So close, yet so far away from it all. That’s the beauty of meeting in Mexico and the Caribbean, where attendees are motivated to meet and happy to gather along the powdery sands of our tropical neighbors to the south.
The convenience of short flights, budget benefits such as all-inclusive resorts and no value-added tax on foreign conventions in Mexico, and ultra-modern meeting infrastructures hosted by professionals who understand U.S. association needs make it easy and economical to organize functions in this region.
los cabos: Better Beach Business
If you’re concerned that Los Cabos (a two-hour flight from Los Angeles at the tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula) isn’t ready to host group functions after the landfall of Hurricane Odile in September 2014, don’t be. In fact, the popular resort destination is fully open with new developments, enhanced resorts and increased airlift from throughout the States.
Within the next two years, planners will have even more additions to choose from as a bevy of new resorts are expected to add 2,000 guest rooms to Los Cabos’ already sizable inventory. The first high-end property expected to make its debut is The Cape, a Thompson Hotel scheduled to open this summer on the Cabo San Lucas oceanfront with views of the iconic El Arco rock formation; plans include 140 guest rooms, a garden terrace and meeting space. Also preparing for its grand opening this year is the 299-room JW Marriott/Puerto Los Cabos, which will feature 38,563 square feet of convention space, a spa and the signature restaurant of celebrity chef Thierry Blouet. Smaller options include a new City Express Plus and City Express Suites, and a Hampton Inn & Suites that is expected to open next month.
Look for more new openings in 2016 including the Hotel Mar Adentro by Encanto, with meeting facilities for conferences and events, three restaurants and a spa; a 196-room Park Hyatt, set along two miles of coastline; an all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel; the 250-room Le Blanc Spa Resort; and the VieVage Los Cabos, an Auberge Resort with guest suites and villas, event lawns, a private theater and dining room.
Many of the Los Cabos favorites have benefited from recent makeovers. In February, the Resort at Pedregal (formerly the Capella Pedregal) reopened after four months of renovations and the addition of the Champagne Terrace, which can host groups of up to 80. The Marquis Los Cabos Resort & Spa reopened in March after touch-ups and offers 10,000 square feet of conference space and oceanfront event space for up to 1,000 people. The Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort & Spa plans to add 90 new guest rooms and a new spa experience by this fall.
Mexico’s Pacific Coast: Picturesque & Productive
The popular resort city of Mazatlán is home to resorts like the Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay Resort & Spa and, for larger conferences, the El Cid Resorts. The Mazatlán International Center attracts conventions with 154,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space. And the year-old, 140-mile Mazatlán-Durango superhighway makes it possible to take a day trip to the colonial city of Durango.
Puerto Vallarta, south along the Pacific coast, is a magnet for meetings thanks to the 161,500-square-foot Puerto Vallarta International Convention Center. The North American Travel Journalists Association is scheduled to host its annual conference in Puerto Vallarta in May, a sold-out event with activities scheduled around the city.
If you’re looking for new choices, the all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta offers swim-up suites and conference space for up to 700 people, including a ballroom and outdoor garden venues. And if you like to be in the center of things, the re-imagined Almar Resort Luxury All Suites & Spa on Los Muertos Beach is surrounded by restaurants, nightspots and boutiques. The hotel includes function space for up to 250 and a seaside restaurant. For golfers, the Vista Vallarta Golf Club offers two championship courses.
North, on the Riviera Nayarit, groups can choose from conference resorts like the Grand Velas/Riviera Nayarit, which recently introduced a new “Share” voluntourism program that gets attendees involved with local community efforts. And the Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta is scheduled to open a 12,900-square-foot convention center this summer.
South of Puerto Vallarta along the Costalegre, the Grand Isla Navidad Resort features a 27-hole signature golf course. Thirty minutes away, in Manzanillo, the Las Hadas Golf Resort & Marina offers newly renovated, Moroccan-themed indoor meeting spaces for up to 375 and private outdoor lagoon space for up to 1,000.
