
Now, we're seeing how much you've really learned with our quick-fire Iberostar quiz.
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All Iberostar Hotels & Resorts fit into one of three brand segments: Waves, Selection and JOIA. Click the drop-downs below to learn the key selling points of each segment, and which client types they’re best suited to.
Iberostar Waves is all about making holidays fun and relaxing for the entire family. It has a close and fun feel, and looks to bring guests closer to the destination. Travellers that tend to stay at these resorts are often looking for beach holidays, so most of the resorts are almost seamlessly integrated into them.
The majority of rooms are very family centered, focusing on comfort and safety. There are also childcare amenities upon request such as baby basins, changing mattresses, beach strollers, stools, bottler warmers and more.
The culinary offering focuses on showing guests the destination through authentic dishes that teach them about the local culture. At the buffets, there will be kid-focused areas where they can fill their own plates and sit at tables more comfortable for them. During breakfast, Star Camp’s mascots even greet the children and dance around.
Iberostar Waves hotels also offer a wide range of guided activities for all ages. There are sports and fitness activities, plus beach and pool equipment upon request.
Iberostar Selection hotels are the premium segment of the brand. They offer a more premium feel, where each moment is a superior experience and relaxation stands above anything else. Guests at Iberostar Selection hotels get their expectations not only met, but surpassed.
The rooms are designed to be comfortable and relaxing, inspired by the destination they’re in. The same adaptation options in Waves hotels can be made in Selection hotels.
The gastronomic offering at these resorts is honest and diverse, with specialty restaurants tying into the destination. There are plenty of adaptations for children here too, just like in Iberostar Waves resorts.
There are a wide range of activities for all ages, similar to Waves hotels, but since relaxation is more valued than fun for this brand, there are also adapted spaces for quiet time and space, alongside spa facilities (Spa Sensations) and gyms.
In a range of specific Selection hotels, guests will find Star Prestige – an adults-only service with its own facilities and spaces.
JOIA by Iberostar offers the most luxurious hotels. It promises a highly customised service built to exceed guests’ expectations. It offers intimate moments at an exceptional level on the most privileged beachfront locations.
All rooms are equipped with a mini bar, tea and coffee that will be customised with the clients’ preferences beforehand; there’s a pillow and mist selection for the best sleep experience; and furniture made from high-quality materials, alongside butler service. All suites have a terrace decorated with comfortable furniture and plants to create an even more intimate and private atmosphere.
The culinary offering at JOIA by Iberostar includes very varied, high-quality produce, especially fresh, local and seasonal – giving guests an opportunity to explore new flavours.
The poolsides at JOIA by Iberostar include comfortable premium furniture, mostly sourced from local businesses. They offer a concierge, F&B service with high-quality food, daily extras such as sun screen, creams, fans, frozen cocktails (and more), plus the option of eating brunch by the pool side.
The spa and fitness facilities at JOIA by Iberostar resorts are planned to best fit the guests’ needs best, prioritising relaxation and disconnection. A wide range of activities take place outside, to help guests connect with the surrounding nature.
Iberostar Hotels & Resorts has more than 100 properties around the world. Explore our interactive map to familiarise yourself with the hotels and their locations.
Click the map to enable zoom controls.
Iberostar Hotels & Resorts have an incredibly wide selection of activities on site*. Here are some of the highlights.
*Always ask each hotel about the activities they offer, since they may differ depending on destination and availability.
At both Iberostar Waves and Iberostar Selection resorts, young guests can enjoy the Star Camp kids’ club (find out more about this here – link to Star Camp page/section).
While children are at Star Camp, there’s a wide range of activities for adults.
There are daily activities either at the pool or at the beach, such as yoga during sunrise and sunset, paddle yoga, aquagym, kayaking, paddleboarding, windsurfing and more.
Aside from these activities, JOIA by Iberostar resorts have special events to give guests the most personalised and premium experience. These highlights include:
A Gala Night takes place once per week. Guests are formally invited and there’s a splendid entrance, decorated in an elegant and glamorous manner, with the evening featuring live music and opportunities to dance.
