Riviera Nayarit: The Latest Mexico Hot Spot
May 28, 2007 By: Joe Pike Travel AgentThe new region offers agents fresh selling points for Mexico
With the emergence of Riviera Nayarit, Mexico's newest tourism region, agents have some more options in selling Mexico to clients. Agents can sell the destination by itself or book it as a detour to the already popular Puerto Vallarta. 
Riviera Nayarit spans more than 100 miles of coastline and
beaches, traditional coastal towns and villages and beachfront luxury resort
areas, sheltered by the towering
and is located just minutes north of
Vallarta
Among its major attractions are Banderas Bay, one of the
largest bays in the world and home to the most developed area of Nuevo
Vallarta; the popular coastal village of San Blas; the exclusive Punta Mita
luxury resort and residential area; a rich cultural tradition with pre-Hispanic
and pre-Columbian history; and abundant and exotic species of protected
wildlife, including sea turtles, humpback whales and tropical birds.
Average annual temperatures are in the 80s in Riviera
Nayarit. It offers beach relaxation, soft adventure, outdoor recreation, water
sports, cultural exploration, dining and eco-tourism.
Where to Stay
The top hotels and resorts in Riviera Nayarit are the Four Seasons Resorts—Punta
Mita; Grand Velas All Suites
& SPA Resort—Nuevo Vallarta and the Marival
Resort & Suites—Nuevo Vallarta.
Also, the ultra-luxurious
Regis Resort and Residences will open in Punta Mita by the end of this year. It
will feature 120 guest rooms each with its own outside shower, and about 65
luxury villas for both fractional and whole ownership.
Overall, Riviera Nayarit offers nearly 13,000 hotel rooms in
just about every style and price category. Almost all of the available hotel
accommodations can be found in the
numerous beaches, water sports and fishing. More than 8,000 rooms here are in
the four-star to grand luxury categories.
For information about best rooms and commission at Grand Velas All Suites & SPA Resort—Nuevo Vallarta, contact Margarita Guitron Mendoza, group and conventions manager, at 011 52 322 226 8000 or grupos@grandvelas.com. For the same information at Marival Resort & Suites, agents should contact Bea Barbero, director of sales, at 011 52 322 22 68200, ext. 4466 or ventas@clubmarival.com.
For the Four Seasons Resorts–Punta Mita, agents should call Ann Armstrong, director of marketing, at 011 52 329 291 6013 or write to ann.armstrong@fourseasons.com.
The Future is Bright
Riviera Nayarit is in the beginning stages of a major
tourism development. Between 2005 and 2007, the government has invested $1.5
billion in tourism facilities and infrastructure. Of the 20 projects currently
in development, 15 percent of the investment is from the
projects in progress is a major new resort area called Litibú, a high-end
development featuring boutique hotels, a marina, heliport, shopping centers and
golf courses. In fact, a Greg Norman golf course will be inaugurated there in
December.
Increase in hotel capacity is a major component of the
growth program. The estimated number of rooms in
by 2010 will be 11,000, which is up from its current number of 8,000.
Also, in the next four years, Litibú is expected to have
3,800 rooms, Punta Mita will have 1,000 and Nuevo Vallarta and Flamingos will
have 2,000.
How to Get There
Riviera Nayarit is located in the state of Nayarit on
north of the
International Airport (PVR) is the nearest commercial air service to
Nayarit—only 15 minutes south of Nuevo Vallarta and 40 minutes from Punta Mita.
Some carriers serving the destination include Aero
California, Aero Mexico, Air
Alaska Airlines, America West, American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Mexicana,
United Airlines and US Airways.
Culture of Nayarit
Nayarit's cultural heritage encompasses four separate ethnic
groups: Huicholes, Coras, Tepehuanos, and Mexicaneros. This heritage has led to
a destination rich in culinary traditions reflected in a wide variety of
restaurants as well as popular cultural events and festivals, folklore and, of
special importance to visitors, shopping for traditional handicrafts and art.
Hot Spots
There are more than 10 popular spots to visit in Riviera
Nayarit that cover everything from fishing to eco-tourism to food and golf, but
here are just a few:
In Nuevo Vallarta, which is just north of Puerto Vallarta on
the southern edge of Riviera Nayarit, clients can find ample golfing
opportunities, as well as large and small hotels, shopping, dolphin parks, a
water park, a marina and some of the longest and widest beaches in the region.
Flamingos, an area of luxury hotels and condominiums
centered around the famous "Flamingoes" golf course designed by Percy
Clifford, is another golf haven.
For the seafood lover, there's Bucerías, a small fishing
town that has grown into a popular spot for dining and shopping near the
resorts of Nuevo Vallarta. In January it is the setting for a popular annual
festival celebrating the "Virgen de la Paz" which includes the
blessing of the fishing fleet.
Contest for Agents
To garner North American interest in the destination,
Riviera Nayarit will kick off an online contest called "Treasures"
for agents and the traveling public to use their creativity to name Riviera
Nayarit's attractions. The most creative entrants can win a trip to be the
first to experience the wonders of Riviera Nayarit. Visit www.visitrivieranayarit.com
for details.
Spa Options
All three recommended resorts have some of the best spas in
the regions. Grand Velas Spa at the Grand Velas All Suites & SPA Resort
features health and wellness amenities including a guided hydrotherapy ritual
with an herbal steam and eucalyptus inhalation.
The Spa offers 20 treatment rooms with more than 80 spa
options, such as massage therapy, body scrubs, hand and foot care, peels and
body wraps, in addition to day spa rituals. The Grand Velas Spa also offers a
Swiss shower, pressure shower, sauna, whirlpool, cold plunge lagoon and hydro
reflexology area. Guests can enhance their spa session with an assortment of
herbal teas or a refreshing chlorophyll drink.
Apuane Spa at Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita feature
treatments that only use all-natural products. In addition to its numerous
existing spa treatments. Apuane is also featuring new treatments like the
"Hakali Signature Massage," named after the Huichol word for cactus.
The massage uses two of
most ancient ingredients, "Nopal," an extract from the young stem
segments of prickly pear, and "Pulque," from the maguey plant, to
relax, detoxify and rejuvenate the skin's appearance. Marival Resort &
Suites Spa & Beauty Salon has treatments and services that include the
"Hot Stone Massage" for chronic pain in the back and neck;
"Lymphatic Drainage Massage," a soft gentle massage that eliminates
toxins by draining lymphatic tissues; and the "Temaztac Mud Treatment
Hydration," which is intended to relax and hydrate the skin with extracts,
vanillas and essential oils.
Operators
Some major tour operators participating with Riviera Nayarit
include Funjet Vacations and Apple Vacations. Apple Vacations offers agents a
base 10 percent commission if the booking is made online and 8 percent if the
booking is made on the phone. Contact Senior Product Manager Bill Kliot at
847-631-2449 for more information. Funjet Vacations offers commissions to
travel agents of up to 15 percent. Travel agents can speak to trained
reservationists when they call Funjet Vacations at 800-558-3050. Also, a formal
agreement by GOGO Worldwide Vacations President Michelle Kassner and Ney
Gonzalez Sanchez, governor of the state of Nayarit, was made on March 12. The
purpose was to establish consistent activities by both parties to strengthen
the promotion of tourist attractions and services of Riviera Nayarit,
marketing and education campaign has been developed in support of these
efforts. To book your client's next vacation to Riviera Nayarit, contact your
local GOGO Worldwide Vacations branch office, or book through your GDS or
online at www.gogowwv.com.
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