Farther south, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo is home to the Azul Ixtapa Beach Resort & Convention Center, which has a detached convention center and an event terrace for up to 500. The revamped Las Brisas/Ixtapa, popular for its sunset views, has a 10,000-square-foot ballroom.
The Mexican Caribbean: An A-list Agenda
From the International Nanny Association to the American Marketing Association and the International Society of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine, groups love to meet along the sunny shores of Cancún and the Riviera Maya. The region always rises to the occasion
In Cancún, the Cancún Convention Center offers 152,852 square feet of newly renovated space. The Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort draws groups with its new, 140,000-square-foot Moon Palace Arena, boasting space for up to 10,000. The arena was a hit with both the 2014 TBEX North America and 2014 Tianguis Turístico conference delegates. Another option is the Finest Playa Mujeres, which opened in February. The all-inclusive resort offers two-story guest suites with rooftop plunge pools, nine restaurants, golf access to the nearby Greg Norman signature course, children’s activities and boating from a private marina.
Stretching south along 100 miles of white sands and bordered by the Mesoamerican Reef, the Riviera Maya offers a tropical welcome to associations of every taste and budget. At Rosewood Mayakoba, the new La Ceiba Garden & Kitchen is part of its new Sense of Taste programs, combining cooking demonstrations in accordance with Mayan traditions. The 20,000-square-foot outdoor space used for these programs is also ideal for private events.
Attendees who enjoy experiencing local restaurants and nightlife might consider the new Hyatt/Playa del Carmen, an urban beach hotel in the heart of Playa del Carmen. Those who prefer to stay in can benefit from the property’s cenote-like spa and plunge-pool suites. Just north, in Puerto Morelos, the new Royalton/Riviera Cancún opened late last year with the 340-room, adults-only Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancún, a hotel within a hotel.
The Bahamas: Impressive Endeavors
The culturally rich and conveniently close nation of the Bahamas is sizzling with new opportunities. The $3.5 billion Baha Mar resort is expected to open this spring in Nassau with four (soon to be five) luxury hotels, 40 restaurants and 200,000 square feet of convention space. Billed as the “New Riviera,” the complex offers 2,200 guest rooms.
If you’re looking for a smaller yet upscale retreat, the Tiamo Resort on South Andros Island welcomes executive groups with 11 beachfront villas and meeting facilities.
The Dominican Republic: Good for Gathering
A wealth of all-inclusive resorts built for meetings makes the Dominican Republic a top draw for meetings of all sizes. This is especially true along the Punta Cana coast, where the Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa Resort recently underwent a $12 million renovation and expansion, including the addition of seven new food and beverage outlets and a 18,000-square-foot ballroom.
Looking ahead, the Dreams Dominicus La Romana is scheduled to open in October in Bayahibe, on the island’s southeastern coast. Plans include 385 guest rooms and function space.
Jamaica: Timeless Appeal
Meeting-savvy resorts and facilities like the 57,000-square-foot Montego Bay Convention Center make Jamaica a favorite group destination. The Caribbean Travel Marketplace, the Caribbean Cable & Telecommunications Association and the Wire Fabricators Association are just a few of the groups who have met in Jamaica recently.
Montego Bay continues to be the hub for many visiting groups. The 400-acre Half Moon, a RockResort features meeting facilities equipped with videoconferencing capabilities and outdoor spaces ranging from tented pavilions to the Sugar Mill lawn. And the intimate Round Hill Hotel & Villas caters to A-list celebrities and small to mid-sized groups. Among its offerings are team-building yoga classes in a new fitness center and picking veggies for dinner from the hilltop kitchen garden. Its Ralph Lauren–designed spaces range from suites to six-bedroom villas and three generous meeting rooms.
Newer additions to Montego Bay are two all-inclusive properties that opened in December: the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall and the neighboring, adults-only Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall. During 2015, visitors who stay three or more consecutive nights at Zilara will receive a free round of golf at their choice of the Cinnamon Hall or White Witch golf course.
