Smart Meetings

The Gulf of Mexico washes the north and west shoreline of the Yucatan, the 43,600-square-mile peninsula that also includes parts of Belize and Guatemala. While Cancun draws the lion’s share of visitors and renown, it’s the peninsula’s overall rich and alluring diversity that makes the resort more than just another beautiful beach. Within the boundaries of its three Mexican states—Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo—are found some of the world’s most remarkable ecological and archeological sites, not to mention that offshore lies the world’s second-largest barrier reef.

Here, meeting attendees can scuba dive or dive into Mayan history at sites like Tulum, Coba, Chichen Itza or Uxmal. They can explore the shimmer of the elegant white colonial city of Merida or marvel at hundreds of pink flamingos at nearby Celestun Lagoon. Then there’s the delicious ease of simply luxuriating in the sea or the spas, and savoring the sunsets from Cancun south to the fascinating and fast-developing Riviera Maya. Wherever you decide to meet, you’ll find that the possibilities for excursions, unique venues and pre- and post- trips are virtually open-ended, limited especially here only by time and resources. Meeting professionals surveyed agree it’s the region’s great airlift and multitude of products—including the availability of four- and five-star hotels, with most major chains represented—that appeals. However, it’s the highly sophisticated infrastructure and support staff that make this part of Mexico a destination of choice.

The Yucatan is Mexico’s most visited region, serviced by international airports in Cancun, Cozumel, Chetumal and Merida, as well as an ever-increasing number of cruise ships. Cancun attracted 3.5 million visitors in 2005, generating a third of the country’s tourist dollars, or about 15 percent of Mexico’s net gross income. Some 800,000 passengers per month in high season pass through Cancun International Airport—Mexico’s second largest, with 170 direct or connecting flights daily. Two renovation projects, detailed in the News section, will better serve the increasing numbers.

When Hurricane Wilma hit the Caribbean last October, it wreaked large-scale havoc and destruction, especially in Cancun and on Cozumel, Mexico’s largest inhabited island. The Riviera Maya fared far better. Remarkably, nearly all of Cancun’s 27,822 hotel rooms have been fully restored and are operating in normal fashion. Further, most restaurants, discos, marinas and other attractions in downtown Cancun and along the hotel zone are open as well.

The beach itself, centerpiece of the resort, is back to its powdery perfection, following a $20.33-million beach recovery project in April, which literally returned sand to 12 miles of the coastline. New gardens and walkways for the hotel strip’s new park have sprouted as part of post-Wilma beautification.

Overall, Cancun’s state-of-the-art infrastructure has been taken to a new level, as hotels turned disaster to opportunity, choosing to pour significant investment into upgrades rather than simply make repairs. For meeting professionals, prepare for expectations to be exceeded in 2007.

CANCUN
Cancun (gocancun.com), known as Mexico’s premier beach destination for meetings, groups and conventions, delivers the country’s largest selection of facilities tailor-made for such events. Its largest, the 154,000-square-foot Cancun Center (cancuncenter.com), is located in the heart of the Hotel Zone, within walking distance of more than 4,000 hotel rooms. The center, which accommodates 8,000 people, has 13 meeting rooms that can be divided into 37 breakout rooms, yielding a total of 75,350 sq. ft. of meeting space. Additionally, the center offers 77,900 sq. ft. of exhibition space, divided between two levels.

More than 20 of the city’s hotels, in turn, offer a combined 365,000 sq. ft. of space in 160 halls that can serve up to 50,000 participants. Videoconferencing, state-of-the-art audiovisual systems, simultaneous translators, press rooms, integrated lighting and sound services, as well as professional event planners, are available at most facilities.

One such facility, the Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancún (see the hotel listings on pg. 74 for further details), now offers four new halls that are capable of holding up to 1,150 people. Its sister property, the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Cancún, has more than 85,000 sq. ft. of function and meeting space, including 25 conference rooms, a business center and a 17,299-square-foot ballroom.

