Domestic Meeting Planners Focus On The Riviera Nayarit

  • 115 specialists in the meetings market received updates on the Destination in Mexico City; the Riviera Nayarit hosted 491 meetings and events in 2014; 54% of all the visitors to the Destination last year were from the domestic market.

The Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Promotions and Sales Department and hotel representatives from the destination’s hotels carried out MICE events (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing & Exhibitions) and training workshops in Mexico City, strengthening meeting planners’ focus on the Riviera Nayarit.

The work, which took place during the fourth week of April, was directed towards these agents that in meetings, conventions, expos, weddings and fairs. There were 491 events of this type hosted in the Destination last year, 230 of which were organized by national companies.

The first stop was Eventos MICE DF. The Riviera Nayarit hosted a breakfast for 50 meeting planners; besides the keynote address by the CVB, there were also round tables offering information from the Destination’s hotels.

The workshops for the incentive agencies consisted in visiting some of the top companies including Groups To Go, American Express, Koch Overseas, Innova, CTS, among others. The hotel representatives updated the firms, and they also opened negotiations to eventually bring more groups to the Riviera Nayarit in the near future.

A full 56.4% of the tourists that arrived in 2014 were domestic visitors. The meetings and events segment attracted 97,286 visitors to the destination last year.

The Riviera Nayarit CVB’s official Poll provided the statistics and data for this article.

 

Colombian Travel Agents Inspect The Region

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PUERTO VALLARTA: They arrived on April 13th to tour several key attractions in the Riviera Nayarit to be followed by a visit to Puerto Vallarta, after which they will return to their country on the 17th to continue promoting both destinations.

A group of 12 Colombian travel agents are currently touring the area on a FAM trip in order to better acquaint themselves with the many attractions offered by the Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta.

Their adventure began on Monday, April 13th, when the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau welcomed them with a tour of the northern part of the bay area including site inspections at several hotels in Nuevo Vallarta. They also visited hotel properties in Punta de Mita.

Their next stop was Sayulita, the Riviera Nayarit’s Surf Capital, on the 14th, where they learned a few surfing basics in the area where the ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship will be held next May.

Another important stop during their trip will be in Punta Mita, Mexico’s most exclusive development, where they will indulge firsthand in the Riviera Nayarit’s Glamour Peninsula’s luxury on April 15th.

The Colombian travel agents will then proceeded over the Ameca River to the south, where they will be well taken care of by the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust during the rest of their stay.

Of South America’s emerging markets, Colombia has been very strongly targeted by this joint promotion under the aegis of the Mexico Tourism Board.

This year the tourism entities have already conducted at least one activity per month directed towards this particular country in the hopes of increasing the amount of visitors from that region of the Southern Cone.

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Toyota Plans to Build $1 bn Plant in Mexico

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PUERTO VALLARTA: Toyota Motor Corporation, the world's largest automaker, said Wednesday it planned to invest $1 billion to build a new assembly plant in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato that will commence operations in 2019.

The plant will employ 2,000 people and have the capacity to produce 200,000 units annually, Toyota said in a statement.

The Guanajuato plant will manufacture Corolla sedans for the North American market.

The plant will be Toyota's 15th in North America, the first built since 2011 and the automaker's largest investment to date in Mexico.

"The skills of the workers and the ability to produce with advanced technology make central Mexico the right place for our plant," Toyota Motor Mike Bafan

Toyota Motor currently has its only Mexican plant in the northwestern state of Baja California, where it produced nearly 20,000 units in the first quarter of this year.

The Japanese automaker also announced plans to build a new plant in China as part of its plan to increase production capacity and jump-start its international expansion strategy.

"This investment represents our long-held principles of continuous improvement and challenging ourselves to always do better. An increase in production does not mean an undisciplined pursuit of more. Toyota's expansion must be driven by providing ever-better-cars and our talented people," Toyota Motor Corporation president Akio Toyoda said.

