Over 40 business meetings with MICE specialists from Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, the United States and Mexico took place during the 2013 ICOMEX Fair.

The Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) was present at the ICOMEX Fair in Mexico City, which took place from November 6-8, 2013, in order to promote the destination within the meetings market.

This event is one of the premier exhibits for incentives, meetings and conventions in Latin America. It has tremendous national and international impact, bringing together industry professionals from Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, the United States and Mexico, the host country.

ICOMEX unites experts in the meetings market with the main buyers from the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector in order to network and close on new business.

The Riviera Nayarit shared its booth with some of the destination’s top hotels, including the Four Seasons, Grand Velas, Grupo Vidanta, Decameron and Hard Rock. Vallarta Adventures was also part of the exhibit.

Forty pre-scheduled meetings took place with specialists from the sector, during which the representatives from the Riviera Nayarit presented the destination’s diverse attractions, as well the local accommodations.

“ICOMEX is a wonderful showcase for the many benefits we offer the meetings market,” said Marc Murphy, Managing Director for the Riviera Nayarit CVB. “We also made sure to highlight the natural beauty of our region, the sun and sand, luxury, culture and the many other attractions the Riviera Nayarit offers its visitors.”

The attendees were also urged to bring their incentive, meetings and conventions groups to the Riviera Nayarit, which would generate increased income to the region.

For more details on the ICOMEX fair visit www.icomex-mexico.com

Travel Leaders Group is the largest travel agency in the United States with approximately 6,000 agencies under its wing. During the event that takes place November 14-15, the Riviera Nayarit will be able to negotiate with over 400 travel agents for the tourism corridor, which includes the area of Puerto Vallarta.

The Riviera Nayarit will represent the tourism corridor, which also includes Puerto Vallarta, during the annual sales meeting of the Travel Leaders Group consortium, the largest travel agency in the United States.

The meeting will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, from November 14-15, 2013, where the destination will promote the joint campaign “Vallarta-Nayarit, Live it to believe it” under the aegis of the Mexico Tourism Board.

Travel Leaders offers personalized service with agents experienced in leisure and corporate travel through its more than 6,000 agencies, company-owned, franchised and affiliated throughout the United States, Big Business Expected With Travel Leaders Group.

Travel Leaders Group is the largest travel agency in the United States with approximately 6,000 agencies under its wing. During the event that takes place November 14-15, the Riviera Nayarit will be able to negotiate with over 400 travel agents for the tourism corridor, which includes the area of Puerto Vallarta.

The Riviera Nayarit will represent the tourism corridor, which also includes Puerto Vallarta, during the annual sales meeting of the Travel Leaders Group consortium, the largest travel agency in the United States.

The meeting will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, from November 14-15, 2013, where the destination will promote the joint campaign “Vallarta-Nayarit, Live it to believe it” under the aegis of the Mexico Tourism Board.

Travel Leaders offers personalized service with agents experienced in leisure and corporate travel through its more than 6,000 agencies, company-owned, franchised and affiliated throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia.

Together the travel agencies that make up Travel Leaders represent 30 percent of the agencies in all of North America. Its entire team—from their expert agents all the way to their executives—is dedicated to offering the best travel experience possible.

“We’ll have the opportunity to make one-on-one presentations to over 400 travel agents that already specialize in selling international tourism services,” said Marc Murphy, Managing Director of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This is an excellent occasion to train them so they can continue to sell the Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta.”

Travel Leaders has over 1,250 full-service franchised locations that produce annual sales of over $5 billion dollars.

“Many of these agents are located in states that are based in our natural markets, such as California, Texas, Colorado and Minnesota,” Murphy added.

According to a poll conducted by the Riviera Nayarit CVB during August of 2013, California is number one of the main U.S. markets visiting the Riviera Nayarit at 30 percent, followed by Illinois with 21 percent and Texas with 18 percent.

Travel Leaders has been the top travel agency in the industry for the past 14 years, according to Entrepreneur Magazine. It also took first place in the “2011 Business Travel Survey” and placed among the Top 10 travel agencies in America according Travel Weekly’s “2011 Power List.”

Travel Leaders group has been working exclusively with leisure or corporate travel for nearly 30 years with many of their sales headed to the Riviera Nayarit. For more information, please visit their website at www.travelleadersgroup.com

The consumer will have an incentive from November 15 to 18 when the third edition of "El Buen Fin" 2013 takes place, which is expected to involve 650 local businesses and have an economic impact of 30 million pesos.

