At the age of 34, Joe Issa virtually runs SuperClubs, one of the largest all-inclusive resort chains in the Caribbean. By the end of this year, Issa expects SuperClubs to have 4,000 hotel rooms, and his goal is to have 7,000 rooms in the next five years.
“I see this business becoming more a commodity business,” says Issa. “This will create an opportunity to develop new ways of positioning SuperClubs.”
Issa adds that there are so many all-inclusive resorts in the region that the future success of the segment will largely depend on price sensitivity and offering excellent value. This year Issa and his company opened SuperClubs’ first property in South America, called Breezes Brazil in Costa de Sauipe, Bahia. The company also opened Breezes Costa Verde in Cuba. SuperClubs now has 15 properties, most of which are in Jamaica, where the company has its roots.
Issa has also grown throughout the ranks of Super Clubs. Starting as purchasing manager at SuperClubs’ Grand Lido Negril property, he became the hotel’s resident manager for three years. He was promoted to general manager of Couples Ocho Rios (then a SuperClubs property), then general manager of Grand Lido Sans Souci in Ocho Rios. Before accepting his current post, Issa was SuperClubs’ vice president of devel
opment and special projects, followed by senior vice president in charge of sales. In 1994 he was named Young Hotelier of the World by the International Hotel Association.
Source: Travel Agent