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PAN Congressmen in Favor of Lowering Price of Gasoline

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PUERTO VALLARTA: Ricardo Anaya Cortes, National Action Party (PAN) leader, indicated that for the remainder of the current term, they will insist on their proposal to lower gasoline prices and that they will also promote a 'counter- economic reform'.

He emphasized that his parliamentary partners have clear legislative priorities for the ordinary session, which ends April 30, including overturning the economic reform, which went into effect on January 1, 2014.

Another priority is to lower gasoline prices, as a result of the fall of oil prices. By doing so, he said, ‘we are encouraging the local market, lowering the costs of business enterprises and generating jobs, which are so badly needed by Mexicans.

In addition, Anaya Cortes reminded us that at the current regular session, PAN members have proposed and voted in favor of very important initiatives, which have already been sent to the Senate for ratification.

Among those ratifications, he mentioned the initiative created by the National Anti-Corruption System, and the one proposing the “Desindexacion” of the minimum wage, as well as the reform of the energy transition law, the Public Works Act and the Conevol law, among others

The PAN Coordinator called to mind that the General transparency law, which has already been approved by the Senate, will soon have to be discussed at the Chamber of Congress, the same as the Law on Health concerning obesity.

On the other hand, he explained that the Union’s Congress will have to be aware of the approval of the constitutional reforms in local legislatures, which are still pending. The idea is to achieve its ratification in the majority of States, as the law demands, before this sessions’ period ends.

He reminded everyone that these reforms deal with topics such as State and municipal financials discipline, which have, so far, been approved in 11 local congresses; and the topic of indigenous people’s electoral rights, approved in 16 local congresses.

Both constitutional reforms require the approval of at least half plus one of State congresses.

Ricardo Anaya insists that PAN members are ready ' to discuss and approve the reforms that will really benefit Mexicans, particularly in these difficult times for the economy'.

“We will continue to act with responsibility, leading the country on the right path. Citizens can rely on their National Action party legislators", he concluded.

 [readon1 url="index.php?option=com_sobipro&pid=1&sid=703:mar&Itemid=212"]Source:www.VallartaToday.com-by MAR Translation Services[/readon1]

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A Cheerful Welcome for Infinity!

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Puerto Vallarta, Jal. - The Infinity cruise arrived last Friday morning to Puerto Vallarta, with 2,117 passengers and 962 crew members. Passengers were greeted with Mariachis and a Mexican fiesta, which displayed our people’s hospitality, warmth and Puerto Vallarta’s traditions.

The Infinity is one of the Celebrity Cruise lines; it stopped at our destination on his way from Guatemala to Cabo San Lucas. This only demonstrates the confidence that Puerto Vallarta generates among cruise lines to bring a larger group of visitors to our destination.

‘Cruise Lines Miami 2015’ recently recognized Puerto Vallarta as the best cruise destination in Mexico, because of the level of satisfaction that travelers find in this port. This goes to confirm that this year will be one of the best for tourism business.

The arrival of 144 cruises is scheduled for 2015. This represents an increase of 20 percent over 2013. By 2016, a total of 170 cruises are expected to arrive; which will be almost a 20 percent increase from this year.

It is estimated that by the end of 2015, 360 thousand tourists would have visited this destination throughout the year, via cruise lines. These tourists alone will spend about 500 million pesos (over US$ 33,000,000).

To welcome cruises with mariachis is part of ' Back to Puerto Vallarta' program; which was implemented last year by the Office of City Tourism with the support of Tourism Administration Department. The objective is to welcome, in the best possible way, the cruises arriving at the most Mexican haven of the country.

This is the only destination in the Pacific route that greets visitors the way Puerto Vallarta does; which besides giving an enjoyable and friendly impression, was one of the aspects considered by the cruise line companies and cruise passengers, to recognize Puerto Vallarta as the best seaport for cruises, in Mexico.