The president of the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Services (Canaco Servitur), Martín Puebla Ontiveros, urged local businesses and consumers to participate in the program which will offer more discounts on various products and services, of in between 10 and 80 percent, months without interest, points for new purchases and incentive giveaways for refunds.

The tourism sector also participates as hotels, restaurants and travel agencies are offering reductions at different rates, extra nights, discounts on various services and incentives in general that are already being publicized so that they are used in the coming weeks for travel, consumption or for use of tourist spaces for residents and visitors.

REFUND POSIBILITIES

Martin Puebla noted that, this time, the program will include a drawing for "El Buen Fin", which will distribute 250 million pesos in prizes to final consumers who make their purchases at formally established businesses. He clarified that buyers can get a full refund of their purchases, with a cap of 10 thousand billed dollars.

The refund will be given through the Ministry of Finance between December 9 and 20 which would make the refund on the same credit or debit card used.

BOOSTING THE MARKET

The leader of organized businesses said that "El Buen Fin" has become a benchmark for Mexican families as the cheapest weekend of the year and as an effective tool to stimulate the domestic market, revive the economy and create job sources.

Nationally, the Confederation of Chambers of Commerce (Concanaco) will be coordinating the business sector for "El Buen Fin", which is expected to involve 255 Chambers of Commerce, exceeding the figures of 2012, when total sales were estimated for more than 148 billion pesos.

He also noted that the Federal Government, some state governments and private companies will advance part of the bonuses and year-end bonuses to their workers, to reap great benefits when purchasing appliances, furniture, clothing, footwear, travel agencies, hotels, restaurants, car dealerships, culture, entertainment, among many other items.

[readon1 url="http://vallartaopina.net/2013/11/08/esperan-derrama-de-30-mdp-con-el-buen-fin-en-vallarta/"]Source: Vallarta Opina Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]

Authorities and hoteliers foresee an occupancy that is close to full from Friday night until noon of next Monday.

Puerto Vallarta's hotels expect an occupancy very near the top during the long weekend beginning tomorrow, on the commemoration of the anniversary of the Mexican Revolution.

The regional director of tourism of the north coast of Jalisco, Ludwig Estrada Virgen, said that up to now, the records in the reservation books of the hotels of the city are pretty good, signaling a close to full occupancy from Friday night until noon on Monday.

"The long weekend is looking pretty good and will get better because it coincides with the holiday in the schools, that is a situation that many people from Guadalajara and from all of the Bajio area will use to travel and relax", he said.

He explained that until now, the hotels showing the highest rates of reservations for the long weekend are the five-star and Gran Turismo, which until Wednesday reported occupations between 85 and 90 percent from Friday to next Monday at noon.

He noted that many hotels of four and three stars are receiving at this time small conferences and conventions, which added to the reservations for this weekend have enough to report, up to now, an intention to occupy of in between 80 and 85 percent.

"Definitely the long weekend looks great in the books, the reservations are unbeatable and the daily poll that we apply to the hotels tells us that it will be a very good weekend, close to 100 percent for most hotels of Puerto Vallarta", said Estrada Virgen.

He said that this will be a preview of things to come for the winter season, since Puerto Vallarta has worked hard in promoting; especially going hand in hand with Riviera Nayarit, under the umbrella of the joint promotion campaign supported by the Federal Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) and the Tourism Promotion Council of Mexico (CPTM).

"In Puerto Vallarta and generally in the Vallarta-Nayarit region, we have great expectations for the coming winter season because there has been hard work and a joint and intense promotional campaign has been done with excellent results", he said.

[readon1 url="http://vallartaopina.net/2013/11/14/hoteles-de-vallarta-estaran-al-tope-en-el-puente-largo/"]Source: Vallarta Opina Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]

They foster the integration of businesses related to the service of this sector

With the goal of establishing a space which will analyze the opportunities of medical tourism from a business perspective, as well as defining the strategies, services, and processes required to integrate a value chain and a long-term benefit to this tourist segment and to the country, Coparmex, through its National Tourism Committee will carry out this Wednesday the First National Forum on Medical Tourism.

In this regard the CMQ hospital CEO, Jorge Villanueva Hernandez informed to Vallarta Opina that this region as a whole has a huge potential to attract medical tourists, commenting that U.S. tourists from Canada and Mexico have found an alternative service that is good and affordable, so that more and more people come to private hospitals and clinics.

He said that the most requested treatments are dental, vision correction with laser techniques, orthopedic procedures, gastric bands and transplants.

