Destinations - March 2008

The Fairmont Acapulco’s gorgeous outdoor event space overlooks the Pacific Ocean, providing the perfect backdrop for a memorable, Mexican-themed party. Photo courtesy of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

By Diana Rowe

Sun-drenched beaches, treasured pre-Hispanic cultures, lovely colonial towns and bustling cities — no wonder Mexico’s meetings and conventions sector is a $1.5 billion industry. It is ranked ninth worldwide in the number of hosted events, welcoming 22 million international visitors each year.

The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB), one of the few countrywide bureaus in the world, coordinates the country’s vast network of convention centers, and convention and visitors bureaus with an emphasis on corporate meetings, conventions, expositions, trade shows and incentives.

The MTB is strengthening Mexico’s image as a destination for business meetings through recent partnerships with the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and Meeting Professionals International (MPI). And, last summer, the MTB opened a new marketing office in Washington, DC, bringing its total to nine offices in North America. Eduardo Chaillo, CMP, CMM, MTB’s regional director of North America, was named strategic business unit director for the Washington, DC, office. Chaillo, an MTB veteran who once led the Mexico Convention Bureau, earned his Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation last year. The goal is for each of the other eight offices to have at least one CMP in residence.

“We’ve opened alliances with meeting planners and their associations, such as MPI and PCMA,” said Chaillo, “as we want to be proactive in bringing Mexican destinations in front of meeting planners. Mexico is a geographically accessible option for planners to bring a group together in a peaceful and natural environment, with a highly effective infrastructure geared toward meetings.”

Stepping Up Service
Chaillo added, “Our objectives are to continue to step up our service to planners, including faster responses to RFPs and questions, along with hassle-free planning. Our Mexico Convention Bureau in Mexico City will continue to work with their connections with customs, immigrations, destinations and airports in order to handle efficiently all the planning needs. From the unique culinary tastes to the sun-drenched beaches to the lively music to the colors and warmth of the people, we know we have a fabulous product within our borders.”

Modern conference venues can be found across all regions in Mexico, including cosmopolitan cities such as Cancun, Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, or colonial cities such as Morelia, Puebla and Oaxaca. Put this all together, and Mexico offers 55 state-of-the-art convention centers in 56 cities, 16 destinations for incentive travel, 245,000 hotel rooms for conventions and nearly 6 million square feet of event space.

Mexico City features major convention centers such as the World Trade Center, the Centro Banamex and what will soon be the largest meeting facility in Latin America, the Centro Bancomer in the northwest part of the city. Cancun, too, has its own convention center, as do Acapulco, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Los Cabos, at the tip of Baja California, is gaining popularity as a destination for groups.

Several international airlines offer direct flights from major U.S. gateways, giving Mexico an edge over other global destinations with its more than 59 international and 28 national airports. Although Mexico City is the primary hub for incoming international flights, several international carriers also offer direct flights from U.S. cities to such destinations as Acapulco, Cancun, Cozumel, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos.

Cancun
The Mexican Caribbean is often the first place planners look to for meetings because of its convenient airlift with 40 daily flights from the U.S. to a recently expanded international airport, brilliant white beaches, turquoise waters, and an impressive 44,761 hotel rooms rated four star and above combined with state-of-the-art convention facilities.

Cancun continues to build on its solid reputation in the meetings industry, according to Mandi Frischmann, account manager for Advantage Performance Network, a third-party planning company based in Savage, MN. “Surrounded by beaches, lagoons, lush jungles and fabulous hotels, Cancun is the epitome of a tropical paradise emerging from a natural disaster to again re-establish itself as a high-end meeting destination.”

Located in the heart of the Hotel Zone, Cancun Center offers views of the Caribbean Sea and boasts 75,000 square feet of technologically advanced space for up to 8,000 attendees, plus more than 77,000 square feet of exhibition space on two levels. Out of the more than 26,000 hotel guest rooms in Cancun, 4,700 of them are within walking distance of the center as are restaurants, nightclubs and shopping centers.

Thanks to a multimillion-dollar beach recovery project and ongoing growth with more luxurious resorts than ever, Frischmann said that Cancun is a perfect fit whether she brings a small incentive group or a larger franchise meeting group, because it offers something for everyone from upscale hotels and dining to snorkeling adventures. For many of her clients, such as Famous Dave’s of America Inc., Frischmann selects the Ritz-Carlton, Cancun.

