Bringing more conventions to Ixtapa is a key strategy for the destination, according to C.P. Higinio de Leon de Wit, general manager, Las Brisas Ixtapa, and past president of the Hotel Association of Ixtapa, relying on such anchor hotels as the Melia Azul Ixtapa (solmelia.com), whose 2,400-capacity facility is the largest hotel convention center in the Mexican Pacific; the NH Krystal (nh-hotels.com); and Las Brisas Ixtapa (brisas.com), whose newly enlarged ballroom can accommodate1,500 people.

If your meeting is based in Ixtapa, make sure attendees plan ample time in “Z,” which is set around sheltered and picturesque Zihuatanejo Bay, 1.8 miles wide and plied by some 60 cruise ships a year. The town has charm and authenticity, notwithstanding an ongoing construction boom that has resulted in gorgeous hotels, condominiums and private homes being built into the cliffs with broad vistas of the bay. Upscale small hotels like La Casa Que Canta (lacasaquecanta.com) and Amuleto (amuleto.net) perch in the cliffs, while Villa del Sol (hotelvilladelsol), for decades Z’s only high-end hotel, maintains its privileged location on La Ropa, Z’s best beach.

Picante (picantecruises.com), a sleek, 75-foot sailing catamaran, can be chartered for a sunset cruise or a half-day snorkel sail to Playa Manzanillo, an isolated beach accessible only by boat. Incentive or team-building programs might consider a dolphin encounter at Dolphinarium Delfiniti (delfiniti.com) or an excursion to the nearby town of Barra de Potosi for a kayak trip on a serene lagoon rich with birdlife.

Getting There

Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa International Airport (ZIH) is 15 minutes from Zihuatanejo, 20-25 minutes from Ixtapa. Served by: Aeroméxico, Alaska, America West, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta, Frontier and Mexicana.

Not To Be Missed

Ballet Folklorico’s outdoor spectacular at Melia Azul Ixtapa.
Kayak the serene lagoon at Barra de Potosi for incredible bird watching.
Enjoy a dolphin encounter at Dophinarium Delfiniti.
Snorkel cruise to Playa Manzanillo.
Visit various beaches, especially La Ropa and Las Gatas, both on Zihuatanejo Bay.
Walk, bike or skate the cycling track at ecological Parque Aztlan.