On December 21, the Mayan calendar will come to
the end of its long cycle - and, according to some folks, so
will the world. But in Cancun, the hospitality community is
planning for a long calendar beyond that date, filled with
meetings and events coming to the northeastern Mexican
destination.
With 145 hotels (80 percent of which are five-star) and more
than 34,000 hotel rooms to choose from, easy accessibility via
Cancun International Airport, and more than 700,000 square feet
of meeting space, all the elements are in place for a
successful meeting in Cancun.
"Cancun attracts more than 3 million tourists a year, of which
600,000 are groups," says Fernando Cervantes, groups and
conventions director, Cancun Convention & Visitors Bureau.
After a deluge of bad press, Cancun and the Mexico Tourism
Board have done an impressive job educating the media as well
as consumers about the fact that much of the reported drug
violence in Mexico is 6,000 miles away from the city. That's
the distance between California and Florida, Cervantes points
out.
It's hard to believe that decades ago, Cancun was a deserted
stretch of beach. The Cancun Project, approved in 1969, called
for the creation of a tourism zone and an international
airport.
"Cancun is a destination that understands the tourism industry.
It is so customer-oriented and focused on giving its customers
a great experience," says Hannah Greenberg, CMP, director of
conference services for Cherry Hill, NJ-based Meeting
Mavericks, a full-service meeting planning company. "The hotels
in Cancun run the gamut. Some are luxurious to the point of
fantasy. When using one of these properties, I know my
attendees are going to be catered to and pampered, that they
are going to feel special. In turn, I don't have to spend any
time dealing with complaints or playing interference."
Good Value
Many groups are attracted to Cancun because of price. More than
70 percent of its properties are all-inclusive or offer a meal
plan, according to Andy Ortiz, president-owner of Global
Incentive Management DMC for Mexico and Punta Cana; past
president of the MPI Mexico chapter; and president of Mexico
Showcase. Many hotels that previously offered just a European
plan are changing suit, becoming all-inclusive as this pricing
structure becomes increasingly popular.
Cancun offers a good value, says Jim Rye, president of RYMARK
International, an Orlando, FL-based planning and event
management company.
"The upscale all-inclusive properties are great for incentives
since they make it easy to control budgets and the attendees
get an all-expense-paid trip. The airlift is now very good and
prices are reasonable," says Rye.
Many planners like that all-inclusives simplify meetings not
just from a budgetary standpoint but from a strategic one as
well. The planner knows exactly what the program will cost
going in. It's also reassuring to know that your attendees can
get a snack or drink when they want one without digging into
their pockets.
Accessibility
But it's not just the value factor that has Rye impressed.
"Cancun has developed a solid infrastructure for events. The
airport, ground transportation companies, scope of tours and
activities, golf and destination management companies are
geared toward the group market. I also like to utilize the
services of the Cancun CVB," he says. "An added attraction is
the cultural and historical aspect of the area, not usually an
option in other sun-and-fun destinations."
This is a unique year for groups to get a taste of the area's
Mayan culture. Cancun is celebrating the Year of the Maya, as
it recognizes the end of the Mayan calendar. A popular group
excursion is to the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, of which the
towering El Castillo Pyramid is the centerpiece.
Many of the meetings Greenberg has planned in Cancun have been
for pharm-aceudical companies and have included long days of
study.
"When I arrange for them to go out, I look for truly unique
activities, and that's not a problem in Cancun," she says. "I
have arranged tours to nearby archaeological sites including
Tulum, Coba, and Chichen Itza, and had an amazing closing night
dinner at Xcaret."
Xcaret Ecological Park Cancun, built around the site of an
ancient well where the Mayans performed purification rituals,
is a renowned archaeological park featuring a nighttime show
with more than 300 actors that highlights the history of Mexico
with music, colorful costumes, and dancing. During the day,
there is a 72-degree subterranean river, natural whirlpool
baths, a botanical garden, and butterfly pavilion, and an area
where you can swim with dolphins.
Hotels
The Cancun Convention Center, with 78,533 square feet of
exhibition space and 75,571 square feet of conference space, is
opening a 177-room hotel on site. Although the brand hasn't
been announced, it is scheduled to open the end of 2012 or the
beginning of 2013.
In other hotel news, Oasis Hotels & Resorts opened the Sens
Del Mar resort in December. The property, formerly known as the
Grand Oasis Playa, had been closed since last March for a
$7-million renovation of its guest rooms and the addition of
club suites with private check-in and concierge services.
The Sens Del Mar is an adults-only, all-inclusive resort and is
one of the seven all-inclusive Oasis Hotels & Resorts in
Cancun. An interesting new amenity is the complimentary use of
Smart Cars during a resort guest's stay.
The Iberostar Cancun reopened in February after being closed in
August 2011 for a $100-million renovation. There are 426 rooms
and villas, including 16 junior suites and four master suites,
a presidential suite, and two beach suite villas, seven
swimming pools, a professional soccer field, two tennis courts,
and a spa.
Iberostar Cancun also features a 49,000-square-foot convention
center with a versatile layout that is divisible into 22
meeting rooms and offers 60,000 square feet of outdoor event
space. There is also an 18-hole golf course with stunning views
of the Caribbean Sea.
In May, Riu opened the Riu Palace Peninsula Hotel. The
all-inclusive beachfront property is Riu's fourth in Cancun,
joining the Riu Cancun, Riu Caribe, and Riu Palace Las
Americas. The hotel's architecture is modern and contemporary
and it has 562 rooms, distributed throughout a main building
and 48 villas.
A unique attraction of the hotel is connected to Mexico's
cultural roots. On the grounds, there is an archaeological sit
of Mayan ruins called Ta'acul, meaning "that which remains
hidden." This cultural treasure was recently excavated by the
National Institute of Anthropology and History with funding
provided by Riu, which is also responsible for the maintenance
of the site.
In June, Riu also reopened the 506-room Riu Cancun after an
extensive renovation. Also all-inclusive, this property is
located on the seafront next to the Riu Palace Peninsula.