MEXICAN CARIBBEAN SPECIAL REPORT

Why Hold an
Event in the
Mexican Caribbean?
BY MARIA LENHART41 MPIMEXICAN CARIBBEAN SPECIAL REPORTThe reasons are many.

This multi-faceted region hugging the eastern side of theYucatan Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo is endowedwith all the elements that make for a world-class MICE destination. There’s convenient international air access, state-ofthe-art hotels and venues, rich cultural heritage and a stunning tropical landscape replete with white-sand beaches,
jungle foliage and coral reefs beneath a turquoise sea. With
destinations ranging from the sophisticated resort meccasof Cancun and Riviera Maya to secluded islands and timelesstowns with intact Mayan roots, there’s something to fulfill almost any meeting
objective.
Getting to the Mexican Caribbean, which offers three airports (Cancun,Cozumel and Chetumal) with 116 direct flights from cities around the world,
is easy, often just a few hours from the U.S. Cancun International Airport, theregion’s main air hub and the second largest in Mexico, offers air connectivity
with nearly 40 cities across the U.S. and Canada as well as with major gateways
in Europe and Latin America. Cozumel International Airport offers connections
to 10 cities in the U.S. and Canada, while Chetumal Airport offers service fromwithin Mexico.

42 MPIMEXICAN CARIBBEAN SPECIAL REPORTOn the ground, a diverse andtop-quality range of hotel accommodations, venues and support services
are equipped to handle everythingfrom international conventions
to luxury incentive programs andboard retreats. In total, the Mexican
Caribbean offers over 130 hotels with
1,677,450 square feet of meetingspace. All-inclusive resorts as well asEuropean Plan properties are in themix.
In terms of technology and services, the Mexican Caribbean is on
par with other major meetings destinations around the world, offering
access to top-quality DMCs, corporate event planners, audiovisual,transportation, customs services,
catering, simultaneous translationand more. Organizers of international
congresses and exhibitions will findzero value-added tax (VAT) for theseevents.
Sustainability is a high priority
in the Mexican Caribbean, withhotels, vendors, DMCs and otherevent service providers following
eco-friendly practices to protect thisfragile paradise. Groups who would
like to participate in activities that43 MPI

benefit local communities and theenvironment will find no shortage ofopportunities to do so.
A vibrant gastronomic scene
embraces the hottest international
food trends as well as local specialties reflecting centuries-old culinarytraditions. Equally important, warmand caring Mexican hospitality andcommitment to service add to thequality of the guest experience.
What really sets the Mexican
Caribbean apart, however, are its
abundant and unique opportunities
for outdoor recreation, teambuilding
and ways to form deep and lasting
connections with the culture andnatural environment. Just to namea few, there’s the chance to explore
majestic Mayan archaeological sites
on cliffs above an aqua sea, swim in
the crystal waters of an undergroundriver or cenote, explore flooded
caves and lagoons, snorkel or dive inmarine wonderlands, zipline abovea jungle canopy, connect with local
artists or play a round on some of theworld’s finest fairways.
CancunLocated on a sun-kissed sandbar

between a picturesque lagoon
and the Caribbean Sea, Cancun isa world-renowned destination forleisure travel as well as meetings andevents of all sizes. Its main venue
is the Cancun Convention Center,
which offers 152,847 square feetof meeting and exhibition space ina prime location with spectacular
Caribbean views and a short walkfrom accommodations and restaurants in the city’s hotel zone, Boulevard Kukulcan. Among the large
groups that have recently met at thecenter are the International Association of Pediatric Dentistry, Panamerican Opthalmology Congress andInternational Society of Arthroscopy
Knee Surgery and Orthopedic Sports
Medicine.
Already boasting over 200 hotels
with a total of over 42,000 rooms andnearly 1 million square feet of meeting space, Cancun’s hotel inventory
continues to grow with international
brands. New and upcoming properties with large meeting facilities
include the Grand Fiesta Americana
Riviera Cancun, Live Aqua Beach
Resort Riviera Cancun, Grand HyattCancun Beach Resort, Waldorf Astoria

MEXICAN CARIBBEAN SPECIAL REPORT

Costa Mujeres
Just north of Cancun and a halfhour from the Cancun International
Airport, Costa Mujeres is the Mexican
Caribbean’s newest tourist spot, ideal
44 MPIfor small groups seeking a relaxing
atmosphere in an exquisite setting ofmangroves, lush vegetation and pristine beaches. Accommodations are in
11 exclusive luxury hotels, offering a
total of 90,269 square feet of meeting
space as well as fine dining, spas,
wellness centers and other upscaleamenities.
Attendees will also find the Greg
Norman-designed Playa Mujeres Golf

international and national events,
there are over 50 group-friendly
hotels, ranging from beachfront all-inclusive resorts to boutique hotels andsecluded lodges, offering a total of342,954 square feet of meeting space.
Recently opened or upcoming hotels
include the Riviera Maya EDITION, St.
Regis Kanai Resort Riviera Maya, Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya and Conrad
Tulum Riviera Maya.

Club, beachside seafood restaurants
at Puerto Juarez and the peaceful
Isla Blanca, a favorite spot for kitesurfing. At the El Meco archaeological site, there are spectacular viewsof the coast from its main structure,
El Castillo.

