Destination Spotlight

Puerto Vallarta Expands Its Appeal

By Barbara Beckley

The charm of cobblestone streets and bougainvilla-shaded seaside cafes has long made Puerto Vallarta one of Mexico’s favorite destinations for small-to-medium-sized meetings and incentives. Now, with the opening of the Puerto Vallarta International Convention Center, large conventions and trade shows can—at last—take advantage of this Pacific resort’s delegate-pleasing allure.

Center of Attention
In March of this year, the much-anticipated opening of the Puerto Vallarta International Convention Center elevated the city into the ranks of a major convention destination. With more than 105,000 square feet of exhibit and meeting space, including the 54,000-square-foot Gran Salon Vallarta (divisible into eight breakouts), as well as open-air gardens and with fountains, Puerto Vallarta is a serious contender for conventions, expos and trade shows. Herbalife booked it for a May conference, and the MPM (Meeting Place Mexico) meeting and event planners’ trade show is set for June. Ten events have been pre-registered for 2009, and nine are scheduled for 2010, according to Aurelio López Rocha, Jalisco state Secretary of Tourism.

Meeting in Los Cabos is Good Business

By Barbara Beckley

Los Cabos, located at the tip of Mexico’s sunny Baja Peninsula, offers a number of key advantages for meetings, especially given the challenging business environment that faces many planners. Here’s a look at the bottom-line benefits of going to Los Cabos.