Even though most everyone agrees that education is the key to living a productive and satisfying life and that it should be available to every child, that is not always the case for Puerto Vallarta kids. Many come from single parent homes, homes with five, six or more children or homes where the breadwinner makes only enough to provide the very basics of life. Those circumstances make it impossible for the children, no matter how bright and eager to learn, to continue their education past the mandated junior high. That is where Becas Vallarta, A.C. and the America-Mexico Foundation, Inc. come in. Together they have sponsored thousands of young Vallartenses through junior high, high school, university and even medical school.

Becas Vallarta, A. C. is a non-profit, tax-deductible Mexican foundation charged with fund raising and administering the scholarships program for students in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. The America-Mexico Foundation, Inc., founded in 1961, is a non-profit USA tax deductible foundation (under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code) that donates all funds raised to finance those scholarships.

These two non-profit organizations have as their only purpose raising funds to provide scholarships for as many Puerto Vallarta students as possible. Working with no office, no telephone, no computers or copiers, these organizations manage to meet the budget of over $150,000 USD each year. All of this is done by volunteers - - - Mexican, Canadian and American - - - working in harmony to make Puerto Vallarta, and yes the world, a better place by having an educated populace.

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

The second edition of Mambo Salsa Fest is an important showcase for companies or individuals who wish, be a great opportunity to perform on our stage!

New York, April 7, 2014- From April 2-5, 2014, the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board hosted a press trip to generate editorial coverage on Gala Vallarta-Nayarit 2014 and Puerto Vallarta with leading US and Canadian business travel media including Exhibit City News, Facilities & Destinations Magazine, Trade Show News Network and trade publications Recommend Magazine, Travel World News and Tourime Plus; a total circulation of over 200 thousand in the United States and Canada.
 
The  journalists were hosted by Casa Velas and attended Gala show floor where they interviewed representatives from Westin Resort & Spa, CasaMagna Marriott Resort & Spa, Casa Cupula, Sheraton Buganvilias, Velas Hotels as well as the Board's President, Nacho Cadena and Executive Director Rolando Miravete as well as Puerto Vallarta's Mayor, Ramon Guerrero and the Mexico Tourism Board's Canadian Market Director Rodrigo Esponda.

Special visits were also made to

Escorted by LATITUDE, the tourism Board’s PR agency in the United States and Canada, the press trip's agenda included site inspections of Puerto Vallarta's  Vallarta Convention Center, Holiday Inn Express, and Hotel Mousai and on Friday, April 4 the journalists took Vallarta Adventure's Hidden Mexico and ate a Maia Restaurant.

From March 25-30, 2014, the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board also hosted a press trip in celebration of MEXorc with journalists from Latitude 38 and Sailing Magazine as well as leisure publications such as Jones Magazine, Hombres, Palm Beach Society, Napa Valley Register and the websites ecityoftravel.com and about.com of the New York Times. A total circulation of over 100 million in the United States and Canada.
 
A crew from CNN International also joined the press trip to cover the destination’s great diversity in luxury getaways, ex-pats and the rich history reflected through its diverse culture, gastronomy and inhabitants.
 
The  journalists were hosted by the Westin Resort & Spa, Puerto Vallarta, the official hotel of MEXorc, and viewed the regattas part of MEXorc, tasted wines from Mexico, South America and Italy, swam with dolphins with Dolphin Discovery and relaxed at CasaMagna Marriott Resort & Spa’ s Ohtli Spa and the Mantamar Beach Club.
 
The trip featured the destination’s world-class cusine at Andrea, Café des Artistes, Porto Bello and La Leche, with a special sunset dinner at Vista Grill and La Palapa as well as Puerto Vallarta’s popular nightlife establishments like Mandala, Roo, La Noche and Paco’s Ranch.
 
Other media that have visited Puerto Vallarta in recent months include Much Music Television, the leading television station in Canada for ages 18-25, and covered Spring Break; Saveour Magazine, one of the leading gastronomy publications in the US and visited the destination to cover its rich street gastronomy, and Frommer’s Guides which is currently re-writing is Puerto Vallarta guide book which will include over 50 establishments the publication’s editor visited while in Puerto Vallarta.

Additional information on Puerto Vallarta is available at www.visitpuertovallarta.com

The relevancy of their visits comes into play in the direct and indirect advertising and promotions generated in the international media as well as the celebrities’ own social media accounts. This time the visitors were Roberto Martínez, Jr. and Sara Jean Underwood, who stayed at the Villa La Estancia Riviera Nayarit in Nuevo Vallarta.