At the heart of Riviera Maya is
Playa del Carmen, a lively resort town
where a five-mile-long pedestrian
walkway called Fifth Avenue is linedwith art galleries, specialty shops,boutique hotels, restaurants andclubs. Another major town is Tulum,
most famous for its stunning archaeological site where the vestiges of a
Mayan city of over 60 structures are
spread over cliffs above the Caribbean Sea. Elsewhere in Tulum groups
will find a top-quality culinary scenethat has drawn chefs from aroundthe world and an expanding choiceof event-friendly hotels and resorts.
While the Riviera Maya offers

RIO SECRETO

Cancun and Wyndham Altra Cancun
All-Inclusive Resort.
With both an urban vibe andnearby access to outdoor adventures, Cancun shines with a wide
variety of options for offsite events,teambuilding and activities that
attendees can enjoy during free timeor on extended stays before or after
the meeting. Within the hotel zonegroups will find an array of dining
choices, nightspots, attractions
and shopping malls such as La Isla
Shopping Village with its hundredsof specialty stores, restaurants andtheaters. The hotel zone also offers
an introduction to Mayan history at
the Maya Museum of Cancun.
Cancun’s wide sandy beaches
that beckon just beyond the hotel
rooms are a prime draw for visitors
as are water activities. A unique
option is the Underwater Museum ofArt (MUSA) where snorkelers, scuba
divers and passengers on glass-bottom boats can view over 450 life-size
statues set along the ocean floor. Fora more adrenaline-pumping experience, there are speedboat tours
through the channels of mangroveson the Nichupte Lagoon. Also
popular are boat excursions to Isla
Mujeres, a delightful car-free island
where visitors ride golf carts to enjoy
some of the region’s most beautiful
beaches and a temple devoted toIxchel, the Mayan goddess of themoon.
Cancun is also a golfer’s paradisewith seven golf courses designed
by such luminaries as Greg Norman,
Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and Jack
Nicklaus—all featuring spectacularsettings amid mangroves and viewsof the sea and lagoons.

Riviera Maya
South of Cancun on an 80-mile
stretch of coastline from Puerto
Morelos to Tulum, Riviera Maya draws
meeting groups with its blend of luxury resorts, abundant teambuilding
opportunities, outdoor adventures,
natural wonders, dining and archaeological sites. Equipped to handle large

MEXICAN CARIBBEAN SPECIAL REPORTCozumel
The largest island in the Mexican
Caribbean and a renowned diving
spot, Cozumel features an impressive array of hotels and venues forsmall and mid-sized meetings. Theseinclude a convention center accommodating up to 1,279 attendees
and 15 hotels with a total of 38,617
square feet of meeting space. Itsinternational airport offers service
from Mexico City, Toronto, Chicago,Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia andother North American cities. Theisland is also accessible by ferry fromPlaya del Carmen.
With its abundant wildlife andnatural areas, Cozumel offers avariety of immersive experiences formeeting attendees, including thechance to snorkel with manta raysor visit a turtle camp to help releaseendangered sea turtles back into theocean. Wildlife, including crocodiles
and some 224 bird species, can beobserved on a swamp boat excursion
at Punta Sur Park. Mayan history andheritage abound in Cozumel, wheresites include San Gervasio, an important place for pilgrimage and tradingin ancient times.
Grand Costa Maya
Located in the southern part of theregion near the Belize border, Grand
45 MPI

Costa Maya is one of the Mexican
Caribbean’s hidden gems. Chetumal,
gateway to the region as well as
the state capital of Quintana Roo,
offers group-friendly hotels and theChetumal International Business andConvention Center, a stunning modern facility with a Mayan-inspired
design that accommodates eventsfor up to 2,400 people with a total of
36,597 square feet of meeting space.
The city’s waterfront Boulevard Bahia
is a prime spot for enjoying sunsets,marine reserve that is part of theworld’s second largest barrier reef, anunderwater wonderland of tropicalfish, turtles and sunken Spanish andEnglish galleons dating back to the16th century. Bacalar, designatedone of Mexico’s “Magic Towns,” offers
Spanish colonial history, charming
boutique hotels and the Lagoon of
the Seven Colors, a spectacular setting for kayaking, boat rides, swimming and snorkeling.
As its name suggests, some of

Mexican street foods like crispy
crepes called marquesitas and live
entertainment.
A four-hour drive from Cancun,
Chetumal can also be reached by
air from Cancun, Mexico City andGuadalajara.
Chetumal and its surroundings
provide myriad ways to enjoy marine
sanctuaries, jungle preserves, Mayan
culture and leisure activities thateven include casino gaming in
the nearby Commercial Free Zone
in Belize. Mahahual, a cruise port
and diving mecca, is situated on a

Grand Costa Maya’s most fascinating sites are those left behind by
the Maya, including Chacchobén,Oxtankah, Dzibanché, Kinichná andKohunlich, the latter with its Templeof the Masks, a 4th-century pyramidwith stairways lined with carved
stone masks. nBARCELÓ RIVIERA MAYA

some of the best beaches and golfcourses to be found anywhere, its
opportunities for outdoor adventures, including snorkeling and swimming in more than 2,500 cenotes
and flooded caves, are truly unique.
Group-friendly adventure parks offer
hiking, ATV drives through the jungle, ziplining, rafting and much more.
Among the region’s most wondrous
natural areas is the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, over 600,000 acresof protected lands for tropical plants
and wildlife, including the rare andelusive jaguar.

CONTACT
Rocio González Jonguitud
Meetings Director
rocio.gonzalez@cptq.mx
LinkedIn: Rocio González Joguitud
Website: mexicancaribbean.travel