The topics to be addressed are: The Mexico Brand, Strategies by geographical area, target markets and services, vision and strategy of the Federal Government, integration and synergy opportunities for companies in the tourism sector and the health sector, participation of the State Governments in Medical Tourism and Strategies for the dissemination and marketing in the U.S. and Canada, among others.

PROMOTION MODEL

He said that during the event of today, a model for promoting medical tourism through Coparmex business centers will be announced, this will allow the integration of different types of companies related to the sector and to drive the development, through a comprehensive vision, designed and monitored by the national Coparmex to assess progress.

A study from the Deloitte consulting company, reveals that 9% of the U.S. population considers the possibility of traveling abroad to perform a medical procedure, representing approximately a 50% savings against the same medical procedure in their own country. Of this market of 30 million Americans, if Mexico could only capture 20%, this would represent an estimated 1,100 million dollars.

He said that Canada and the U.S. have become major exporters of patients for medical tourism, searching various parts of the world for more affordable care and lower waiting times, without sacrificing the quality of hospital services they receive. This migration represented 1 million 621 thousand patients who traveled to different countries looking for savings and a better service.

[readon1 url="http://vallartaopina.net/2013/11/13/vallarta-y-riviera-van-juntos-tambien-por-turismo-medico/"]Source: Vallarta Opina Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]

The next April 20, 2014 the new owners will take possession of the property

The Hyatt hotel chain acquired the Dreams Puerto Vallarta hotel, closing a millionaire dollar operation, which was not disclosed by the board of directors of the company.

The Dreams Puerto Vallarta hotel was acquired in July 2004 by this brand and operated by the company AM Resorts, from the then owners who for 35 years had kept alive the name of Camino Real, receiving $ 50 million for the property.

With that transaction one of the most important chapters in the history of the hotel in this city closed, as the Camino Real Hotel operated for more than three decades with excellent quality and occupation standards, as well as quality services in a privileged area of southern Puerto Vallarta.

For 35 years, the Camino Real became an icon and one of the most distinguished hotels in Puerto Vallarta, which not only promoted the destination but also shared with it various tourist and cultural events.

Years later, the acquisition and operation of the Dreams hotel was left to the company Playa Hoteles & Resort, which a few days ago decided to sell the property to the Hyatt hotel chain, that on April 20, 2014 will take possession of the property.
The company Playa Hotels & Resorts operates other hotels in Mexico with the brand Dreams (among other brands) in tourist destinations like Cancún and Playa del Carmen, in addition to operating the Hyatt brand in Los Cabos, Cancun and Jamaica (which will open in 2014), as well as other brands of hotels located in the Caribbean.

For its part, the Hyatt hotel chain operates properties at the highest level of luxury and quality in its services and facilities in Mexico City, Cancun, Los Cabos, Merida and Villahermosa.

The Hyatt hotel guests enjoy personalized service and luxurious accommodation in all destinations. This uniform excellence is accompanied by unique touches, from architecture inspired by local characteristics to a kitchen that captures the flavor of the destination.

The Hyatt Resorts are located in spectacular locations that offer the perfect getaway. The services and facilities include innovative spa treatments, sports and family activities, and distinctive meeting places.

HYATT REGENCY

The Hyatt Regency hotels are located in major cities and are key destinations for both business travelers and tourists. The services and facilities include a large meeting space, fitness gyms with the latest technology and innovative restaurants and bars.

[readon1 url="http://vallartaopina.net/2013/11/12/hyatt-compra-el-hotel-dreams-puerto-vallarta-ex-camino-real/"]Source: Vallarta Opina Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]

This Thursday the plaque that identifies the Matel Hacienda San Sebastian del Oeste as part of the group of Boutique Hotels of Mexico was unveiled.

The event was headed by the regional director of tourism, Virgin Estrada Ludwin, the Director of the Municipal Tourism of Puerto Vallarta, Carlos Gerard, the municipal president Yesenia Pulido, the hotel manager, Iliana González de Bravo, company representatives of the Boutique Hotels of Mexico and special guests

During the event the importance that the municipality is made known through local companies was highlighted, as in this case, by belonging to a list of 42 hotels that are promoted in and out of Mexico under that concept.

Similarly through this broadcast, the brand San Sebastian del Oeste will go as a Magic Town.

Boutiques Hotels of Mexico is responsible for evaluating, certifying and promoting that each of its affiliates holds a unique atmosphere theme, and above all, that it is related to the Mexican culture.