The more celebrities visit the Riviera Nayarit, particularly those who work in captive markets such as the US, the more direct and indirect publicity for the destination is generated in the media that follows them, as well as in their very own very popular social media accounts.
 
This time Mexico’s Pacific Treasure received a visit from Roberto Martínez, Jr., the winner of the sixth season of the US reality show, “The Bachelorette,” together with his partner, Playboy Playmate Sara Jean Underwood. They were here at the end of March to celebrate her 30th birthday.
 
The lovebirds enjoyed the many attractions of the Banderas Bay area at the Villa La Estancia Riviera Nayarit in Nuevo Vallarta. They indulged in a couples’ massage at the Tatewari Spa, rode on horseback and Roberto even hopped on a surf board.
 
Martínez tweeted “Con la bella @SaraUnderwood. ¡Gracias @VillaEstancia por un tiempo increíble en México!” (“With the beautiful @SaraUnderwood Thank you @VillaEstancia for an amazing time in Mexico!) Ali Fedotowsky had chosen Martínez as the winner of the couple-making reality show, but they terminated their relationship a few months later.
 
Sara was chosen Playmate of the Month in 2006 and later made Playmate of the Year in 2007. She was also picked out as one of the “25 Hottest Playboy Celebrities” by the magazine in 2008. She is one of the “chosen bunnies” of the famous magazine.
 
Both celebrities were very active on their Twitter accounts, where they published photographs and comments, among them a moment with a Mexican-style love serenade: “Happy 30th to me! Roberto surprised me on the beach with a private serenade from my favorite local,” wrote Sara on her Instagram pic.
 
The news of their visit was covered in magazines such as US Weekly and Life & Style magazine, among others.
 
These celebrity sightings serve to nurture the public relations activities the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) carries out in the United States, a natural captive market that is constantly being developed. 

The Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta displayed their excellent coordination and willingness to serve their guests during the Welcome Cocktail, Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Gala Dinner for this magnificent event.

The inauguration of the 2014 Gala Vallarta-Nayarit gave carte blanche access to the Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta to the wholesalers, airlines, hotels and everyone else involved in this, their 21st annual event.

Representatives the states of Nayarit and Jalisco, including the Tourism Secretaries and the Hotel and Motel Associations, as well as Federal government representatives from the Mexico Tourism Bureau (MTB) were present at this important business and promotional event.

The welcome address was offered by Fernando González Ortega, President of the Banderas Bay Hotel and Motel Association (AHMBB by its acronym in Spanish), who thanked the participants for their willingness to promote the destinations and encouraged them to continue with their efforts.

He also made it a point to mention the great strides that have been achieved as far as flight connections to the destinations.

“According to airport statistics there has already been an increase of over 10 percent in air seats and an increase of over 15 percent in visitors to the destinations during the first two months of 2014. This is without a doubt a strong indication of the fantastic synergy and efforts put forth by Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit,” commented González Ortega during his speech.

Both the Riviera Nayarit and the Puerto Vallarta convention and visitors bureaus were lauded by those present for their organization of this year’s event.

The Welcome Cocktail and the Gala Dinner were a perfect example of the synchrony that permates the joint promotional efforts of these two destination, which is also in evidence in the true quality of the tourism products offered to visitors by both the Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta.

The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony took place in the International Convention Center on April 3rd, which led the way to the official inauguration and the start of the business meetings that concluded on April 5th across more than 300 booths.

The closing event was held at the Puerto Vallarta Port Authority on Thursday night. It was a magical evening filled with music, vibrant colors and excellent cuisine, which gave the guests the extra inspiration they needed to bring their hard work to a successful conclusion.

The Riviera Nayarit’s customs and history will enrich your visit with, as you have the opportunity to learn about the culture and traditions of the region first hand.

Explore museums and archeological sites and delve into the works of writers, sculptors and artisans that represent the spirit of these lands. And, to round out your cultural and historic adventure, don’t forget to visit the archeological sites of Altavista, located in the municipality of Compostela, and Los Toriles, in Ixtlán del Río.

Nayarit is a multicultural, multiethnic and multilingual state, flavored with the lifestyle and traditions of the cultures that provide its depth and identity. Its four tribes of indigenous people, the Huicholes, Coras, Tepehuanes and Mexicaneros, still exist today and visitors can take tours to their communities to learn about some of the ethnic group’s ceremonies, lifestyles and artistic creations.

