Read all of the highlights from the 2021 Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit and Hotel Opportunities Latin America conferences from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2 in Hollywood, Florida.

The critical balancing act for hotels has guest expectations on one side and the need to cut operational costs on the other.

Hotel company executives operating or looking to develop in Latin America and the Caribbean region outline some of the challenges and opportunities they face.

For the most part, hoteliers in the Caribbean so far have weathered the worst downturn in the history of the hotel industry and managed to avoid selling assets under distress. However, delayed renovations are looming, which could increase financial pressure.

Hoteliers and experts in Mexico, Central America and South America discussed challenges and opportunities.

Javier Coll, group president of development for AMResorts, the luxury resort brand management division of Apple Leisure Group, talks about plans to grow the company's platform around the world and how a deal to be acquired by Hyatt Hotels Corp. plays into those plans.

Marriott International added 19 all-inclusive hotels to its portfolio in February, and executives project the company's offering in this segment will double within the next five years, largely by introducing all-inclusive versions of its existing brands, such as Ritz-Carlton and W Hotels.