[readon1 url="index.php?option=com_sobipro&pid=1&sid=703:mar&Itemid=212"]Source:www.VallartaToday.com-by MAR Translation Services[/readon1]

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Southwest Airlines Eyeing Denver-to-Puerto Vallarta Service

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Southwest Airlines plans to run daily, nonstop flights out of Denver International Airport to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, officials announced Tuesday.

Southwest on Tuesday submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for the service. If Southwest gains the necessary regulatory approvals, the Dallas-based carrier plans to start service between Denver International Airport ( DEN) and Licenciado Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport ( PVR) in November.

Puerto Vallarta is Southwest's fourth destination in Mexico. The carrier also flies to Cancun, Mexico City and San Jose del Cabo.

Southwest plans to initiate its Puerto Vallarta service with a daily flight out of John Wayne Airport Orange County in California on June 7.

More details about the Denver-to-Puerto Vallarta services — including flight times and fares — will be disclosed in the coming weeks, officials said.

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Good News Continues to Pour Out of Riviera Nayarit

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Puerto Vallarta.- Good news continues to pour out of Riviera Nayarit, which reported that last year’s 17 percent increase in arrivals included 532,448 from the U.S., representing an 11.5 percent increase over 2013 figures.

In all, the destination welcomed 2,420,221 visitors, with the number of international travelers rising by 15 percent. Last year, the U.S. market accounted for 22 percent of arrivals to Riviera Nayarit. The destination’s second largest international market is Canada, which represented 19 percent of overall arrivals. Riviera Nayarit also reported a 4.4 percent rise in hotel occupancy to 70.1 percent.

“With an increase in flight support to the destination we anticipate a continued upward trend in both total numbers of visitors as well as tourism revenue,” said Richard Zarkin, public relations manager for the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Increased room availability and additions of key hotel chains will surely create a larger demand across our destination as well.”

Zarkin noted that Riviera Nayarit’s arrivals began to resurge three years ago, with each consecutive year proffering stronger results. “In 2012, the world economy began regaining strength and this allowed tourists the freedom to begin exploring again,” he said. “Our market diversification, whether it’s luxury or tourists seeking nature, has proven an enticing draw for Americans and Canadians alike, especially with Riviera Nayarit’s proximity to Puerto Vallarta’s Gustavo Diaz International Airport.”

While luxury and nature continues as key promotional focuses this year, Riviera Nayarit is also heavily promoting its attractiveness as a venue for experiential vacations. “We are really pushing the message that Riviera Nayarit is the ideal place to explore authentic Mexico,” said Zarkin. “This includes expanding our destination promotion to include new areas of Riviera Nayarit such as Jala or even Santa Maria del Oro, as well as highlighting our incredible gastronomy.”

Ensuring the destination’s preservation is also a key priority for the Riviera Nayarit CVB going forward. On that front it recently unveiled the Mi Riviera Nayarit, Mi Destino campaign, which puts a spotlight on the preservation efforts undertaken by locals. “The people of Nayarit are proud of their community and many even lead beach cleanups to maintain their certifications,” said Zarkin. “Investing in the protection of our natural treasures is something we are proud of and is the essence of this campaign.”

In fact, it is one of the CVB’s missions to educate visitors on the destination’s preservation efforts and ecology. “This campaign compliments that focus in getting the rest of Nayarit on board in being conscious of keeping a beautiful destination and promoting respect from visitors as well,” Zarkin said.

Although it is still a ways off, the 2018 opening of a 300-acre Cirque du Soleil theme park is expected to be a considerable asset for the destination, while having the added benefit of creating thousands of new jobs. “It will surely impact business because Riviera Nayarit will be greatly diversifying in the entertainment sector, which will give travelers yet another reason to explore our destination,” said Zarkin. “This will surely lead to more people exploring the neighboring towns and villages and becoming more familiar with our destination overall.”

