AMDETUR Editorial
To our readers:
O
n behalf of the Board of Directors of AMDETUR, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Associates who par-
ticipated in and supported our 25th Annual Convention, and very especially to the Asociación de Clubes Vacacionales de Quintana Roo (ACLUVAQ), an organization that was key to the success of our event. I would particularly like to mention the support we were given by Patricia de la Peña, who is Chairman of the Board; Miriam Cortés, Executive President of ACLUVAQ, and its Organizing Committee. They took on the challenge of thinking outside the box, and holding the AMDETUR convention at a beach destination for the first time since 1993. This decision was not an easy one considering the economic climate prevailing around the world, so I am highly satisfied to report to all our Associates that we set a record for attendance at this conference: the marketing and sales forum and conference program attracted more than 500 executives from the vacation property industry. Also, through our coordination with ACLUVAQ, we were able to bring in world-renowned presenters like Lyn Heward, Creative Director of Cirque du Soleil; Karla Wheelock, climber of Mount Everest; Jim Madrid, Founder and CEO of Entelechy Training & Development, and Linda Clemons, president of Sisterpreneur. All these inspiring individuals helped us put together an unprecedented program and contributed tremendous value to the event, both professionally and personally. AMDETUR now faces the challenge of deciding, together with its members, whether it will become a traveling convention, and
Cordially, Juan Vela RUIZ Chairman
thus help to promote Mexico's leading tourist destinations. 2012 will be one of great challenges and changes for our country, so we must carefully weigh all the scenarios in order to choose the most appropriate date and location. Our Board of Directors will take on this task right away so that we can let you all know by the end of the year, and begin preparing for this great event, which will mark the 25th anniversary of our Association.
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AMDETUR
www.amdetur.org.mx In this Issue:
Board of Directors Chairman Juan Vela Ruiz Grupo Velas Executive President José Alfonso Bayón Ríos Amdetur Secretary Gerardo Rioseco Orihuela Fiesta Americana Vacation Club Treasurer Jaime Márquez Vargas Royal Holiday Counselors José Carlos Azcárraga Andrade - Fiesta Americana Vacation Club Carlos Berdegué - El Cid Resorts Ricardo Montaudon Corry - RCI Kemil Rizk - Royal Resorts Marcos Agostini - Interval International Juan Carlos Barillas – Sol Meliá Vacation Club Jorge Pallas Cáceres - Promotora Cancún Sunset Clubs Juan Ignacio Rodríguez - RCI Robert Louis Kistner - Grupo Villa Director Rosa de Jesús Lugo Dorantes
Notitur is the official magazine of the Asociación Mexicana de Desarrolladores Turísticos, A.C. (Amdetur) (Mexican Resort Development Association), published four times a year for its members and major official tourism organizations in Mexico. Notitur’s digital version in English is electronically distributed in several countries. All rights are reserved. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher: Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or Amdetur and no responsibility is accepted for lack of precisions in editorial or advertising content. Original magazine hard copies printed in Mexico. Amdetur: Montecito 38, Piso 32, Ofics. 11 a 14, Col. Nápoles, México 03810 D.F. Certificado de Licitud de Título No. 3856, de fecha 19 de abril de 1989. Certificado de Licitud de Contenido de la Comisión Calificadora de Publicaciones y Revistas Ilustradas No. 3172 de fecha 19 de abril de 1989. Número de Certificado de Reserva otorgado por el Instituto Nacional del Derecho de Autor, Secretaría de Educación Pública, 04-2005030817343600-102. NOTITUR October-December 2011. e-mail: amdetur@prodigy.net.mx
NOTITUR CHAIRMAN Juan Vela Ruiz Executive President José Alfonso Bayón Ríos Publisher AMDETUR EDITOR Aurora Martínez V. Graphic Design Reacción Gráfica S.A. de C.V. Tel. 52(55) 5004-4176 Art Director Sergio Octavio Funes Navarrete tavofunes@reacciong.com Distribution AMDETUR Amdetur Photographer José Mata Cel. (04455) 1885 8581 www.pbase.com/ppmata ENGLISH TRANSLATION Elizabeth Collins Morrison elizcollins@mac.com
LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS Patricia de la Peña Asociación de Clubes Vacacionales de Quintana Roo, A.C. Alejandro Lemus Mateos Asociación de Desarrolladores y Promotores Turísticos de Tiempo Compartido, A.C. (Puerto Vallarta) Jesús García Torres Asociación Sudcaliforniana de Desarrolladores de Tiempo Compartido, A.C. Emmanuel Omaña Camín Asociación de Promotores de Clubes Vacacionales del Estado de Guerrero, A.C. Fernando de Leeuw Santiago Asociación de Clubes Vacacionales de Cozumel, A.C. Fernando Madero Irizar Asociación de Clubes Vacacionales de Sinaloa, A.C. Héctor Mauricio Sánchez Ochoa Asociación de Desarrolladores Turísticos de Colima, A.C. Claudio Balderrama González Asociación de Desarrolladores y Operadores Turísticos de Ixtapa y Zihuatanejo, A.C. Partial or total reproduction of this magazine in any material or electronic way is strictly forbidden without a written authorization by AMDETUR.