In the case of Hacienda Matel, owned by businessman Arturo Bravo Rodríguez, is nestled in the mountains, its high walls and clay tile that replicates the style used at the time of the Mexican Revolution, allow it to belong to this collection of hotels.

[readon1 url="http://www.prensaglobal.com/notas/59232.htm"]Source: Prensaglobal.com Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]

The successful investor is also a marquee speaker; he is already on the advisory board and will be looking for investment opportunities.

 In response to his very successful participation in the MITA TechTalks 2012, organized by the MITA Institute, Mike Maples is once again invited as a marquee speaker for 2013. He is also on the advisory board of a new capital fund organized by the founders of the MITA Institute and will be on the lookout for new investment opportunities.

Maples is one of the first investors in Twitter and founder of the “Angel Investor” fund, Floodgate, located in Silicon Valley, California.

Lynne Bairstow, founding partner and director of MITA Institute, commented that MITA’s association with Maples would attract international attention and recognition to the Riviera Nayarit region, with a focus on the development of innovative technologies.

“It also provides the resources and additional connections for students and high tech entrepreneurs in our area,” she said, “thus creating the possibility of creating new businesses and even a new industry in the Riviera Nayarit.”

She commented the TechTalks include not only work sessions, but also a variety of recreational and social activities that spotlight the beauty and attractions of Punta Mita and the Riviera Nayarit.

“The 2012 event was also streamed live on the Internet on a worldwide level, which offered an unprecedented reach for the promotion of the Riviera Nayarit as an important player in the development of tech innovation in Mexico, as well as a great destination for conferences and vacations,” added Bairstow.

She also thanked the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau and all of the attendees that made the event possible, many of who have returned to visit the destination after the TechTalks ended.

“The participation of local tech students from Nayarit in the MITA TechTalks 2013 will encourage their development with a view to a successful future,” commented Marc Murphy, Managing Director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This will help create a generation of more highly evolved professionals for this region.”

The tech industry is the only one that has presented gains both before and during the current global crisis. The MITA TechTalks 2013 will take place November 18-21 in Punta Mita.

Click the links below for additional information:
http://mitainstitute.com/es/
http://mitainstitute.com/es/mike-maples/
http://mitainstitute.com/techtalks/techtalks-12/video-gallery/?catid=techtalks-12&slg=thunder-lizards-in-latin-america-mike-maples-jr

Global customer appreciation EVENT!

The important resort MARRIOTT Hotel Casa Magna, recently held a thank you party for its clients, sponsors and all who collaborate in one way or another for the growth of this prestigious hotel in Puerto Vallarta and the world.

To close with a "finishing touch" its U.S. tour, Vallarta-Nayarit prepares to receive tourism from Philadelphia and New York

To successfully complete the activities of the Road Show East Coast, headed by the Tourism Council of Mexico (CPTM), with the campaign "Vallarta-Nayarit, Live it to believe it", they promoted four new direct flights from the U.S. to the destination.

As part of the work of the joint promotion of the Convention and Visitors Bureaus of Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta (OVC), they organized a presentation dinner for 50 travel agents in New York, in the restaurant Rosa Mexicano, on October 29.

 With the presence of the director of public relations of the CPTM in North America, Iván Martínez, two weekly flights with Aeromexico were announced beginning on December 19 and another one with Delta Airlines the same month, from the Airport Jonh F. Kennedy (JFK).

"So far, Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta only had direct flights from Newark. The tourism industry of New York enthusiastically receives more direct flights with a choice from another airport that serves the Big Apple", said the director of the OVC of Riviera Nayarit, Marc Murphy.

The executives of Aeromexico were also present, like the operators Apple Vacations, Delta Vacations and Aeromexico Vacations.

Both for New York and Philadelphia, the hotels in the Riviera Nayarit that attended were: Hard Rock, Grand Velas, Occidental, Paradise Village, Palladium, Samba, Villa del Palmar Flamingos and Villa La Estancia.

On behalf of Puerto Vallarta there was the presence of the hotels: AM Resorts, Crown Paradise, Westin, Sheraton, Barceló, Garza Blanca, Buenaventura and Villagroup.

For October 30, already in Pennsylvania, a training session for 45 agents was held in the wholesale call center operator Cheapcaribean.com in Doylestown. That night, in Philadelphia, there was a dinner presentation for 70 travel agents.

The new weekly charter flights of Apple Vacations operated by Aeromexico were then announced, which will be released on December 21, and will also offer business class seats for the traveler who likes comfort.