For groups interested in local experiences, the Rockhouse Hotel in Negril welcomes visitors with a litany of classes.
Puerto Rico: Hot Spots for Hip Events
It’s easy to energize your meetings in Puerto Rico, thanks to stunning beaches and cities with grand colonial architecture. Plus, as a U.S. commonwealth, you don’t need a passport to visit.
In San Juan, the historic capital, the 580,000-square-foot Puerto Rico Convention Center boasts the largest and most high-tech space in the Caribbean.
The grand dame of the city’s resorts, the Hilton’s El San Juan Resort & Casino in the Condado Beach area, is continually remaking itself. Recent upgrades include a two-story, 1,590-square-foot suite with a Steinway piano that can be used for hospitality functions and the new Chef’s Studio, perfect for lunch and dinner meetings of up to eight people. At the nearby Condado Plaza Hilton, eco-minded delegates can join the new snorkeling team-building program or take part in culinary team-building at the resort’s new herb garden. To tap into San Juan’s storied past, group events of up to 50 can be held at the Hotel El Convento. Meanwhile, one of the newest kids on the block is the Hyatt House/San Juan, with 985 square feet of meeting space.
Breezy beaches define Fajardo and the island’s northeastern coast, home to El Conquistador. The property is delighting groups with new enhancements and renovations to its function space. And to the west, near Rio Grande, is the Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa.
The Lesser Antilles: Making Waves
Less is more when it comes to gatherings in the U.S. Virgin Islands, just a short flight from Puerto Rico. On St. Thomas, meeting options include the Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort and the Ritz-Carlton/St. Thomas. And in St. John, attendees can meet at the Caneel Bay Resort and the Westin St. John Resort & Spa.
Dutch or French culture, take your pick on the island of St. Maarten/St. Martin. “The variety of off-site options and wonderful DMCs make St. Maarten a winner for our groups,” said Sandy Monkemeyer, corporate travel director of Captive Resources LLC. Monkemeyer has had good experiences with the Westin Dawn Beach Resort & Spa, saying, “The Westin’s experienced and attentive staff has always made us feel welcome and our meetings there are a great success.” On the French side, the Mediterranean-style Belmond La Samanna offers space for meetings of up to 100 and poolside events for up to 300.
For a true show-stopper, fly to Anguilla and the newly renovated Malliouhana, an Auberge Resort that reopened in November following an 18-month makeover. The 46-room oasis is perched on an oceantop bluff and specializes in executive meetings.
Big-city facilities and a tropical landscape are two things that appeal to planners considering Barbados. The Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre in Bridgetown hosts conventions from around the world with 100,000 square feet of space. Nearby meeting properties include the Hilton Barbados Resort, the Island Inn Hotel, and even the international airport, which offers conference space.
The Netherlands Antilles: top spots for Inspiration
Nicknamed the “ABC” islands, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao are among the Caribbean’s top spots to mix business with pleasure. Aruba welcomes associations with a variety of properties including the recently renovated Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino in Oranjestad and Radisson Aruba Resort Casino & Spa in Palm Beach. Health-minded delegates can take advantage of the Radisson’s new Discover Program, which offers free health and wellness activities.
New nonstop air service on JetBlue from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport makes Curaçao easily accessible for East Coast delegates. The World Trade Center Curaçao in Willemstad can host up to 2,000 people and is attached to a Clarion Hotel & Suites. Also local is the Renaissance Curaçao Resort & Casino and the Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort in Nieuwpoort. And Bonaire is primarily for divers, making a nice pre- or post-trip.
Exceeding Expectations
Teresa Witham, executive director of the National Association of Elevator Contractors, had it right when she discussed why meetings in Mexico and the Caribbean are so enticing for groups: “The region is ideal for a true getaway, while at the same time offering high-quality meeting facilities,” she said. “It’s the ultimate combination for business and leisure.”