BCQS attended ALIS CALA 2026, a leading hotel investment conference for the Caribbean and Latin America. Held at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel from 28–30 April, the event brought together investors, developers, hotel brands, operators, public sector leaders and industry professionals to discuss market performance, development trends and investment strategy across the region.

Now in its second edition, following the integration of the former CHRIS and HOLA conferences, ALIS CALA continues to establish itself as a key platform for industry engagement. BCQS was pleased to participate as a sponsor and contributor to the conference programme, reflecting our commitment to supporting development across the Caribbean.

BCQS Directors Sanjay Amin, Simon Taylor, Rosie Nicholls, Ben Butler and James Slattery attended, engaging with clients, partners and industry stakeholders throughout the event.

Key Insights from ALIS CALA 2026

Key Insights from ALIS CALA 2026
Discussions at ALIS CALA 2026 highlighted continued investor interest in hospitality development across the Caribbean and Latin America, supported by strong tourism demand, evolving hotel segments and renewed focus on project feasibility, cost certainty and long-term asset performance.

Tourism Performance Remains Strong
Tourism demand across the Caribbean continues to perform at or above pre-pandemic levels. Growth remains strongest within the upper-tier and luxury segments, supported by consistent international demand.

Occupancy levels are stable, whilst average daily rates (ADR) show moderate growth. This reflects a more balanced market, where pricing remains resilient.

North American source markets continue to underpin regional performance, reinforcing the importance of air connectivity in sustaining long-term demand.

Investment Focus Remains on Quality, Resilience and Feasibility
Across the Caribbean and Latin America, established and emerging tourism markets continue to attract investment interest, supported by tourism demand, air connectivity, incentive programmes, infrastructure investment and active development pipelines.

The expansion of luxury, all-inclusive, wellness, mixed-use and branded resort developments reflects a continued focus on quality, differentiated visitor experiences and long-term asset performance.

However, with construction costs, financing conditions and delivery timelines remaining key considerations, investors and developers are placing greater emphasis on feasibility, cost certainty and early-stage planning.

BCQS Insight: Construction Costs Remain a Key Constraint
As part of the conference programme, Sanjay Amin, Director at BCQS, presented Construction Costs and Market Trends in the Caribbean, sharing insights from our latest research on construction costs and development viability across the region.

Findings from the BCQS Market Trend Report 2026 indicate that, while the pace of cost escalation has moderated, construction costs remain elevated across the region on a par with the United States. This reflects ongoing pressures related to logistics, labour availability and material pricing, as well as global geo-political issues.

Cost variation between jurisdictions remains significant, influenced by import dependency, freight exposure, contractor capacity and local market conditions. As a result, location-specific benchmarking is essential, particularly at early feasibility stages.

In response, developers are placing greater emphasis on:

• Early-stage cost validation
• Procurement strategies aligned with local conditions
• Value engineering to support cost and asset positioning
• Ongoing cost control throughout the project lifecycle

For Caribbean projects, where conditions can vary significantly between island markets, these findings highlight the need for location-specific benchmarking and procurement strategies that reflect the realities of each market.

Session Overview: Views from the Boardroom – Round Two
Moderated by Simon Taylor, Director at BCQS

Key takeaways included:

• Larger hotel brands are increasingly moving into the all-inclusive space, with notable growth in markets such as Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
• Continued growth is expected in the all-inclusive sector, particularly for upscale and upper-upscale properties.
• Changing political conditions in parts of South America may make hotel investment more attractive.
• Brands continue to move towards asset-light ownership models.
• The hospitality industry is increasingly focused on how AI is influencing customer booking trends.

Session Overview: Development – Brands vs. Independents
Moderated by Rosie Nicholls, Director at BCQS

Key takeaways included:

• Brand saturation has not yet been widely seen across the Caribbean and Latin America.
• Hotel branding can help strengthen investor confidence and support access to financing.
• Branded residential components can improve the overall viability of hotel developments.
• While branded properties often carry higher costs, these may be offset by stronger occupancy levels, improved performance metrics and wider market appeal.

Supporting Development Across the Caribbean

BCQS was pleased to support ALIS CALA 2026, reflecting our continued focus on the Caribbean market. The event provided clear insight into the opportunities and constraints shaping regional development.

With an established presence across the Caribbean, BCQS continues to support clients with cost management, project delivery and strategic advisory services that help inform decision-making and manage risk across complex regional projects.