Puerto Vallarta
The tourism board of Puerto Vallarta has recently announced the appointment of Santiago Guiterrez Haces, general manager of La Jolla Mismaloya All Suites Resort, as its new president. “Our collective goal at the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board is to move forward, acknowledging our proximity, executing our various promotions and using progress to drive our initiative for success,” said Guiterrez. He brings more than 25 years of professional experience in the hospitality industry to the Tourism Board and among his stated objectives for the future are the development of an actionable marketing plan tailored to Vallarta’s specific tourism segments, the continuation of infrastructure improvements and to better integrate the Tourism Board with local and national entities in order to maximize the destination’s promotional funds.

In May, Puerto Vallarta will be celebrating its annual Music Festival with concerts of all kinds. From impromptu street performances to the finest sound stage, the streets of the city will come alive with the sounds of traditional Mexican music to religious songs, classical music, hot jazz bands and rock ‘n’ roll. Many events are free to the public and nightclubs also schedule special performers during the month. For more information, call 1-877-461-5590.

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Acapulco
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts recently announced that its Fairmont Pierre Marques Golf Club in Acapulco recently closed to undergo a $3 million renovation that will be supervised by golf course designer Robert Trent Jones Jr. Scheduled to re-open in December, the course will install a new species of grass, raise and re-shape fairways, and install a practice facility. For more information visit www.fairmont.com.

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Cozumel
Based on hotel occupancy figures, tourism to Cozumel is up 15 percent from 2002 according to the Cozumel Tourist Promotion Board and Hotel Association. “Cozumel’s increasing hotel occupancy thus far 2003 is positive development during a period when the tourism industry is eager for good news,” said Gaston Cantarell Diaz, president of the Isla Cozumel Hotel Association and private sector representative for the tourism foundation. “We feel the increase is due in part by American travelers’ interests in seeking a tranquil, tropical island vacation while remaining close to home.” For more information visit www.islacozumel.com.mx.
The Cozumel Hotel Association is offering guests a new island “passport” that includes free admission to two ecological parks and the regional museum along with discounts on snorkel rentals, diving tours and restaurant bills. “The passport costs only 20 dollars but offers as much as 30 dollars in savings,” says Gaston Cantarell, president of the hotel association. “Here on Cozumel, we emphasize value.”

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Cancun
According to a survey published by Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Cancun will be this year’s most popular international destination for American vacationers. Nearby Playa del Carmen on the Maya Riviera and the neighboring island of Cozumel were on the list as was Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific. “Mexico is more popular than ever,” said Roger E. Block, a Carlson executive vice president. “More than a third of our agents told us bookings to Mexico have increased over the past few years.” Value, the availability of inexpensive flights and short travel time were all mentioned as reasons why an increasing number of people plan to vacation in Mexico this year.
Final approval has recently been granted for the construction of a major cruise ship port on the Riviera Maya just south of Cancun. Expected to be big enough to rival Miami, Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico, the $35 million facility will be located at Xcaret and known as Puerto Cancun. A joint venture financed by Carnival and the proprietors of Xcaret, the goal is to create a home port for cruise lines that will sail to the western Caribbean and along the eastern shore of Central America to Panama and beyond. “Cruise ships are an excellent way to see Mexico’s coastal resorts year-round and the country offers easy access to hub ports in the United States,” said Benito Echeverria, regional director of the Mexico Tourism Board in Miami. “Mexico is certainly one of the most important cruise destinations in the world and has made great strides with the redeployment of cruise capacity and the development of drive-to home ports in the U.S., opening up many more Mexican itinerary options. Mexico has also increased its capacity with its port and terminal development on both the Pacific coast and in the Caribbean and Gulf.”

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Mexico City
Mexico City Mayor Andres Manuel López Obrador has signed an agreement with promoters designating Mexico City as the national capital of entertainment, sports and culture. Tour operators are now offering packages focusing on these attractions, including tickets to theatrical events, ballets, concerts, operas, as well as admission to many of the more than 100 museums in the metropolis. Sporting events in Mexico City range from soccer and baseball to bull fights and auto racing.

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Nuevo Leon
By the end of April, Cintermex, the international business center in Monterrey, will have doubled its exhibition space to 55,000 square feet. While business travel accounts for a large percentage of travel to the state of Nuevo Leon, officials are moving ahead with development plans for the consumer market as well. The state tourism office is investing 10 million dollars in refurbishing rural houses for travelers who would like to experience life in small villages.

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Morelia
An Ibero-American Congress on Cultural Heritage will be held in Morelia, capital of Michoacán, June 9 – 11. The Congress is being sponsored jointly by the Tourism Ministry and the Mexican National Council for Culture and Art. Tourism Minister Leticia Navarro, in making the announcement, said that one of her goals is to make Mexico as well known for its culture as it is for its beaches. Morelia, generally regarded as one of Mexico’s most attractive provincial capitals, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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San Luis Potosi
The first of five Carlson Country Inns planned for Mexico has opened in San Luis Potosi. Just 250 miles north of Mexico City, San Luis Potosi is situated along the major thoroughfare connecting Texas to Mexico’s industrial heartland and the hotel will serve as an overnight stop as well as a destination for travelers going to and returning from the United States. For more information, visit www.countryinns.com.

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Palenque
Following 18 months of renovations, the Palenque Museum at the most famous archeological site in Chiapas, has reopened. Surrounded by dense green jungle, Palenque is considered by many to be the most spectacular of all the ancient Mayan sites. Now on display at the museum are artifacts from the recently discovered tomb of the Red Queen. Remains of the Red Queen were found only a decade ago and archeologists are still attempting to piece together the mystery behind her existence. The renovated museum contains more than 260 pieces and is designed to give visitors a perspective on what life was like in the region more than a millennium ago.

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Los Cabos
South Africa based Kerzner International has acquired a 50 percent interest in the Palmilla Hotel in Los Cabos in partnership with GS Emerging Market Real Estate Fund. The historic hotel will close shortly and expand to 174 rooms, suites and villas and reopen in December or early next year as a One & Only Resort.

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Tourism
Tourism Minister Leticia Navarro recently pointed out that Mexico has seen a 5.1 percent increase over earnings posted in 2001 as the country gained $8.85 billion from international tourism in 2002. More than 19.7 million travelers visited Mexico during 2002.
According to Seatrade, an association of cruise ship operators, Mexico leads the world as a cruise ship destination. “During the next two years, we understand 27 more ships will be including Mexico on their routes,” said Henry Yaniz, an executive with Seatrade. Yaniz went on to say that in addition to what passengers spend while on shore, the cruise lines themselves spend close to $400 million annually on supplies and services in Mexico. In 2002, Mexico posted 2,497 cruise ship arrivals that brought more than 4 million passengers to the country.
The Mexican Tourism Board has recently signed a cooperation agreement with the organizers of the World Tourism Exposition to be held in Mexico City from September 24 – 27, 2003. More than 40 countries are expected to participate in the event, the first of its kind in Mexico. More than 25,000 people are expected to visit the show, which will be held at the Las Americas Exposition Center on the northern edge of the city.

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