The 27th annual Cancun Travel Mart brought together suppliers not just from Cancun, but from other parts of Mexico as well. The conference, held from Oct. 13 to 15 in Cancun, of course featured a formidable portfolio of Cancun's resorts and attractions as well, illustrating the diverse options available to tourists.
Cancun, which is experiencing a record 2014, appears poised for more of the same next year. "We all are ready to receive 2015 with the best hotel facilities, highly trained employees and the best airport in Mexico," said Roberto Cintron, president of the Cancun Hotel Association in his official welcome to attendees. "We're eager to receive all the tourists you send our way with open arms and warm smiles."
Following is a sampling of some of the suppliers that exhibited at the Cancun Travel Mart trade show.
Flamingo Cancun
The 249-room Flamingo Cancun Resort just completed a renovation to the property's rooms and restaurants and added a new venue for massages on the beach, said Luis Fernando Rodriguez, an e-commerce executive for the property.
The hotel, which is located in the Hotel Zone, features both EP and all-inclusive plans for guests. Its biggest markets are the U.S. and Canada, Fernando said.
Rooms, which are available in three categories, feature Caribbean Sea or lagoon views. The property features five restaurants and bars.
Fernando said business at the Flamingo is strong, with occupancies in the low season at 70 percent.
The property, which opened in the 1980s, was one of the first hotels to be developed in Cancun.
Fernando said the hotel's strongest selling points are location, service and facilities.
Emporio Family Suites
Emporio Hotels & Resorts' opened its first property in Cancun, the Emporio Family Suites Cancun, in March. The property, formerly the Royal Maya, features 400 rooms that can be converted into suites to accommodate families, said Omar Vazquez Gayton, the property's managing director.
The EP property is currently developing a meal plan program said Vazquez. "We are not an all-inclusive hotel per say, but we do want to offer the options to travelers who are looking for the all-inclusive option."
Vazquez believes that many travelers prefer EP plans to all-inclusive options. "When you are in an all-inclusive hotel you are attached to that hotel," he said, adding that many all-inclusive guests forgo the chance to explore Cancun and the surrounding area because they want to take advantage of what they already paid for at the resort. "We have packages with breakfast included," he said. "That means after you have breakfast you have all the time that you want in order to explore all the beautiful attractions that we have in Cancun, handling your time at your own pace."
The resort features three pools and three restaurants and bars.
Accommodations boast fully equipped kitchens with ovens, microwaves and dishwashers.
Emporio Hotels & Resorts operates 14 hotels throughout Mexico in Veracruz, Mazatlan, Ixtapa, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Zacatecas and Riviera Nayarit.
PacificBaySide
PacificBaySide is a destination management company that services Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta. It provides transportation to and from the airports, orienting travelers along the way, and also arranges excursions for travelers, said Moises Peralta, the company's director.
The company has been operating in Puerto Vallarta for 30 years and Cabo San Lucas for the past 18.
Peralta said that travelers are slowly beginning to return to Los Cabos. "It's going to take a while but business is coming back," he said.
He said the company handles both FITs and groups, using new top-of-the-line vehicles. "The company is dedicated to customer service and features a staff that is very well-versed in the destinations," Peralta said.
Los Cabos Hotel Association
The Los Cabos Hotel Association had a message for Cancun Travel Mart attendees: The destination is well on the road to recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Odile. "It's been 30 days and 50 to 60 percent of our room inventory is back," said Jairo Torres, vice president of marketing for the Los Cabos Hotel Association. "Our airport is operational again."
By year's end, Torres said virtually all hotels will be fully operational. Furthermore, the destination will see a slate of new hotel openings going forward. Thompson Hotels and JW Marriott are opening properties in Los Cabos next year, and Hard Rock is scheduled to open a resort in 2016.
Torres said Los Cabos will be operating a series of fam trips so that agents can see the destination for themselves. "That's the best way to regain trust," he said.
Cancun Restaurant Association
Gustavo Marquez, secretary of the Cancun Restaurant Association (CANIRAC) said he encourages travelers to venture beyond their all-inclusive resorts to sample Cancun's formidable array of eateries. "They should make sure they try to eat out," he said, adding that for the most part, travelers can walk to a wide array of restaurants from their resorts.
Also, they can take the bus to the downtown area, which costs less than $1, to sample the eclectic restaurant offerings there.
Marquez noted that restaurateurs frequently change up their menus - so travelers who visited restaurants two years ago will find a new range of entrees to sample. "Most of the restaurants have remodeled and put money into it," he said. "We just want people to come out of the hotels and sample the city's culinary offerings."
Rio Secreto
Five years ago, a system of caves, created over centuries by an underground river, were discovered close to Playa del Carmen. Called Rio Secreto, the caves are now one of the most popular attractions in the Cancun-Riviera Maya area.
Travelers, equipped with wet suits, life vests and helmets with lamps, are guided by experts who provide commentary on the cave system, said Jorge Arechandieta, marketing director for Rio Secreto.
The two-and-a-half hour tour ends with a video about the creation of the universe, which is followed by a buffet lunch.
Exotic Rides
Travelers to Cancun looking for a little high-speed excitement may want to pay a visit to Exotic Rides, where they have the chance to race prestige cars.
When participants arrive at the racetrack they're first provided training on how to handle the vehicles. Choices include the Mercedes SLS, Porsche 911, Ferrari 458 Italia, Ferrari 360, Ferrari F430, Audi R8 and Lotus Elise.
Licy Velazquez, a spokeswoman for the company, said that people come from all around the world to race the three-year-old company's cars.
Exotic Rides also offers go-cart racing and road tours.
MAYAir
While many travelers opt to take the ferry from Cancun to Cozumel, there's a faster way to travel between the two destinations: MAYAir, which flies out of Cancun International Airport's new FBO terminal. The airline operates five Cancun-Cozumel and five Cozumel-Cancun flights each day, said MAYAir sales manager Carlos Martinez.
The carrier also offers flights between Cancun and Merida, Villahermosa and Veracruz and Villahermosa and Merida.
Martinez said business is strong, with load factors averaging 90 percent.
"Even if you are staying in a hotel in Cancun and you want to spend a day in Cozumel you can catch the 8 a.m. flight to Cozumel and return in the afternoon for approximately $40 one way," Martinez said.
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