Arturo Rueda is Chief Investment Officer at Sotogrande, the largest privately owned residential development in Andalusia, Spain. He shares his thoughts on vision, planning, and always putting the client first.
Hospitality Investor: How should hospitality investors adapt to the uncertainty affecting business and travel?
Arturo Rueda: The biggest risks sit at two ends: rising protectionism, which breaks up markets, and overtourism caused by weak planning. Both hurt long-term value. The way forward is to attract the right guests, manage flows, and build places that can handle pressure year-round — instead of chasing headcount. At Sotogrande, we put this into practice with a low-volume, high-value residential tourism model.
Hospitality Investor: How are residential and living trends influencing leisure hospitality?
Arturo Rueda: The line between a first home, second home, and long-term stays is fading. This opens the door to mixed-use areas that serve tourists, residents, and digital nomads in one place: flexible stays, hotel-level services, co-working and learning spaces, and simple memberships. With strong digital infrastructure, green mobility, and year-round programming, these places stay lively and spread risk for investors, while bringing better services and jobs to locals — if planning protects identity and capacity.
Hospitality Investor: What’s one career lesson that has shaped how you approach the industry?
Arturo Rueda: Always put the client first and work backwards. When choices are hard, this rule makes them easier. In resort destinations, that means watching real behaviour — where people spend time, what they ask for, and what they are willing to pay for — and removing friction. When we do that, the next step becomes obvious; results follow: repeat visits, referrals, and healthier returns.
Hospitality Investor: What do you consider the main drivers of Sotogrande’s lasting success as a luxury residential development?
Arturo Rueda: Sotogrande shows that long-term vision and careful planning pay off. For more than six decades, it has remained among the most desirable destinations, attracting permanent and seasonal residents from around the world. Growth has respected the landscape and the people who were here before, so the place evolves without losing its soul. A sustainability mindset shapes scale, density, mobility, and green space. Amenities and services are delivered to a very high standard. The message: lasting value happens when place, community, and quality move together.
Hear more from Arturo Rueda at R&R, where he will be joining an interactive panel on “Delivering Performance in Mixed-Use Properties”.