Davidson Hotels & Resorts has launched Davidson Resorts, an operating division focused entirely on the unique skill set necessary to effectively manage distinctive resorts. Specializing in complex, high-touch assets, the portfolio will be comprised of large-scale, highly-activated properties with multiple food & beverage outlets, retail, leisure activities like golf, spa, ski, water sports, and more.
At the helm will be resort and luxury industry specialist Steve Contos, who has been appointed executive vice president of Davidson Resorts. In this leadership role, he will lead a collaborative team of resort experts that have been ensconced in the space and truly understand the nuances of the resort market and the guest journey to include recreational activations and resort programming, spa, retail, membership clubs, and the management of complex revenue streams.
Davidson Resorts will launch with 11 existing properties that Davidson has strategically assembled under its other verticals in anticipation of the resort division debut, including the historic Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan; the flagship Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida; the Don CeSar in St. Pete Beach, Florida; the Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego, California; and the reimagined Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort in Hawaii.
The resort division also includes additional properties in Orlando, Palm Springs, and ski resorts in Colorado. Poised for growth, the strategy for expansion is opportunistic and will primarily focus on domestic additions while exploring international markets like Mexico and the Caribbean. Over the next five years, stabilized annual resort revenue could reach nearly $1 billion.
Photo: Courtesy of Don CeSar