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Business’ ABC Seminar Well Attended

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Puerto Vallarta, Jal.- With an excellent attendance, the Business’ ABC seminar was held this past Thursday. The seminar was offered by Puerto Vallarta’s Authorities, the office of Economic Development and Jalisco’s Board of Business Development (FOJAL); with the purpose of providing micro, small and medium entrepreneurs as well as to businessmen, valuable tools to empower and help their businesses to grow.

The course was taught by Juan Carlos Lemus, from FOJAL, to 79 businessmen and local entrepreneurs, who met the criteria to develop their business plan through nine specific steps; allowing attendees to identify the strengths, opportunities, risks, internal and external factors of their projects, as well as to establish objectives to achieve better organizational, operational and financial planning skills.

Álvaro Mora Maciel, Director General of Economic Development, said he was satisfied with the turn out of this seminar "you can tell that Puerto Vallarta’s citizens want their business to improve and to continue growing".

He explained that the aim of this seminar was for entrepreneurs to implement valuable tools to develop their activities and at the same time, "those who approach the office of General Direction of economic development to get to know the programs and services that we are offering as a municipal government so they can grow and improve their business, start a new one".

He also informed participants about the programs and services offered by the department of which he is responsible. Many of those programs are considered innovators at national level, such as the job search program that concentrates the job vacancies of the municipality in a single space, saving time and money to job seekers, who can have accessed from any mobile device; as well as the Intelligence System for Economic and Urban Development (SIDEURBAN), that shows in a geographical way all the information about the potential of a place, and the investment spaces available fo,r in Puerto Vallarta.

Mora Maciel said that that during the holiday period (Holy week and Easter), the office of Economic Development, located in the municipal Presidency, will remain opened for guidance , catering and to provide the services they offer, as well as the support for businessmen and entrepreneurs to answer their calls inquiring about funding for their businesses.

[readon1 url="index.php?option=com_sobipro&pid=1&sid=703:mar&Itemid=212"]Source:www.VallartaToday.com-by MAR Translation Services[/readon1]

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The Riviera Nayarit Will See A 98% Occupancy Rate During Holy Week

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Puerto Vallarta, Jal.- San Blas will be at capacity on April 3-4, while Banderas Bay will be at 97% and Rincón de Guayabitos at 99%; between Holy Week and Easter the overall occupancy rate of the destination as a whole will range from 86% to 98%.

Holy Week and Easter vacation are fast approaching and the forecast on the occupancy rate for the Riviera Nayarit during those high season days is at 98% on the weekend corresponding to Holy Week.

With information gleaned from the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Survey it’s possible to predict during this period that San Blas will be at 100% capacity, Rincón de Guayabitos will be at 99% and Banderas Bay will reach 97% capacity.

It’s important to point out that the occupancy will fluctuate depending on the days chosen between these two vacation weeks. The percentage lowers as a matter of course on Sundays and Mondays, while increasing considerably on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The occupancy in the Banderas Bay area will remain stable, as Holy Week will see a rate above 92%, while Easter Week will dip no lower than 87%.

As with Banderas Bay, Rincón de Guayabitos, the most measurable area of Compostela, will remain stable from Monday, March 30th through Sunday, April 12th. San Blas, on the other hand, indicates a bigger discrepancy between the weekends and the start of the week.

All in all, the positioning of the destination and, above all, the specific promotion given to each microdestination, has guaranteed these high occupancy dates—mostly by domestic travelers—will benefit all the communities equally.

Mexico is First Emerging Market to Commit to Greenhouse Gas Reductions

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Mexico vows to slash greenhouse gases

Puerto Vallarta — Mexico vowed Friday to slash its output of greenhouse gases and make 2026 its peak emissions year, an ambitious goal and the first one submitted by an emerging-market country in the runup to December’s global climate conference in Paris.

Mexico said it would reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases by 22 percent and its emissions of black carbon or soot by 51 percent by the year 2030.