Each of the exclusive, AAA Five Diamond Ritz-Carlton, Cancun’s 365 guest rooms feature sweeping ocean views, and the accommodations on the Ritz-Carlton Club Level offer planners the opportunity to upgrade their VIPs. More than 27,000 square feet of meeting and function space make this property an ideal place for conferences and special events.

Minnesota-based Famous Dave’s of America prefers the Ritz-Carlton, Cancun primarily due to its location, but also for the stellar service it delivers. Great service is important to a hospitality-related company such as Famous Dave’s, which engages in the development, ownership, operation and franchising of restaurants. Frischmann noted that for Famous Dave’s franchise owners, suppliers and management, the Ritz-Carlton never fails to impress.

For example, she cited a themed outdoor event that would have been a rained-out disaster if not for the quick thinking of the staff. “Within an hour, the staff moved the event inside, and the elegant event continued without a hitch, complete with lighting and ceiling drapery. The Ritz helps the corporate or third-party planner look like a star.

“At The Ritz,” Frischmann continued, “we don’t feel crowded in by other hotels, and this property really stepped up with their remodeling after the hurricane. We feel secluded — almost on our own tropical island complete with an impressive spa — yet we’re close enough to the Cancun action to enjoy activities like golf, water jungle safari, dine-arounds at restaurants like La Destileria Restaurante & Museo del Tequila or Laguna Grill, or clubbing at Coco Bongo, the Cirque du Soleil of nightclubs.”

Vancouver, BC-based Angiotech, a pharmaceutical company and manufacturer of surgical products, held their January meeting in Cancun. Angiotech’s Michael Stanislaw, marketing and desktop publishing administrator, and Tracey Okonski, marketing and communications manager, selected Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Cancun as the host hotel.

Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Cancun is an all-suite luxury hotel, situated in the Yucatan’s most idyllic coastal setting with white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, and within walking distance of malls, dining, shopping, recreation and nightlife. Just 15 minutes from Cancun International Airport, the 602-room property boasts more than 85,000 square feet of function and meeting space, 21 meeting rooms, three foyers, a vast ballroom and a private lobby for group check-in.

According to Stanislaw, the deciding factors in bringing 180 international attendees to Cancun included its tropical ambience, ample airlift, a reputation for safety — and enticing tax incentives.

Besides good deals and reduced labor costs, Mexico can save planners through tax breaks. One of the biggest is the zero percent VAT (Value-Added Tax). Although at this time incentive travel is not tax exempt, when business is conducted, the sales tax applied to meetings, exhibitions and conventions organized in Mexico by foreign companies become zero percent. To qualify, the planner should check with the MTB and/or their property, venue or CVB in Mexico.

Even with the tax breaks, Stanislaw credits the room rates at the Fiesta Americana as sealing the deal. “With an international group with different cultural expectations, this is quite difficult to accomplish, but I’ve never received so many compliments from everyone in the group. Everything went smoothly at the Fiesta

Close encounters of the pelagic kind occur while whale watching in Los Cabos, a once-in-a-lifetime experience every attendee will write home about. Photo courtesy of Los Cabos Tourism Board

Americana from the accommodations to meeting space to the poolside welcome reception. Even our dine-arounds at Puerto Madero (Argentine restaurant), Hacienda El Mortero and Cenacolo Il Ristorante Italiano went without a hitch.

“From the moment our event opened with a welcome reception on the Sunrise Terrace including special lighting with our logo,” continued Stanislaw, “we knew we’d made the right decision. The staff anticipated our every need by collecting empty glasses and refilling promptly. We researched at several ‘sunny’ destinations before settling on Cancun, and we couldn’t have hoped for such a flawless event.”

Last summer, Lisa Hardy, senior executive assistant, development, and clinical research coordinator for Inspire Pharmaceuticals, a Durham, NC-based biopharmaceutical company, brought a group of 75 attendees to Fiesta Americana for investigative clinical meetings. Although the weather and airlift are always important, Hardy said, “Our event requires extensive space, and the Fiesta Americana’s meeting space is conveniently located all in one area, which is important with our intensive schedule that includes numerous breakouts. Plus when we broke for lunch or dinner, we only had to step across from our meetings.

“The service at the Fiesta was amazing,” Hardy added. “One day, I happened to take a quick dip in the pool. The staff noticed the possibility of rain, so they made the effort to find me in the pool, and discuss with me an alternative plan, just in case.”