The event was attended by the General Consul of Mexico in Philadelphia, Natalia Jiménez and the Managing Director of the CPTM North America, Adolfo Salamanca.

"The call and the attendance was very good, as it had been a while since Pacific destinations were not presented in Philadelphia. Before you had to move to other cities to travel on direct flights to Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit, now you can do it from your city", concluded Marc Murphy.

[readon1 url="http://vallartaopina.net/2013/11/08/promueven-cuatro-nuevos-vuelos-directos-desde-los-estados-unidos/"]Source: Vallarta Opina Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]

This Tuesday, November 5, in the conference room of the Holiday Inn, starting at four in the afternoon, is the great lecture on business succession, by the certified public accountant Mario Rizo Rivas, president of the Association of Accountants of Guadalajara and author of "The Successor".

The topic is about successful companies that are born, grow and in the time of succession, the children, that should preserve it in progress, are not interested in maintaining the leadership of its founder, who is usually the father.

The conference theme is "Successful Family Businesses... Happy Families".

Don Mario Rizo Rivas is a scholar on the subject, his lectures are a great experience for all, entrepreneurs and those who will succeed in the leadership of the company, which are generally the children.

"Successful companies ... Happy Families" is a topic that comes to reality when the children are interested in the company founded by their parents and finding that formula is possible after hearing this great conference.

Affiliated employers to the Coparmex are very interested, the problem is not only in Puerto Vallarta and Banderas Bay, it is a national problem and in some countries it happens that successful companies, when the successors take charge, these decline and in three years they end up bankrupt or sold to the highest bidder.

The appointment is tomorrow, Tuesday, at four in the afternoon, at the Holliday Inn. The recovery fee is 200.00 per person for Coparmex partners and given the importance of the topic, this conference will be open to all entrepreneurs of Vallarta .

[readon1 url="http://vallartaopina.net/2013/11/04/conferencia-sobre-el-tema-de-la-sucesion-en-las-empresas/"]Source: Vallarta Opina Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]

Recent visits to Toronto and Montreal served to strengthen the bonds between Canada and Vallarta-Nayarit, with the ever-present support of the Mexico Tourism Board.

 As part of the East Coast Road Show to meet with our neighbors to the north we had two very successful visits to Montreal and Toronto—all under the umbrella of the “Vallarta-Nayarit, Live it to believe it” campaign currently being promoted by the Mexico Tourism Board (MTB).

The Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta convention and visitors bureaus visited the Toronto Park Hyatt Hotel on October 24th to present the latest news regarding the destination’s joint campaign. The Director of the Toronto office of the MTB was present, as well as the Regional Director for Canada, Rodrigo Esponda.

Forty-five travel agents and several tour operators, including Air Transat, Itravel2000, Thomas Cook, Air Canada Vacations, Sunwing Vacations and WestJet Vacations, attended the dinner presentation spotlighting the Riviera-Nayarit.

The Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta CVBs also stopped by the Air Transat offices to hand out digital material, which will help train their sales agents on the Vallarta-Nayarit brand.

Several of the destination’s hotels sent their representatives to this event, including the Hard Rock, Grand Velas, Grupo Marival, Riu Hotels, Paradise Village and Samba Vallarta. Each of the hotel reps was able to present their product to the agents.

“The brand was very well received, the comments were very positive and the hotels took the opportunity to present their new services and special promotions,” said Marc Murphy, Managing Director of the Riviera Nayarit CVB. “We have no doubt this winter season we’ll see more Canadians coming to enjoy our destination.”

The visit to Montreal took place on October 28th under the aegis of Manuel Montelongo, director for the local MTB office, who helped promote the brand to attract more visitors.

A webinar on the Vallarta-Nayarit brand was recorded in Montreal and will be transmitted through Air Transat to its contacts as part of their training to promote the destination.

The same hotels that were present in Toronto attended this event, as well as the Palladium and Occidental hotels, Aeroméxico was also present.

We’d like to point out that—according to the 2013 first semester data gathered by the Rivera Nayarit CVB—Canada sends the most foreign visitors to the Riviera, with Montreal in 2nd place and Toronto in 4th as to cities of origin, and even though Toronto is in 4th place, this is the segment of the Canadian market with the highest luxury hotel bookings within the destination.

Here is a link the Canadian touristic magazine Express Voyage with an article about Riviera Nayarit: http://www.expressvoyage.ca/reportages.php?sequence_no=45576