Once a week guests can enjoy live music and dancing in an area dedicated to just that. They can take part in dancing lessons teaching the art of bachata, rumba, merengue and more.
When visiting Iberostar, there’s a wide variety of dining options for guests to choose from. All hotels have a buffet where guests can “create” their own meal. At least one evening every week there’s a themed buffet evening that can vary from local cuisine like Mexican or Spanish to foreign gastronomy such as Asian and Italian specialties.
Some hotels have their own specialty restaurants. For example, at Iberostar Selection Llaut Palma, guests will find Katagi Blau – an Asian Fusion restaurant with teppanyaki, omakase and à la carte options. Then there are Kypnos and Nopal, Greek and Mexican specialty restaurants respectively, at Iberostar Selection Albufera Park and Iberostar Selection Albufera Playa.
More speciality dining can be found at Iberostar resorts in America. The Iberostar Paraiso resort in Mexico has the Italian Trattoría Oliveti and Greek Lemon & Spices restaurant.
Star Camp is Iberostar Hotels & Resorts’ kids’ club, which is available at all the brand’s family-friendly properties. It’s divided into three groups:
Each camp combines fun with learning, often using the surrounding nature and use of technology to educate the children who visit. The Star Camp encourages imaginative play, team bonding and connecting with new people in dedicated, adapted spaces. There’s also a focus on sustainability in these clubs, with kids regularly being taught to respect the environment.*
Children who complete their Star Camp passport, which is given to them at the beginning of their visit, can earn a branded gift set including a cap, bag and t-shirt.
All Star Camp activities aim to promote healthy values for children, such as taking care of the environment that surrounds us, having an active lifestyle and eating a healthy and balanced diet.
*Always check the hotel’s specific Star Camp details, as some properties have more/different categories and/or activities and availability.
Star Camps around the world offer more than 140 different activities. Here are some of the highlights:
Children will learn about the impact of waste on the coast while cleaning up the beach with their supervisors.
A game in which children work in a team to bring a ball to a goal on a large sheet, all while not being able to use their feet.
Children will play through a variety of games, resembling the “water Olympics”, which include inflatables and well-known games such as Marco Polo.
While training their observation and reasoning abilities, children will explore the hotel for clues to discover a “lost dinosaur”.
With this activity, kids will make their own artwork to be displayed around the hotel.
Children will showcase their unique talents to each other while having fun and boosting their self-confidence.
Kids will have to work together to find hidden treasure around the hotel.
Children are shown how to cook simple and healthy dishes, plus how to build a healthy and balanced diet.
A tasting experience for children in which they use their senses to identify a wide variety of foods.
Travel agent Lisa Russell of Wanderluxe by Lisa has visited Iberostar resorts more than 30 times – and is one of the brand’s top sellers. Here she shares eight tips for getting clients interested in Iberostar, as well as for turning enquiries into sales. Click the advice below for more:
There is no good or bad time to market Iberostar, because they have resorts in so many different places. You can market the Mediterranean for summer holidays, Morocco and Tunisia for winter sun and even Miami for pre- and post-cruise stays.
Encourage your clients to download the Iberostar app and use it to explore resort locations, facilities, activities, as well as the destinations they’re located in.
The Iberostar UK trade team – made up of Aishling McLoughlin, James Carvetta and Eilidh Marshall – are so passionate about the brand, they’re always on hand to help resolve issues, not that there are many! Their direct contact with the resorts means they’re always open to adding personal touches to bookings, such as champagne in rooms for special occasions.
Invite Aishling, James or Eilidh to attend local events with you, such as wedding fairs or your own client events. They can really bring the brand to life and help you convert bookings as a result.
