Remembering Gabriel Escarrer Juliá, founder of Meliá Hotels, at Fitur 2025

Madrid.- The late Gabriel Escarrer Juliá, founder of Meliá Hotels and a pivotal figure in the hotel industry, was honored during the Grupo Preferente awards ceremony held on January 22 at IFEMA’s Neptuno Room.
The event celebrated four notable industry personalities: Bernardo Quetglas, Ernesto Veloz, Miguel Amengual, and Enrique Saiz. Gabriel Escarrer Jaume, current CEO of Meliá Hotels International and son of Gabriel Escarrer Juliá, received a heartfelt tribute—a piece of art featuring his father created by painter Joan Ramis Sineu. The artwork bore signatures from friends and colleagues in the tourism sector, underscoring the late entrepreneur’s legacy.
Visibly touched, Gabriel Escarrer expressed his gratitude for the event, acknowledging the significance of receiving such a tribute from friends of his father, including Frank Rainieri and Miguel Fluxá. He noted that his father was “watching from above with emotion,” appreciating the honor likened to an “Oscar” from the Preferente Group.
Rainieri emphasized the significant contributions Escarrer made to Dominican tourism, highlighting their shared passion for the industry and family values that strengthened their bond.
Gabriel Escarrer Juliá, who passed away on November 26, 2024, at the age of 89, enjoyed a nearly 70-year career in tourism. As a pioneer of the hotel industry in Spain and the Caribbean, he founded what is now the Meliá group in 1956 at just 21 years old. His legacy extends beyond tourism development to include a commitment to humility and social responsibility.