The town of Puerto Vallarta (pop. 350,000) perches at the most tranquil recess of one of the Pacific Ocean’s largest, deepest bays, the Bay of Banderas.

Mexico is the third-largest trading partner of the United States and a majority middle-class country, but one held back by corruption, poverty, red tape and monopolies.

On July 1, 2012, Enrique Peña Nieto, of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, which ruled the country from 1929 to 2000, was elected president of Mexico. Troubled by a bloody drug war and an economic malaise, voters gave a comfortable victory to Mr. Nieto, sometimes called the Pretty Boy (or Gel Boy because of his styled hair).

Mr. Peña Nieto will succeed Felipe Calderón, who took office in 2006 in a hotly disputed election. Mexico’s presidents are limited to a single six-year term.

Mr. Peña Nieto’s victory was a stunning reversal of fortune for the centrist PRI, which was thought to be crippled after its defeat in the 2000 presidential election ushered in an era of real multiparty democracy here.

Buoyed by a strong machine across several states, by the youthful Mr. Peña Nieto’s capture of the television spotlight and by voters’ unhappiness with the direction of the country, the PRI defeated both the incumbent conservative party and the candidate who nearly beat the conservatives last time.

During the race, cynical commentators joked that it was essentially a battle between the Pretty Boy, the Quinceañera Doll and the Tired Has-Been.

Mr. Peña Nieto’s opponents were Josefina Vázquez Mota, a former education secretary under Mr. Calderón, who is a conservative. She is called the Quinceañera Doll because she is always smiling, but her party — the P.A.N., or National Action Party — has been in charge for 12 years, a time of rising violence and continued corruption.

The other candidate was Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a liberal former mayor of Mexico City who lost the last election in 2006 by 0.6 percentage points. The oldest of the candidates, he is sometimes called the Tired Has-Been.

Mr. Calderón will step down at the end of 2012. After a turbulent first year in office, Mr. Calderón cemented his hold on power, divided the main opposition party and launched a full-scale offensive against drug cartels. The wave of violence that followed consumed his presidency. More than 50,000 Mexicans have been killed since Mr. Calderón dispatched his military to take down the traffickers.

[readon1 url="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/mexico/index.html"]Source:topics.nytimes.com [/readon1]

Prime Social Group Is Proud to Announce the 2nd Annual Electro Beach Spring Break in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, March 2013

COLUMBUS, OH--(Marketwire - Sep 27, 2012) - Prime Social Group is proud to present Electro Beach Spring Break 2013 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico beginning March 1st, 2013 through March 30th, 2013 for a 30 night Spring Break EDM Music Experience unlike any other!

College students will have the opportunity to party with the biggest DJs in the world set against the beautiful backdrop of Mexico's luxury hotels, villas and beaches. Last year, Superstar DJs Calvin Harris, Laidback Luke, Steve Aoki, Dada Life, LA Riots, Manufactured Superstars, Chuckie, and Grammy Nominees TIESTO and AVICII as well as many more rocked the house. With an even more star-studded lineup set in place for 2013, this year's Electro Beach will be the most epic spring break yet!

Corporate Partnership/Sponsorship Opportunities are now available. "Being associated with Electro Beach will give corporations an opportunity to connect for the next 7 months leading up to spring break and at Electro Beach for the month of March with over 40,000 college students! For a company looking to connect with this core audience, the opportunities we can offer are endless," says Jason Stone, Director of New Business Development and Corporate Partnerships.

Of recent, PSG has been recognized by the industry and their peers as one of the most respected concert promotion agencies in the college space and the EDM world. With over 180 events lined up for 2013, co-founders Zach Ruben and Adam Lynn both view Electro Beach as the future of EDM that's concentrated for college students.

"Our mission was to construct a platform in which college students in a 17-22 market had the opportunity to gather with their friends and witness the level of talent that perform at shows across the world -- the outcome was Electro Beach," said Zach Ruben, Co-Founder of PSG.

[readon1 url="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/prime-social-group-proud-announce-143000467.html;_ylt=A2KJNTt4KHRQ0XoAZnTQtDMD"]Source: finance.yahoo.com [/readon1]

Tau Resorts graciously accepts Riviera Nayarit’s award from Apple Vacations for the honor of “best destination” in 2012.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October 09, 2012
Celebrated for its breathtaking beauty, temperate, inviting climate, white coral beaches and fascinating biodiversity, Riviera Nayarit, found just outside Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, has been awarded the Crystal Apple award by Apple Vacations. Stretching over 200 miles along the Pacific coast, Riviera Nayarit plays host to some of the most popular and luxurious resorts in the world including Tau Resorts.

Rodrigo Perez Hernandez, Nayarit Secretary of Tourism, said that the award is a great opportunity to promote this tourist destination on a global scale to both European and North American audiences.

The Apple Vacations council considered beaches across many attributes, including health, infrastructure and safety, before coming down to the final decision. The award itself was presented in Chicago at a decorated award ceremony. The Crystal Apple Award is expected to have a huge positive effect on tourism in the area as word spreads regarding the prestigious honor received by Tau Resorts’ location.