Fortunately the weather cooperated, and although Inspire Pharmaceutical’s meeting was in July, the heat didn’t impact their planned pool receptions, Hardy said. “How could we not take our events outside with such a great view? The first night, we hosted a ‘lounging’ theme, and the staff brought in couches, tables, soft lighting and a live mariachi band. The second night, music was piped in. The receptions were a hit, no one noticed the heat, and the pool setting was an excellent ice-breaker after sitting in meetings all day.”

Hardy recently returned to Cancun for another event, but this time, she selected the Aqua Cancun. Located in the heart of the Hotel Zone, the Aqua Cancun offers 371 deluxe rooms and 16,500 square feet of indoor meeting and banquet space that accommodates up to 1,000 attendees. Its great location gives guests quick access to other popular Cancun restaurants and attractions, including two upscale shopping malls on either side.

Hardy added, “Aqua is an entirely different meeting experience with its water features and calming aromatherapy, but didn’t inhibit the hotel’s ability to cater to our 230 attendees. Our event was just as intensive, yet somehow the meeting felt more relaxed at the Aqua.”  

Riviera Maya
Soothing and laidback are words that often describe the Riviera Maya, one of the fastest growing destinations in the Caribbean just 11 miles south of Cancun International Airport. With 30,000 hotel rooms, one can hardly imagine the Riviera Maya as it was 10 years ago — home to a string of unknown fishing villages. Today, a growing and increasingly luxurious resort infrastructure is changing the face of the Riviera Maya, turning it into an attractive destination for meeting professionals.

The newest destination — and one drawing a huge amount of interest — is Mayakoba, where a collection of some of the world’s finest properties are interconnected by a series of freshwater lagoons and canals. The flagship of the development and first to open is The Fairmont Mayakoba, with 40,000 square feet of meeting space, 401 elegant rooms in the main building, villas spread throughout the indigenous jungle, and 34 beach and lagoon casitas. Perfect for hosting golf tournaments, the property includes an 18-hole Greg Norman-designed golf course, which is home to Mexico’s first annual PGA event, The Mayan Classic.

Another popular stop for meeting planners is Iberostar Hotels & Resorts. Iberostar is a one-stop shop for meeting and incentive planners with a state-of-the-art convention center, five luxurious all-inclusive resorts — Iberostar Paraiso Lindo, Iberostar Paraiso Del Mar, Iberostar Paraiso Beach, Iberostar Paraiso Maya and the new Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso — and an 18-hole, par-72 golf course.

The Iberostar Playa Paraiso Con­vention Center can accommodate up to 1,000 guests and is fully equipped with the latest technology, separate lobby, eight private executive rooms that can hold up to 11 people and a catering facility. The main exhibition hall includes 15,683 square feet of space that can be divided into six rooms with audio-visual equipment, high-definition projection screens, 42-inch plasma screens, video projection, closed-circuit television and Internet access. These five properties are all within walking or trolley distance of each other and the convention center.

Planners are already talking about the new Barcelo Maya Palace Hotel, which opened last December. This is the newest property to be added to the Barcelo Maya Beach Resort, which comprises four other all-inclusive hotels that collectively offer nearly 2,000 guest rooms: the Premium Level Barcelo Maya Tropical and Colonial Beach Hotels, as well as the upscale Barcelo Maya Beach and Caribe Hotels. Barcelo Maya Beach Resort is already the largest conference facility in the region with more than 23,000 square feet of conference space in two convention facilities. The Barcelo Maya Palace includes a conference center accommodating up to 1,680 and is an all-suite property featuring 756 junior guest suites.

Acapulco
The queen of Acapulco resorts is the 1,017-room Fairmont Acapulco Princess. It is the largest in the area and one of those resorts that recalls the days when celebrities flocked to Acapulco. Located on prime land adjacent to the golden sands of Revolcadero Beach, the hotel highlights classic Mexican architecture with its three Aztec–inspired buildings, encircled by tropical gardens and waterfalls that start in the lobby with ponds and a slatted bridge. The property features gorgeous outdoor event space as well as 18 meeting rooms and an amphitheater.

Paul Ando, executive vice president of Townecraft Inc., a Glen Rock, NJ-based sales organization for high-quality stainless steel cookware, selected the Fairmont Acapulco for their seven-day incentive trip last May. “Mexico and the Fairmont Acapulco Princess never fail to deliver and offer us the most bang for our buck. Out of 80 attendees, we never received one complaint.”

It was a “golf-intensive trip,” said Ando, so selecting a 36-hole destination resort was imperative. “The courses are in tremendous shape. It’s a challenging course, forgiving yet at times you can get in big trouble. With the help of the caddies and the cooperative weather, we played all seven days.”