If you would like to receive the electronic version of Notitur in Spanish or English, you can request it at:
aurora.martinez@prodigy.net.mx 2
NOTITUR
14 Environmental Risk Assessment by Financial Institutions: A Step Toward Sustainable Development
Given the activities and the environment in which tourist resorts are built in our country, it is clear that financial institutions must take the lead in implementing environmental management policies, and obliging companies that seek funding to comply fully with them.
14 Tourism in Mexico: Facing the Challenges of Stronger Growth
In this issue, we present part two of BBVA Bancomer's article about the myths and realities surrounding Mexico's tourist industry. It also looks at some of the domestic and external factors that contributed to the difficulties faced by the tourist industry in past years; international competitiveness; and prospects for growth in 2011.
Sections: 6 Tourism School, Universidad Anáhuac México Norte For four decades, this prestigious tourism school has been training leaders in the tourist industry through its extensive array of academic courses, which includes four bachelor's degrees, one master's degree and various continuing education programs, and its study plans are continually being updated to keep pace with the needs of the tourism industry.
8 Canadian Consumers are on a Global Spending Spree
Canadian consumers purchased over 25% of all real estate sold to foreigners in the US in 2010. It is a market that keeps going on a global spending spree that stands as a great opportunity for Mexico to increase its recreational real estate sales.
10 A chat with …
Fernando Olivera Rocha, Under Secretary of Tourism Operations for the Ministry of Tourism (SECTUR), talks with us about various aspects of the industry and the progress made toward regulatory improvement in the areas of Facilitation, Verification, National Tourism Registry, and Standards.
AMDETUR
25th Annual
AMDETUR Convention
Opening of Expo AMDETUR 2011. Carlos Manual Joaquín González, Chairman of the House Tourism Commission; Juan Carlos González Hernández, Secretary of Tourism for Quintana Roo; Gloria Guevara Manzo, Mexican Minister of Tourism; Roberto Borge Angulo, Governor of Quintana Roo; and Juan Vela Ruiz, Chairman of AMDETUR.
T
his year’s AMDETUR’s convention was special in many respects. First, because we were joined by friends and colleagues in celebrating the silver anniversary of the most important event in the tourist real-estate industry, as well as the 25th anniversary of the Association of Vacation Clubs of Quintana Roo (ACLUVAQ). And also, because over 750 attendees witnessed the new vigor AMDETUR has taken on in supporting the growth of this industry and of tourism in general, which is restructuring and changing every day. The event consisted of three independent modules: • The “University-Company Connection” program, in which students in the tourism sector learned about the importance and general overview of the vacation property industry, as well as its prospects for the future; the profile of vacation property buyers; the advantages of working in this industry; and the challenges facing the professionals who work in it. • The “Americas Forum on Vacation Club Marketing and Sales,” with an interesting program that included: sales myths and
realities; marketing strategies; and the integration of hotel and vacation club operations. This module also included renowned experts Linda Clemons, who spoke about body language and signals in sales; and Jim Madrid, who shared his seasoned perspectives on change. • The Convention itself, with the opening speech given by Mexican Minister of Tourism Gloria Guevara Manzo, who also took part in the panel entitled “2011: The Year of Tourism,” to talk about the current situation in the industry and the collaboration between various levels of government and private enterprise. In other areas, Adriana Pérez Quesnel, at that time general director of the National Tourism Promotion Fund (Fonatur) spoke about the directions taken by Mexico’s tourism development. Francisco Córdova Lira, Chairman of the Business Coordinating Council of the Caribbean, delivered a conference on “Green Economy and Social Sustainability.” A panel on “The Importance of Human Capital in the Vacation Property Industry” was led by experienced executives from the firms
Royal Holiday, Grand Velas, Original Resorts and Royal Resorts. On the panel “Mexico: the Product, and How to Sell It” opinions were shared by Rodolfo López Negrete, associate director of the Tourism Promotion Council; Alfonso R. García Díaz, vice president of CONCANACO-SERVYTUR; Fernando Torres Parraud, Regional Coordinator of the Southeast for ProMéxico; and Roberto Gaudelli, Chairman and CEO of Guadelli MCW. This time, the conference was also enriched by the distinguished participation of Luis Pazos, professor of political economy and author of 40 books; and Juan Ramón de la Fuente, president of the UNESCO-based International Association of Universities; along with Lyn Heward, Creative Director of Cirque du Soleil, and Karla Wheelock, first Latin American woman to climb Mount Everest by the Northern Route.
