Luz del Carmen Ruiz Rodriguez, general manager of the Park Royal Beach Resort in Cancun, believes that all-inclusive resorts can deliver a local feel to the guest experience. She said that while at some all-inclusives it's hard to tell where you are, she makes every effort to make her property feel Mexican.
The property is part of a large Mexican-owned brand called Park Royal Hotels and Resorts which has had a strong Mexican and South American client base for many years and is now reaching out to the U.S. market. Rodriguez said the company is ramping up its outreach to U.S. travel advisors.
The company recently named a sales rep in Atlanta who will be working with the trade, is offering complimentary fams to qualified agents and will be launching a loyalty program for agents in the near future. The parent company recently opened a property in Miami and will open another soon in Orlando.
To enhance the local atmosphere, the Cancun resort recently introduced the first of a series of experiential programs called "Mexican Family Memories Experience." The program, geared for families with children ages five to twelve, features activities adults and children can enjoy together as well as kids-only activities with built-in "alone time" for adults.
The package features the building of an authentic Mexican piñata and a choice of a family beach dinner featuring local cuisine or a kids' pajama party in the Kids' Club while parents enjoy a romantic dinner in the resort's Mexican or beachfront seafood restaurant.
Continuing the Mexican theme, minibars are stocked with local Mexican sodas, juices and snacks; and there is a "scents of Mexico" in-room aromatherapy kit and nightly turndown surprises like Mexican Chispas cookies and milk. The family also receives a colorful Mexican-designed beach bag, photo album and a specially designed Mexican souvenir box to bring home.
A boutique on the property sells locally made products to support nearby Mayan communities. When guests tour the Mayan ruins at Chichén Itzá they also stop for a meal at a nearby village to connect with residents. There is even a Mayan archaeological site right on the property-part of an ancient temple.
The property also features a just-opened rooftop Ekinox bar and lounge for adults, offering 360-degree views of both beach and city.
Rodriguez said that over the years all-inclusive resorts have become "a bit of a me-too product," making it difficult for consumers to decide which resort is right for their needs. With the new family experience program as well as the just-opened Kids Club and water playground pool, she explained, "we have firmly established ourselves as a 100 percent Mexican, family-friendly resort."
Park Royal Hotels and Resorts has four brands: Park Royal, family-friendly all-inclusive resorts in a number of locations in Mexico; Grand Park Royal, a luxury brand with several Mexico locations; HomeStay, with apartment-style accommodations in Mexico, the Caribbean and recently Miami; and Park Royal City, a city-center product, currently with one property in Buenos Aires.
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