The Next Tianguis II

Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit will host the next Tianguis tourism trade show, to be followed by Puebla and Quintana Roo (Cancun and the Riviera Maya). Vallarta, in Jalisco, and the neighboring Riviera in Nayarit are neighbors separated by a river and, if you want to get technical, they lie in adjoining time zones. No dates were announced. The event over the past 36 years has been held in March, April, May and June. Vallarta and its neighbor won by offering nearly 50,000 square feet of exhibition space free of charge, 50 percent discounts at hotels before, after and during the event, and more. This will be the first time the trade show has not been held in Acapulco.

Recovery

The marine population of the Cabo Pulmo National Underwater Park has quadrupled since fishing was banned there 14 years ago. The park lies off the tip of the Baja California peninsula. It remains open to scuba diving and snorkeling. The increase in wildlife has been confirmed by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California.

Whale sharks

A new favorite with tourists is Holbox Island, reached by boat from Cancun. Aside from being pristine, and, until recently, almost undiscovered, Holbox also is an ideal place to swim with whale sharks. Whale sharks can be 40 feet long or more, making them the world’s biggest fish. Like real whales, they eat only plankton and other small creatures, making them no threat to scuba-diving tourists.

Gloria’s back!

Tourism Minister Gloria Guevara has returned home after a promotional trip that took her to half-a-dozen U.S. cities. Although the U.S. State Department recently predicted that, as a result of current economic problems, the number of Americans traveling abroad will decline by 40 percent, Ms Guevara expects travel to Mexico will increase. She noted that all airlines have  reported more passengers flying to Mexico, with Delta announcing that its increase had been 57 percent.

Posadas plans more hotels

Posadas de México will be opening about one hotel every month next year, according to Pablo Azcárraga, general director of the organization. Planned between now and 2015 are 20 low-priced “One” brand inns, 14 Fiesta Inns and six Fiesta Americanas. The company also will be expanding its holdings in Panama, Brazil and Chile.

Iberostar buys Cancun Hilton

Spain’s Iberostar has purchased the landmark Cancun Hilton and plans to close the the 426-room property in August, reopening it in December after extensive renovations. Iberostar will be the third flag to fly over the resort, the only Cancun hotel with its own golf course on the premises.