For more information, visit our web page at www.amdetur.org.mx, where you can find the available presentations from the conferences that took place.
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Enterprise
Expense analysis in the Purchasing Department By Miguel Ortega
In an increasingly competitive market, companies are always trying to become more profitable by boosting their revenues and/or lowering their costs and expenses. But it is hard for an organization to achieve significant savings without the right data, methodologies, tools and personnel to head up the cost-cutting program. What is Expense Analysis? This is a process aimed at reducing the amount of money a company pays out in the purchase of goods or services within the organization. Generally speaking, this analysis uses various sources of data associated with purchases and hiring by the company, cleans up the discrepancies, classifies them into categories to make them easier to analyze, and finally comes up with conclusions on improvement. Through this process, organizations seek to answer the following questions: • What are we spending on? • How much and how often are we buying? • Who is doing the buying? • From whom are we buying? • Are we buying what the organization really needs? • What purchases or hirings can be consolidated? • What volumes of purchases can be reduced? • What type of articles or services that we consume can be standardized?
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Enterprise
How does Expense Analysis help save money?
Problems Usually Found when Beginning Expense Analysis
• By cutting down on “Maverick” spending. This is what we call the payment of higher prices to acquire premium or high fashion articles, or standard articles that were poorly negotiated. Usually, this type of problem comes up in companies where purchases are made directly by the functional areas and not a centralized procurement department; or in organizations with poor purchasing policies or inadequate procedures for determining needs. • Savings from economies of scale. A company may be buying the same good or service from different vendors. This makes the process more complex, less efficient and more costly, and does not take advantage of purchase volume. The Expense Analysis focus can help to consolidate purchases among a smaller number of vendors, so the company can negotiate better prices, discounts, response times, etc. • Savings from process efficiency. Automating the Expense Analysis process, as well as purchases and payments, can tremendously improve efficiency compared to manual processing (it is estimated that up to 70 percent of personnel time may be going to process transactions, instead of controlling and analyzing them for better decision-making. Process efficiencies will be reflected in the response time it takes to obtain a good or service and generate the payment to the vendor, as well as the number of individuals required to process a purchase or hiring request.
• Lack of available data on purchases. It is common for companies not to have information on their purchases. It may be incomplete, out of date, or not detailed enough to make prompt and effective decisions. • Multiple sources of information. Expense information is handled in different areas of the organization, and the different sources may differ: accounts receivable, accounting, purchases, systems, etc. • Inconsistency in vendor names. The same vendor may be referred to in several ways in the same system, due to the use of spaces, punctuation, spelling, etc. • Inconsistency in the names of goods and services acquired. The same good or service may be referred to in several ways in the same system, due to the use of spaces, punctuation, spelling, etc. There are classification standards that can be used to avoid this type of problem, for example the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), Universal Standard Products and Services Classification (UNSPSC), etc. • Lack of resources or the appropriate profile. Expense Analysis normally falls to the same person who handles purchasing, who normally spends a lot of time processing routine transactions, or in personnel unfamiliar with the operation, so the results obtained are not always what is expected or hoped.
Compile Data on expense relating to: • AP/GL • Corporate cards • Payment to vendors • Contracts, etc.
Relate Associate expenses: • Vendors • Categories • Purchasing groups, etc.
Clean Standardize: • Vendor names • Category names • Product names • Fields to fill, etc.
Conclusions The Expense Analysis focus is a strategic one, and companies who have introduced it are generally able to: a) reduce their current spending by more than 20 percent; b) obtain a return of between 10 and 100 percent on investment (ROI) on the project to which the expense reductions are applied; c) improve visibility and control over expenses in the organization; d) generate reliable information; and e) increase efficiency by consolidating purchases and rationalizing categories.
