Puerto Vallarta Continues Expansion As Popular Tourism Destination

Image: PHOTO: Puerto Vallarta at sunset. (photo by Janeen Christoff)
Image: PHOTO: Puerto Vallarta at sunset. (photo by Janeen Christoff)
Michael Schottey
by Michael Schottey
Last updated: 5:00 PM ET, Tue July 5, 2016

Tourists interested in Mexico are consistently adding Puerto Vallarta to their itinerary, and that hasn't changed in 2016.

Located on the Pacific Ocean side of central Mexico, the destination has continued to increase its arrivals, according to information released by The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board-a trend which has persisted since 2008.

From private villas, condominiums, private homes, boutique hotels and resorts, the area has a total of 22,500 rooms, 12,800 of which are in properties that are members of the Puerto Vallarta Hotel Association which reports on hotel occupancy. In the first five months of 2016, Puerto Vallarta has seen a hotel occupancy rate of 74.5 percent-its highest level in a decade and 1.5 percent more than in the same period of 2015.

This after a 2015, which was a record year for hotel occupancy with a 66.9 percent hotel occupancy rate.

In addition, the Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) also saw an increase of 11 percent on passenger arrivals with 1,948,000 passenger arrivals, and 164,933 passengers visited the destination while on cruise calls to the Puerto Vallarta Cruise Port.

Travelers in the western United States and Canada can take advantage of direct flights to Puerto Vallerta from cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Calgary and Alberta.

The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board believes the continued increase is due to a consistent and proactive promotions campaign which has target not only its primary markets such as Mexico, the U.S. and Canada but emerging destinations such as South America and Europe. The board has also maintained a proactive public relations campaign focused on promoting the destination in different niche markets.

The destination has also benefited from a loss in luster from other Mexican cities like Acapulco in recent years as well as an increase in LBGT travel to the city-a market in which it has become a premier destination.

With no end in sight to Puerto Vallarta's tourism expansion, interested travelers may need to book trips sooner rather than later to take advantage of the location's beaches, resorts, shopping, dining and nature experiences.

Main attractions include various historic and shopping districts, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Los Muertos Pier, The Vallarta Botanical Gardens and some of the best beaches in the world.


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Michael Schottey

Michael Schottey

Editor true 9234 14744 Michael Schottey is ASTA's Vice President of Membership, Marketing & Communications. Schottey lives in Florida with his wife and two boys. 5255 Editor

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