AMResorts hosts third annual TIME conference
Event enables leading resort developer AMResorts to give educational sessions and insights from its seven resort brands to MICE segment professionals from the US, Canada and Mexico
AMResorts welcomed more than 125 travel industry insiders and corporate meeting and incentive planners at The Incentives & Meetings Expo (TIME) last month.
The event was hosted at the RCI-affiliated Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort by the AMResorts Meetings & Incentives team and Amstar DMC. During the conference, more than $7.5 million in business meetings and conventions through 2021 were negotiated, with Mexico being a preferred destination, and totalling a potential global impact of $159 million.
Gonzalo del Peón, president of AMResorts, kicked off the event, along with Enrique de la Madrid, Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism (SECTUR), who delivered the keynote address and interacted with participants on opportunities in Mexico for the MICE segment over the next few years.
“AMResorts remains committed to Mexico and its thriving tourism for both business and leisure travellers, as evidenced by its 20 hotels across seven brands in the Mexican Caribbean, which provide Endless Privileges, Unlimited-Luxury and Unlimited-Fun concepts, dedicated event space for groups of all sizes, world-class activities and entertainment, and more,” said del Peón.
“The host resort, adults-only Secrets Playa Mujeres and its neighboring family-friendly Dreams Playa Mujeres are proof of the superior product offered.”
Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort is affiliated to RCI’s exchange network
During remarks, del Peón and de la Madrid also noted Mexico’s rise in the World Tourism ranking for highest inflow of international tourists, moving up to the sixth position with 39.3 million international travellers in 2017.
Del Peón attributed the historic success to the local government’s collaboration with the private sector to develop marketing and promotion strategies for all markets.
From January to August 2018, Mexico has received a record 27.8 million tourist arrivals, representing a seven per cent increase compared to the same period in 2017, as well as an increase in airlift averaging 28 per cent for international and domestic routes.
Arrivals to Mexico total the equivalent of foreign tourists in countries like Argentina, Brazil and Costa Rica combined.
“Mexico continues to be a popular travel destination, and the number of tourists from European and Asian countries has increased by record levels in the last two years,” added de la Madrid.
Encouraging participants to trust, promote and continue to sell Mexico, the TIME program highlighted several tourism trends and guidelines, including increased funding, a strong private sector, improved airlift, rich cultural and gastronomic offers, natural attractions, and high-quality hospitality services.
“TIME seeks to recreate the attention, quality and benefits that AMResorts provides to business meetings and conventions organisers and their guests, while fostering healthy competitiveness and tourism development in Mexican Caribbean and Pacific destinations,” added del Peón.