With more than 12,700 sq. ft. of meeting space, Le Meridien Cancún Resort and Spa also features a brand new ballroom, the Martiniere, which can be converted into five individual rooms. Meanwhile, meeting rooms at the Moon Palace can accommodate groups ranging from 20 to 3,600 people and can provide pre-function areas consisting of junior ballrooms, breakout rooms, a hi-tech board-of-directors room and a business center, all on one floor.

The 426-room Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort is Cancun’s only resort with an 18-hole, par-72 championship golf course. The property emerged from a $40-million renovation with a new state-of-the-art fitness center, upgraded meeting space, and new landscaping with 84 new poolside and beach palapas (grass-covered huts). And, a new, translucent blue dome caps the top of the hotel’s pyramid structure.

The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun a AAA Five-Diamond oceanfront hotel, reopened with the upgraded full-service Kayanta Spa. There’s also a new sporting facility, the Cliff Drysdale Tennis Center, and notably, the new $250,000 Culinary Center outfitted with Viking equipment. This will be the setting for celebrated chefs to conduct interactive, themed cooking classes, very much in demand now.

Marriott International celebrated the reopening of the 448-room JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa and the 452-room CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort in late September following the redesign of the pool area and an upgrading of rooms that includes new 32-inch flat-screen TVs and Marriott’s new signature bedding.

COZUMEL
Located 11 miles off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, the Mexican Caribbean’s largest island has been enjoying a healthy and thriving comeback as a favorite Caribbean port-of-call. Most cruise-ship itineraries to Cozumel resumed shortly after Hurricane Wilma passed. And there are now daily direct flights from Houston, Dallas, Charlotte and Philadelphia, as well as numerous charters serving the Cozumel International Airport. Clearly, the efforts of reconstruction and progress of the island’s infrastructure have paid off: Cozumel received 2.5 million visitors in 2005, and port authorities reported receiving 1.3 million passengers as of July 2006.

Water sports dominate the scene in Cozumel (www.islacozumel.com.mx) with scuba diving drawing about 80,000 of the island’s annual visitors to its 20-plus miles of reefs. Both the water visibility to 200 feet and the more than 200 species of tropical fish are an irresistible combination. It’s a popular day-trip option for diving enthusiasts; the ferry from Playa del Carmen on the Riviera Maya takes 45 minutes.

The Cozumel Convention Center, offering 17,115 sq. ft. of meeting space, combined with more than 3,000 rooms at international standards, enables the island to serve as a venue for meetings and events. The reopening of the 220-room Presidente InterContinental Cozumel Resort & Spa, following a $25-million renovation, gives Cozumel its first five-star luxury resort. New facilities include an additional pool, restaurants and a scuba certification training center, as well as redesigned rooms and suites, furnished with state-of-the art amenities like plasma televisions. The hotel has reduced its room inventory to 220, creating an additional category of deluxe ocean suites.

RIVIERA MAYA
The well-paved Highway 307 snakes through this region of beaches and jungle, pyramids and fishing villages, opening up a world of cultural and eco-adventure to visitors, along with incredible natural beauty. A growing and increasingly luxurious resort infrastructure is changing the face of the Riviera Maya (rivieramaya.com), and making it an attractive destination for meeting professionals.

The region begins just 11 miles south of Cancun International Airport at Puerto Morelos, a fishing community with spectacular diving. Recently extended, the southern border of Riviera Maya now ends at Felipe Carrillo Puerto, covering some 100 miles of coastal splendor, including communities like Akumal, Puerto Aventuras and Playa del Carmen, along with ancient Mayan citadels like Tulum and Coba.

The Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Mexico’s largest protected areas, comprises 2,500 unspoiled square miles of wetlands, tropical forest and unexcavated Maya ruins. Birdwatchers and kayakers, on guided tours, can explore some of North America’s last untouched coastline. The reserve’s network of freshwater canals, along with lagoons, inlets and cenotes (the sinkholes or underground freshwater caves that are characteristic of the Yucatan Peninsula) are fascinating.

Playa del Carmen, once a quaint fishing village, is now the Riviera Maya’s capital and a city experiencing the highest urban growth in Mexico. Yet, Playa hasn’t lost its charm, and visitors in search of luxury shopping, dining and nightlife mix on Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue, a dirt road turned pedestrian mall. The nearby resort area of Playacar offers upscale accommodations and several all-inclusive hotels. Playa is also the point of departure for the 45-minute ferry trip to Cozumel.