Hitting that target would mean sharply raising vehicle fuel efficiency to bring standards in line with those in the United States and adopting appliance standards. Mexico also set goals for increasing the share of renewable and nuclear energy in its electric power sector.

The government said it would reduce emissions as a percentage of gross domestic product by 40 percent.

A White House official called Mexico’s plan a “landmark” and “pace-setting commitment” in preparation for the climate conference. He said Mexico had “come forward with timely, clear, transparent and unconditional goals backed by strong policies.”

Forging a consensus before the climate summit is a priority for President Obama, who announced an accord in November with China over curbing emissions. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said in a statement that the announcement Friday “sends a strong signal of Mexico’s determination to do its share in helping the world reduce emissions globally; it stands as an example for countries around the world to follow.”

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RIVIERA NAYARIT’S TOURISM IS GOING “ARRIBA ARRIBA"

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The destination reports a significant increase in visitors and tourism revenue for 2014


Riviera Nayarit, Mexico (March 25, 2015) – The Riviera Nayarit Convention & Visitors Bureau reports across-the-board tourism increases in 2014 with visitors drawn to the destination’s beautiful beaches, vibrant culinary scene, luxury resorts and exciting outdoor adventure. The destination welcomed a total of 2,420,221 visitors and experienced a 17 percent increase in air arrivals overall to the region through the Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR); a 4.4 percentage point upswing in hotel occupancy, to 70.1 percent; and an eight percent uptick in tourism revenues, to $1.8 billion.

Riviera Nayarit also saw a 15 percent increase in international travellers in 2014. This included 532,448 U.S. visitors, 11.5 percent more than in 2013; the U.S. market represented 22 percent of the total 2.4 million visitors to Riviera Nayarit in 2014. Canada is the second largest market, representing 19 percent of the total visitors to the destination.

“All of us in the tourism industry in Riviera Nayarit are very excited about the upswing in tourism results in 2014, strong bookings in the first two quarters of 2015 and expansion of our luxury facilities in the years ahead,” said Marc Murphy, Executive Director of the Riviera Nayarit CVB. “We are also very happy with the recent recognition of almost 60 AAA three to five Diamond awards for our superb hotels and restaurants, and confirmation that One & Only Hotels planning to open a new resort in Riviera Nayarit. These successes confirm that Riviera Nayarit is recognized as one of the finest destinations in Mexico and the world.”

As a response to the growing demand of travel to Riviera Nayarit and the rapidly expanding capacity of the destination, airlines are adding new routes into Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR). Southwest Airlines has received approval for flights from Houston to PVR, opening a convenient new way for visitors to enjoy Riviera Nayarit. It is expected that these routes will begin in October 2015. This new route will closely follow the additional new Southwest Airlines route from Santa Ana, California to PVR which will begin on June 7, 2015. In addition, Alaska Airlines has placed an application requesting approval for flights on a new route between Santa Ana, California to PVR which will take flight three times per week. California continues to be a strong market for visitors traveling to Riviera Nayarit.

For more information on Riviera Nayarit, visit www.rivieranayarit.com.

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About Riviera Nayarit
Mexico’s newest destination, Riviera Nayarit, stretches along 192 miles of pristine Pacific coast framed by the majestic Sierra Madre Mountains just ten minutes north of accessible Puerto Vallarta International Airport. The destination extends along the entire coast of the Pacific state of Nayarit including the resorts of Nuevo Vallarta, the historic colonial town of San Blas, exclusive Punta Mita, picturesque fishing villages, miles of serene beaches and spectacular Banderas Bay. Riviera Nayarit offers countless activities, such as: PGA golf courses, luxury spas, whale watching, turtle release, zip lining, surfing, bird watching, international cuisine, and the local artwork from the traditional Huichol tribe. The destination attracts and satisfies vacationers of all tastes and budgets with its wide range of accommodations including chic luxury resorts, eco-tourism boutique hotels and quaint B&B inns. Riviera Nayarit is recognized as a “Virtuoso Preferred Destination.” In 2015, Riviera Nayarit was recognised by Travel Weekly as “Mexico's new holiday destination on the Pacific coast,” by Yahoo! Travel as “Mexico's New Playground” and on Conde Nast Traveller UK 2015 Hot Destinations List. For more information, visit www.RivieraNayarit.com or follow Riviera Nayarit's Social Media Facebook Fan Page, @riv_nayarit and Instagram @rivieranayarit.