The incentive trip did include several sales meetings, added Ando. “Sometimes the perception is that nothing ‘works’ in Mexico, but the Fairmont is really a five-star hotel, the meeting rooms are high class, and the audio-visual is exceptional.”

The most memorable part of the meeting for Ando and his attendees was the staff. “Whether it was an individual breakfast or group event, this property boasts an exceptional quality of employee who took time to get to know us, our names, and our likes and dislikes.”

The intimacy of the sister property, The Fairmont Pierre Marques, made it a winning hotel for Sandra Junkers, office manager and meeting planner for Hytorc, Division UNEX Corporation, a Mahwah, NJ-based manufacturer of industrial bolting. The Fairmont Pierre Marques has been the site for all but two of their annual sales incentive events since 1993. Junker wholeheartedly agreed that the friendliness of the staff continues to bring them back. “When we missed a year, we missed Acapulco and our family at the Pierre.”

The love affair with The Fairmont Pierre Marques began when oil tycoon J. Paul Getty built this private hideaway in Acapulco’s exclusive Diamante district. Several owners and millions of dollars of renovations later, this intimate, beachfront getaway is framed by an exclusive neighborhood, the Pacific Ocean and the emerald slopes of Mexico’s Sierra Madre. All 335 rooms, suites, villas and bungalows offer generous views.

“Maybe it’s because we’ve been coming here for so long,” admitted Junkers, “but the hotel is the most accommodating with any of our requests. From hanging banners to our Saturday evening awards ceremony or fireworks display with our logo, when we ask for something, the answer is always, ‘no problem’ and then they go out of their way to fulfill our requests.”

Junkers said last year’s outdoor awards ceremony near the Plaza Las Quintas is a prime example. “The Fairmont Pierre Marques outdid themselves with the theme of ‘fire and ice.’ The backdrop to the cocktail hour was a draped ice bar outdoors, even creating a bar out of ice blocks. It was amazingly similar to the Ice Hotel in Sweden. The winter wonderland theme was brought out with some of the trees painted white like frost. Our attendees proceeded to the terrace overlooking the beach for a sit-down five-course dinner. One side was fire with illumination from the back of screens that looked like flames and tables draped in red. The ice side was again draped with white and featured ice sculptures.”

According to Junkers, the meeting space is perfect for their sales meetings and introductions of new products since the group can meet in one room without feeling cramped. At the same time, she said that this smaller, more intimate Fairmont property allows her attendees to congregate and network even when meetings are not in session.

Los Cabos
Another popular destination in Mexico for incentive and group travel is the ecologically diverse Los Cabos, boasting an abundance of natural beauty, recreational activities, resort accommodations and superior service. From grand ballrooms to intimate meeting spots, Los Cabos offers something for every size and type of meeting. It is home to at least 11 meeting hotels boasting one to 10 meeting rooms, totaling more than 100,000 square feet of meeting space. The Los Cabos Tourism Board recently changed its name to The Los Cabos Convention & Visitors Bureau and introduced a new Web site address: www.visitloscabos.travel.

For large groups, the 250-room Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos is an exquisite oceanfront resort located in an exclusive area between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas where golf layouts weave in and around coves and beaches. This resort offers preferential access to Cabo Del Sol, an 18-hole championship ocean golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus. Their conference center is Los Cabos’ largest meeting facility and includes the Masters ballroom capable of accommodating up to 1,100 guests.

Large corporate events also can be executed at the Marquis Los Cabos, Golf, Spa & Casitas Resort. The resort’s conference center accommodates up to 1,000 guests and offers 12,000 square feet of meeting space.

The neighboring 375-room Hilton Los Cabos also offers a variety of meeting space and amenities, including the 7,445-square-foot El Dorado Ballroom. After a dramatic remodeling, the Hilton’s Spa Oasis recently opened its doors to unveil a 7,000-square-foot two-story “sanctuary of tranquility” designed with traditional Mexican elements.

The 243-room Westin Resort & Spa, Los Cabos recently renovated its more than 11,900 square feet of interior meeting space within 15 meeting rooms.

The Mexico Tourism Board is working harder than ever to win over meeting and incentive travel professionals with nine new offices in North America, a Zero Tax initiative, a national convention bureau and its Mexico Meeting Specialist Program through visitmexico.com. But it’s Mexico’s hospitality, culture, beauty and history that continue to win over the attendees.    C&IT