Lisa Cherry-Perks, vice president and partner in The Opus Group, a meetings- and event-planning company, said the area lends itself well to dine-around events, which can kick off with a reception at Playacar Palace. Clients then dine at a variety of restaurants, discovering the local culture and cuisine on their own terms.

The Riviera Maya is itself in the throes of a full-scale building boom, with 27,000 rooms now, at least 5,000 more to come online in the next two years, and many more to follow in this fast-developing region. The newest destination—and one drawing a huge amount of interest—is Mayakoba, where five luxury properties with every requisite amenity will be connected by a series of freshwater lagoons and canals. Guests will use a network of trails or take lanchas (covered boats) to explore the area, carved out of the tropical forest and utilizing the underwater rivers that flow beneath the Yucatan’s porous limestone surface.

The 401-room Fairmont Mayakoba, flagship of the development, opened in April. Mexico’s first Greg Norman championship golf course, the 18-hole El Camaleón, will be managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, offering terrain from mangroves to the sea. The Mayan Classic, Mexico’s first PGA event, will take place in February 2007.

Viceroy Resorts and Residences, a residential resort, will debut at Mayakoba in fall 2007. Future developments are coming from Laguna Kai by Rosewood, Singapore-based Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, and La Casa Que Canta, the dazzling hotel built into the cliffs of Zihuatanejo that has earned much acclaim on Mexico’s Pacific coast.

Mexico’s first Mandarin Oriental hotel will open in early 2007 with 128 villas winding along waterways and paths. This will be another top-of-the-line property, separate from but adjacent to the Mayakoba project. In fact, according to Cherry-Perks, whose company recently held an event at the new Fairmont Mayakoba, “The Riviera Maya is reaching ever higher levels of luxury, with major investment by hotel companies in the U.S., Spain and beyond. From all-inclusive resorts, many have changed to room-only and are commanding much higher rates. This is helping Cancun raise rates accordingly,” she continues, “which for the level of quality you receive, is well worth it.”

Cherry-Perks notes that most Riviera Maya hotels are destination resorts, a fact that allows better control of the program. “In Cancun, where clients can walk to downtown clubs and bars on their own, it’s easier to lose track of attendees.”

With small, dreamy, ultimate hideaways tucked between beach and jungle along the Riviera Maya at properties like Paraiso de la Bonita Resort & Thalasso or Maroma Resort & Spa, an Orient Express Hotel, why ever leave when you’re immersed in such understated luxury. Celebs and power brokers can go incognito at Maroma, which also suits high-end meetings.

“At 64 rooms, Maroma is ideal for executive retreats or corporate buyouts where privacy and exclusivity are important,” says Laura Dominguez Molet, director of sales. In addition to an indoor meeting theater, she says they can transform outdoor spaces into one-of-a-kind custom meeting rooms that embrace the concept of thinking outside the box. “Our corporate clients often comment on how the creativity and productivity of their teams are increased while at Maroma. We believe this is due in part to providing an inspired setting, but also in the service our staff provides, which allows the group to focus on the task at hand, whether it’s the launch of a new product or strategy development.”

With such standout sites as Tulum, a Mayan fortress built by the sea, and Xcaret and Xel-Ha, two eco-archaeological parks that offer wonderful interactive activities, this coastline—so rich in history and culture—is not only magnificent to explore, but offers unique venues for events.

Jose-Manuel Garcia, president, IVI Destination Management, the largest DMC network in the Americas, says Xcaret by night is a dazzler for groups. By day, this natural water park by the sea offers snorkeling in underground rivers and swimming with dolphins. By night, a folkloric show transports spectators through Mexico’s magnificent history.

Garcia’s DMC is committed to giving back to the local community through its Friends of the Maya Foundation. The foundation provides a link between visitors and the Maya communities with the goal of enhancing their environment and living conditions. In early 2005, the first group of volunteers from two Canadian incentive groups donated $62,000 and 10,000 working hours to restore a Mayan public school in Playa del Carmen, just one of many examples of the creative ways events can evolve.