Iberostar’s sustainability initiatives enhance the holiday experience without asking customers to compromise – and it’s important this is how you explain the Wave of Change to your clients. For example, the Coral Lab in the Dominican Republic is a huge selling point for any client who’s interested in learning about marine life and the science behind it. Just make sure you talk about it passionately and with conviction.
Use the Star Agent points you’ve collected from your Iberostar bookings to visit the resorts yourself. Take lots of photos and videos and use these in your social and email marketing. Communicating the success of your own experiences is a huge convertor.
If you haven’t stayed with Iberostar yourself, share the tales of your customers who have. What were their holiday highlights? What did they love about the resort?
Posting Iberostar offers on social media using high-performing hashtags works well for bringing in enquiries, as does posting your own or your other clients’ experiences in resort. You can use ChatGPT to help you write social posts, then add emojis and a striking image. When talking about the Wave of Change in these posts, always use smart sustainability hashtags.
Wave Of Change is Iberostar’s movement to encourage a sustainable business model, fostering an engaging and caring environment, empowering local communities, raising awareness and taking part in initiatives to reduce the tourism industry's impact on coastal health. It’s based on seven pillars: creating opportunity, locally committed, ocean love, deliciously responsible, treading lightly, going circular and growing together.Find out more about Iberostar's sustainability initiatives
Guests staying with Iberostar can either take part in sustainability projects as part of their holiday, or rest easy in the knowledge that Iberostar is doing what it can to make their stay as responsible as possible. Here are some examples:
Iberostar began its partnership with Planeterra – a non-profit organisation leveraging community tourism to improve lives, protect environments and preserve cultures in more than 78 countries – in 2022. Since then, Iberostar has implemented Planeterra projects in its resorts and through excursions that support 35 local communities and more than 13,000 people.
Four projects have been developed so far:
One of Iberostar’s initiatives to protect the coasts is the restoration of coral reefs through on-site coral labs and nurseries. Scientists work on the recovery and propagation of coral in facilities that have already propagated more than 1,163 coral fragments. These labs aren’t only focused on the restoration of the coast, but also on spreading awareness. That’s why the biggest lab, located in the Dominican Republic at Iberostar Selection Bávaro, allows guests to visit and learn about ocean and coral health.
Iberostar, in collaboration with the Grange Pen fishing community in Jamaica, is currently co-managing the Grange Pen Sanctuary. This is one of the first fish sanctuaries in the Caribbean and it directly works with the local community to protect and restore the fish habitats and biomass. The sanctuary also focuses on coral gardening, currently hosting three structures and more than 500 microfragments in culture across all of them. This initiative is helping restore the ocean flora and fauna and has created more than 10 jobs for local fishermen.
Winnow is an AI-powered technology focused on managing food waste. It has been implemented in more than 60 Iberostar hotels and has already reduced waste by 69% in 2024, compared to 2021. This initiative is rooted in the circular economy principle.
Star Agents is Iberostar’s exclusive loyalty programme for travel agents.
The main benefits to registered agents are:
IberostarPro is Iberostar’s website for travel agents.
The main benefits to registered agents are:
For Travel Agents, by Travel Agents is Iberostar’s agent-led project whereby fellow industry peers give their first-hand experience and insider tips on how to boost Iberostar hotel bookings. Through this video-series, they showcase different destinations such as the Canary Islands, Mallorca and Mexico, plus give their real impressions and expert know-how.
Aishling McLoughlin
Business Development Director (UK & Ireland)
aishling.mcloughlin@iberostar.com
James Carvetta
Business Development Manager (UK & Ireland)
james.carvetta@iberostar.com
Eilidh Marshall
Business Development Manager (UK & Ireland)
eilidh.marshall@iberostar.com
Iberostar Star Agents Facebook group
Are you interested in partnering with TTG to create a selling guide? Contact head of partnerships Justin Berman on jberman@ttgmedia.com or on +44 (0) 7917 158677
If there's any additional information you'd like to see added to our selling guides, please contact head of partner content Madeleine Barber on mbarber@ttgmedia.com