The most popular group for visitors to encounter are the Huicholes who are distinguished by their colorful dress, embroidered manta cloth clothing and plumed hats, as well as bracelets, rings and necklaces made of crystal beads that also shape their vision of the universe.

Also known as Wixaricas —Children of the Sun— the Huicholes are truly fascinating people, each one making a moral promise to visit the five sacred places of their faith in their lifetimes, one of which is the Tatei Amara —White Rock—, found in the historic port of San Blas.

Don’t miss the opportunity to explore and admire their original and colorful handicrafts including hummingbirds crafted from string that sail the skies painted with deep yellows and feverish purples, and felines that take form in brilliant crystal beads. Their art and craftworks make very popular keepsake treasures that many vacationers proudly display once back home.

The Coras, renowned for their ceramics, live mainly in the municipality of Nayar, in the western part of the state. Their dialect is related to that of the Huicholes.

The Tepehuanes inhabit small areas in the municipality of Huajicori, and among the artistic products created by this ethnic group are yarn knapsacks, hats, equipales (traditional barrel chairs with a woven palm base and leather seat and back) and clay pots.

The Mexicaneros live among the other ethnic groups and are often dedicated to weaving reed baskets, bins and chiquihuites (small containers with lids), as well as creating wood art pieces, ixtle nets made of maguey fibers, and yarn knapsacks.

The culture and traditions of the people of the Riviera Nayarit deliver an authentic flavor and unique component to the very special experience here that will endear you to the destination.

April 1st - Sundays are the best days to spend with family and friends, relax, go out, eat good food, listen to some good music or spend the day at the beach. Sheraton Hotel, with their famous Sunday Brunch offers all this to any visitor or resident of the bay.

This past Saturday, March 29 from 1-5 pm, American Legion and Navy League of Vallarta held the 2nd Annual Charity Chili Cook-Off at El Rio Bar and Grill alongside the Cuale River in Paso Ancho. The family-friendly Cook-Off featured more than 15 recipes from a broad range of sponsors, including local restaurants, pubs and individual cooks.

The Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau received a 2014 Bronze HSMAI Award for its work with the TV show The Bachelor Canada, which was filmed in the Riviera Nayarit—the perfect spot for the series’ romantic angle.

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Adrian Awards celebrates excellence in travel advertising, digital marketing and public relations.

In 2014, the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) received this award for the second time through its North American public relations agency, M Silver.

On this occasion, the destination was awarded the 2014 HSMAI Bronze Award for the third episode of the first season of The Bachelor Canada, filmed in the Riviera Nayarit, which served as the perfect showcase for the romantic series.

The program was produced in May 2012 on the grounds of the Grand Luxxe of the Mayan Resorts Nuevo Vallarta, as well as the areas of Nuevo Vallarta, Sayulita, the Marina Riviera Nayarit, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and the Marietas Islands.

The Bachelor Canada reaches 10.7 million Canadian viewers a year. The main viewers demographics shows they are aged between 25 to 54, enjoy high purchasing power, like luxury hotels, adventure, leisure and a balance with nature—exactly what the Riviera Nayarit has to offer.

The HSMAI Adrian Awards honors the best marketing campaigns focused on hospitality, travel and tourism industries around the world.

This year’s contest attracted nearly 1,100 participants from over 30 countries, making the HSMAI Adrian Awards the most prestigious in the hospitality industry.

In 2009 the destination received the HSMAI Silver Award for the placement and presentation of “Mexico’s Newest Destination” in the consumer newspaper, USA Today.

These results are obtained thanks to the impetus of the CVB that creates active and purposeful initiatives, hires the right candidates for the job and is continually seeking to exceed its goals with a winning vision firmly in mind.

The Riviera Nayarit congratulates M Sliver/A Division of Finn Partners for its excellent results during the seven years it has represented the destination. In 2014 alone it received a total of 17 awards and recognitions for work completed in 2013.

[readon1 url="http://www.rivieranayaritblog.com/2014/03/the-riviera-nayarit-receives-its-second.html#more"]Source:www.rivieranayaritblog.com[/readon1]

Restaurant Week in Puerto Vallarta has been held yearly since 2005. The event is actually celebrated over 17 days, from May 15 to 31.

The restaurant Café des Artistes had the unique presence of one of the most important winemakers in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean: Tomas Markmann, who was welcomed by the renowned Chef of the aforementioned restaurant, and together, they made an incredible Pairing Dinner for the special guests who enjoy fine dining.

This event with a cause will take place on Friday, starting at 9:30 p.m. at Punto V. Attendees will be able to participate in the animal costume contest, raffles and other surprises.