CONTACT:
M. SILVER – A Division of Finn Partners
Tel: (212) 715-1600
Delfina Güemes, ext. 6316
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Phillip Novoa, ext. 6330
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International Companies Continue to Invest in Puerto Vallarta

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Puerto Vallarta, one of Mexico’s leading tourism destinations, continues to attract international investors to its shores as tourism arrival continues its steady increase. With six properties opening up in the past 12 months, Puerto Vallarta is already looking into the next group of hotels to open on the shores of the Mexican Pacific Cost jewel.

Earlier this month the AAA Four Diamond Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta officially opened its doors making it the sixth property to open in Puerto Vallarta in the past 12 months. Puerto Vallarta is already looking at the next group of properties to open in 2015 with the Posada’s Group already building a new Fiesta Americana property, complete with what looks to be a sizable convention center. New construction in other properties are also scheduled to take place during the summer months when Puerto Vallarta’s properties tend to take on larger reconstruction properties.

Construction has been going strong in Puerto Vallarta as tourism arrivals has steadily been increasing since 2008 and 2015 seems to be on its way to surpass 2014’s 1.5 million arrivals. Hotel occupancy has been between 85% and 100% for the past 8 consecutive months.

Cruise ship arrivals are also up with 145 cruises expected this year. New flights for the season included Alaska Airlines’ Portland, OR to Puerto Vallarta and both South West and Alaska Airlines have applied for DOT approval to serve Puerto Vallarta nonstop from Orange County’s John Wayne Airport.

As one of Mexico’s leading tourism destinations, Puerto Vallarta has remained attractive to international companies because of its diverse tourism offers for their clients and the authentic Mexican feeling only an almost century-old city can provide. The destination’s commitment to ensure the safety and security of its visitors has also been a big draw. The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board, the city of Puerto Vallarta and the CVB have been working on a number of new initiatives including an award-winning collaborative plan that looks for continuous work between government agencies and the private sector to enhance tourism safety measures employed by local police, private security officers, as well as hotel staff and transportation providers. New trainings and certifications for meeting planners, taxi drivers and DMC’s have been put in place in recent months. In addition, the CVB is also heading new initiatives to enhance the beauty of the city’s downtown and include LED lighting and maintenance of the many sculptures lining the Malecon.

Puerto Vallarta regularly contracts leading international firms specialized in tourism security to conduct an assessment of our city and its many attractions and services. Assessments completed in 2011 and 2012 by Thomas Dale & Associates, and in 2014 by Tourism & More found that Puerto Vallarta continues to offer a safe and friendly small-town feeling for both its visitors and local residents.

Thomas Dale and Associates found that Puerto Vallarta is safer than Anaheim, CA and Tourism & More reported, that Puerto Vallarta provides its visitors, locals and expat populations a safe setting where people feel comfortable walking around town without perceived threat or fear. Puerto Vallarta is a place where store-fronts show their merchandise without need for much security and where many residents feel comfortable leaving their doors unlocked.

With the support of the México Secretary of Tourism, Kroll Advisory Solutions, an international consulting firm specialized in security issues, will be conducting an extensive training program aimed to promote tourism safety by strengthening public-private partnerships in tourism, and emphasizing prevention. This tourism safety course, which will take place in Puerto Vallarta throughout the month of March, offers a methodology supported and recognized by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nation

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