Activities around the area of Riviera Nayarit include three golf courses, two live dolphin centers, a world-class marina and its world-famous, idyllic beaches stretching in either direction.

The news of the award brings optimism to Tau Resorts, a fresh face on the resort scene that is wrapping up its final stages of construction along the beaches of Riviera Nayarit. Tau Resorts is a collection of high-end, freestanding vacation homes that merges American standards of modern comfort with traditional Mexican lifestyle and culture. Offering one or two-bedroom suites complete with full kitchens, bathrooms dining areas and balconies, Tau Resorts is designed to accommodate families of all sizes, with or without children.

Tau Resorts suites come with a fully-fitted kitchen, elegant modern furnishings mixed with traditional artworks, private pools and tubs, aromatherapy options, plasma TV, wireless Internet and views of the Pacific Ocean and Banderas Bay.

Previous winners of the best destination award include Costa Rica, Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Maya. Other awards given out this year by Apple Vacations include that of “best hotel chain,” which went to Secrets Resorts and Spas, and “best all-inclusive resort,” which went to Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso, an adults-only resort found in Quintana Roo, Mexico.

[readon1 url="http://news.yahoo.com/tau-resorts-location-riviera-nayarit-wins-award-best-120216353.html;_ylt=A2KJjahsI3RQ0xQALu_QtDMD"]Source:news.yahoo.com [/readon1]

Sandals ExumaSandals founder Butch Stewart said that the Sandals Emerald Bay on Grand Exuma is in a dire situation because of high operating costs and insufficient airlift,

Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism reported a 5% increase in the number of air arrivals to Mexico in the first five months of 2012 compared with the same period in 2011.

The Aztec economy is emerging as the fastest growing in the next decade, despite the drug.

Gerardo Navarrete, Director of Municipal Tourism, let everyone know that, this year is the first time in Banderas Bay we are celebrating this important date

with a huge participation closed activities organized by the City of Banderas Bay Friday , through the Municipal Tourism Department, in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism of Nayarit, Riviera Nayarit OVC and UTBB, to commemorate World Tourism Day.

Gerardo Navarrete Arambul, Municipal tourism director, said this year is the first time in Banderas Bay is celebrating this important milestone, giving the credit to President Rafael Cervantes Padilla, as this gave the proper relevance, taking care to avoid go unnoticed-he said "this region has been booming and growth through tourism, so the mayor instructed us to organize this series oflecture, supported and coordinated with the agencies involved."

Importantly, the program also featured Bay Smile, exemplified in a documentary that accounts of tourism from the perspective of people, and a diagnosis made by the municipality, with a detailed report of all statistics throws tourism , which will be a great support to academia research and business.

Among the topics presented in the series oflecture, were a great interest to the audience: "Tourism and Sustainable Development factor in Banderas Bay", which exposed Dr. Jorge Luis Lopez Ramos, as well as "success stories Mexico Tourist Towns ", directed by Mauricio Magdaleno turismólogo Galván, and the round table" The Importance of Sustainable Tourism Development in the Region ", where business leaders and managers tourist participated.

"The government of Rafael Cervantes continue promoting actions to consolidate tourism, with the database we already have, we will be encouraging greater investment in tourism development, because tourism is what gives life to Banderas Bay," finally said, Gerardo Arambul Navarrete.

[readon1 url="http://www.noticiaspv.com/archivo/224939"]Source:noticiaspv.com - Translation by Suyapa Ajuria[/readon1]

By Jerry Limone

The major U.S. car rental companies have agreed to support legislation banning the renting of recalled vehicles, according to a news release issued by the U.S. senators who sponsored the bill.

Hertz, Enterprise Holdings, Avis Budget and Dollar Thrifty endorsed the legislation, as did the American Car Rental Association.

While car dealers are prohibited from selling a recalled automobile, rental car companies are not barred from renting or selling one. The new Senate bill would require that rental companies ground a recalled vehicle no later than 24 hours after the rental company gets the recall notice. Rental companies will have up to 48 hours for recalls that include more than 5,000 vehicles in their fleet.

Also, the law would give the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration authority to investigate and police the recall safety practices of car rental companies.

The car rental companies called the proposed law "consensus legislation." It was sponsored by Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).

The senators were joined for the Thursday announcement by Cally Houck of California, whose two daughters were killed in 2004, when their rented Chrysler PT Cruiser began leaking steering fluid and caught fire before crashing into an oncoming truck. Enterprise rented the vehicle to the girls despite a safety recall for problems with the steering column.

After a court case, Enterprise had to pay the Houck family $15 million in damages.

In memory of the Houck daughters, the Senate bill is named the Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2012.

[readon1 url="http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Car-Rental-News/Car-rental-companies-agree-not-to-rent-recalled-vehicles"]Source: travelweekly.com[/readon1]

By Tom Stieghorst

Cruise prices are still behind where they were a year ago, and it might be next spring before they recover.

That's the forecast delivered by Carnival Corp. Chairman Micky Arison this week in a conference call with Wall Street analysts.

Carnival Corp.