FARTHER AFIELD
Extraordinary pre- and post-event trips can be arranged for attendees who want to deepen their understanding of the Mayan people.

Chichen Itza, one of the Mayan world’s most awe-inspiring sites, is currently a leading contender to become one of The New 7 Wonders of the World (new7wonders.com). Its El Caracol observatory and the El Castillo pyramid embody in stone the brilliance of Mayan astronomical knowledge. Additionally, a sacred cenote and the largest ball court in Mesoamerica are all part of why Chichen Itza is a mind-expanding journey back to pre-Hispanic times and a wonderful inland complement to a coastal stay. A visit can be included as a full-day trip for attendees, or offered as a pre- or post-excursion. Located approximately 150 miles from Cancun, it takes two hours each way via a chartered bus.

Uxmal, farther afield—220 miles from Cancun, to be exact—is considered the architectural masterpiece of the Maya. The best way to explore both sites is with an overnight at one of the four Mayaland Resorts (mayaland.com), which include the Hacienda Uxmal and Hotel Mayaland. Beyond lovely accommodations, an over-night enjoyed at each site offers the visitor both late-afternoon and early-morning hours to explore these citadels. Then the silence, cooler air and soft golden light take the experience to another level. Sound and Light shows dramatically present new dimensions of each site with spotlights on architectural details that might be overlooked by day.

Both sites can be easily explored from Merida, 75 miles from Chichen Itza, 50 from Uxmal and 200 from Cancun. In addition, a trip to Uxmal can be combined with visits to Yucatan’s great convents and old henequen (a plant used to produce fiber) haciendas, some now transformed into luxury hotels. The National Flamingo Park at Celestun and the walled city of Campeche, another colonial gem, are both easily accessible from Merida.

Combining the European colonial legacy with that of the indigenous Mayan people, Merida adds a rich architectural and culinary angle to a Yucatan visit. Meeting facilities include Century 21 Convention and Exposition Center (visitmexico.com), as well as seven hotels, among them a Hyatt Regency and Fiesta Americana.

Bring your group to Mexico’s Yucatan. After all, what other place in the world is not only endowed with glorious beaches, lush natural surroundings and remnants of one of the world’s great civilizations, but also now offers so many totally new and beautifully designed accommodations, meeting facilities with state-of-the art technology and an ever-expanding airlift?

Carol Canter has been writing about Mexico for both national and international publications since her first trip in 1967. She writes with passion about the people and their history, culture, art and architecture, music and food, and returns as often as she can. Her story on Pacific Mexico appeared in Smart Meetings’ October 2006 issue. Back to Top

Getting There

• Cancun International Airport (CUN) is Mexico’s second busiest airport after Mexico City with 21 airlines arriving and departing on domestic and international flights. The airport is located approximately 12 miles from the city and the Hotel Zone, and 11 miles from the start of the Riviera Maya.
• Cozumel International Airport (CZM), two miles north of San Miguel, has daily domestic and international flights, including direct service from Houston on Continental, from Charlotte and Philadelphia on US Airways, and from Dallas on American.
• Merida - Licenciado Manuel Cresencio Rejon International Airport (MID), five miles west of the city, has direct domestic service to other Mexican cities as well as direct flights to Los Angeles and Miami on Mexicana. Back to Top

Not To Be Missed

• A visit to at least one of the Mayan archeological sites: Tulum for its proximity and its setting by the sea, Coba for its silent jungle stillness, Uxmal for the perfection of the carvings, Chichen Itza for the scope and brilliance of what it reveals about the ancient builders.
• A swim in a cenote, an underwater cave.
• Snorkeling or scuba diving amid the world’s second-largest barrier reef.
• A visit to one of the main ecological parks: Xcaret, Xel-Ha and Tres Rios, or the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.
• A traditional Mayan-themed spa treatment.
• A taste of authentic Yucatecan cuisine.
• A ferry trip to an island like Cozumel or Isla Mujeres.
• A visit to a beautiful colonial city like Merida or Campeche. Back to Top

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