ASTA and the National Tour Association (NTA) are preparing a wake-up call for the industry, alerting executives and frontline travel sellers alike to the potentially huge, but largely untapped, Hispanic travel market.

Olga Ramudo is chairwoman of the ASTA-NTA Hispanic Business Development Task Force, created earlier this year, said she is motivated by the Hispanic market's potential for growth and economic stimulus.

The group's plan starts with activities at the autumn ASTA and NTA meetings. In the longer term, the plan turns to an education program and an ongoing commitment to improving the industry's ability to reach the Hispanic market.

Ramudo, the president and CEO of Express Travel in Miami, represents both organizations on the task force. ASTA and NTA have four representatives each.

Ramudo said she was first alerted to the potential, and missed opportunities, upon seeing several sets of data. The 2010 Census, for example, showed that the Hispanic population grew by 43% in the previous decade, four times the nation's 9.7% growth rate, to now account for 16% of the population.

In addition, she said, a Nielsen report released in April forecasted that Latino buying power in this country, at $1 trillion in 2010, will reach $1.5 trillion in 2015.

While she said other studies show Hispanics don't travel at the same rate as Americans overall, she nonetheless believes travel marketers are not realizing the potential that is there.

She said it is also important to understand that Hispanics often travel in large numbers, "with grandmothers and grandfathers."

"When I go to New York for Thanksgiving, there are 19 of us," said Ramudo, a Cuban-American.

Nor is the group-travel tendency found only in family travel. She recalled a series of ski tours her agency operated. From year to year, the numbers grew exponentially until she was arranging charters. She said that in one season, her group included 75 non-skiers, because people just wanted to travel and vacation together.

"It's an industry dream to get them traveling," Ramudo said.

As soon as she brought her concerns to the attention of the trade groups, she said, Ramudo found herself chairing the task force, which first convened at Mexico's Tianguis Turistico conference in Puerto Vallarta in March.

Next up will be a Hispanics in Travel Caucus sponsored by ASTA and the NTA, to be held Sept. 8 in conjunction with

ASTA's Travel Retailing and Destination Expo in Los Angeles.

Ramudo said the caucus would be a by-invitation event, but she said interested industry members can get themselves invited. She said the caucus is meant to be a brainstorming session across all industry segments to address the challenges and opportunities presented by an underdeveloped Hispanic travel market.

In an indication of the importance of the Hispanic market, three airlines — American, United and LAN — have already confirmed their attendance. It's been years since airlines have been much involved in ASTA-related activities. Two GDSs, Amadeus and Sabre, have also confirmed they will attend.

In addition, there will be a panel discussion at the ASTA event, designed to highlight for agents the size and value of the market, she said. A similar session will be part of the NTA conference program, set for January in Orlando, targeting tour operators.

Meanwhile, Ramudo said, ASTA and the NTA have commissioned an outside firm to create an education module on reaching and selling travel to Hispanics. The specialty course will be available after the ASTA September meeting, she said.

Ramudo said she believes the various initiatives can "create jobs, help the U.S. economy and provide a boost for our industry."

[readon1 url="http://www.travelweekly.com/"]Source: travelweekly[/readon1]

The first two Hard Rock hotels recently debuted on Mexico’s Gulf coast and Pacific coast.

The resorts are the first two of four properties in Mexico being rebranded under a deal reached in 2011 between Palace Resorts and Hard Rock International.

In January, Palace launched its All Inclusive Collection to market Hard Rock resorts in Mexico and the Dominican Republic

The All Inclusive Collection spearheads sales and marketing efforts for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, which opened in early 2011, and the recently reflagged Hard Rock Hotel Cancun and the Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta (in Puerto Vallarta).

The Aventura Cove and Aventura Spa will be rebranded as the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in early 2013.

While both the Cancun and Puerto Vallarta properties are open and accepting reservations, the 348-room Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta recently celebrated its official opening, while the 601-room Hard Rock Hotel Cancun Vallarta will have its official grand opening party on Oct. 18.

“We are truly shifting the sands of not only the all-inclusive experience, but also of the hospitality industry as a whole,” said Roberto Chapur, president of the All Inclusive Collection.

Opening events at the Vallarta resort included beachside concerts, live shows, pool parties and displays of music memorabilia, including a jacket worn by Elvis Presley.

The Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta features in-room double Jacuzzis, 24-hour room service, six restaurants, four bars and lounges, two pools plus a kids’ pool, a dive pool for scuba demonstrations and lessons, a beach volleyball court, seven-hole pitch and putt course, a fitness center, Rock Spa and nightly theme parties at its outdoor amphitheater.

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the All Inclusive Collection. We value the brand,” said Michael Shindler, executive vice president of Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos.

Accommodations at Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta start at $171 per person, per night, double.

For details, visit www.hrhvallarta.com and www.hrhcancun.com .

For details, visit www.hrhvallarta.com and www.hrhcancun.com .

[readon1 url="http://www.travel.usnews.com//?q=HardRockResortsDebutinCancun,Puerto Vallarta"]Source: travel.usnews.com[/readon1]