Classify
Analyze
• Transactions • Categories • Vendors
Category management Consolidate purchases and vendors Source: KPMG en México, 2011
Miguel Ortega is Manager of Process Improvement Consultancy Practice at KPMG México. He has more than 10 years of experience advising national and international organizations in various industries, like retailing, consumer products, manufacturing, financial services, education, health, construction, real estate, telecommunications and government. His specialty is process re-engineering in the value chain and designing shared service centers for organizations’ support processes. With regard to supply chains, he has worked with various industries in reducing inventory levels and process lead times, raising levels of customer service, and introducing internal inventory control measures, as well as aligning and optimizing the organizational structures associated with those functions. asesoria@kpmg.com.mx Visit: www.delineandoestrategias.com
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Industry
Tourism School, Universidad Anáhuac México Norte By Francisco Madrid Flores International Academic Leadership in Tourism The complexities of managing tourism businesses and destinations require top-level professional and human training, to keep up with the changing challenges and needs of a vibrant industry. In full awareness of this challenge, the Tourism School of the Universidad Anáhuac México Norte has been training leaders for the tourism industry for four decades. Its current director is Francisco Madrid Flores, a renowned expert in the tourism industry, who shared with NOTITUR why the Tourism School he heads is one of the best in the country. First, it is important to know that this School has an extensive array of academic courses in tourism, and offers four bachelor's degrees, one master's degree and various continuing education programs. Its study plans are continually being updated to keep pace with the needs of the tourism industry, generating and developing in its students skills that turn them into enterprising leaders, capable of growing and directing sustainable tourism companies, services and products. Universidad Anáhuac has many agreements with universities and companies of other countries, which enrich university life; its professors are all highly trained, and its students have the opportunity to participate in international academic exchanges and activities with professors and guests form all over the world. Its educational model allows students to create a personalized degree plan in which they can choose their subject matters, class hours and course load, and enjoy free mobility in the universities of the Anáhuac network in Mexico. As part of their professional training, the students of the Tourism School of Universidad Anáhuac participate in supervised practical work that are true professional internships in the tourism industry, and may apply their knowledge and contribute ideas for improving the management of hotels, restaurants and other organizations. Anahuac's interns are well received at establishments in the Riviera Maya, Cancun, Punta Mita, Los Cabos,
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Industry
Mexico City, and other domestic destinations; but they have also been recognized for their work in countries like France, England, Spain, Thailand, Australia, South Africa and United States (Orlando, New York, and Aspen). Our students attend high-level congresses, seminars and conferences and conduct academic trips in Mexico and abroad to stay abreast of activity in the tourism industry.
Excellence in Tourism education Another aspect worth highlighting is that Universidad Anáhuac has the best infrastructure for tourism education, made of up spacious and modern laboratories of lodging, beverages and wine-tasting. It also has specialized software for hotel management and operation, restaurants, travel agencies and airline reservation systems. Universidad Anáhuac has another competitive advantage: it is home in Mexico to the Cordon Bleu, the most prestigious culinary school in the world, where students take cooking courses in highly-equipped laboratory kitchens, under the guidance of internationally experienced chefs. This strategic alliance also allows graduates from all free programs to earn a Bachelor's Degree, along with a certification that is officially valid in Mexico, and students can also obtain a dual degree with Queensland University of Australia. Another interesting fact about these alliances is that the Tourism School of Universidad Anáhuac is the only school that is a collaborating partner with the National Tourism Business Council (CNET), which resulted in the creation of a CNETAnáhuac Research Chair. This department currently generates two regular publications with statistical information for decision-making in this industry. It is also the only tourist teaching institution in Mexico that is a member of the World Tourism Organization, and which participates actively in the launch of the UNWTO Knowledge Network. In fact, it is the first school in Mexico to have obtained the Tourism Education Quality (TedQual) certification in 2005 from the THEMIS Foundation of the World Tourism Organization, and it is currently the only one in the country to have three tourism education programs certified internationally. TedQual Certification is the only quality assurance system in the world for tourism education programs, and it guarantees not only the quality of the teaching received at the Universidad Anáhuac Tourism School, but also the focus of its academics on continuous improvement of their work. Finally, a big part of Universidad Anáhuac’s educational philosophy is the development of genuine, pro-active leadership, because aside from its emphasis on academic excellence, the University offers its students full involvement in university life through a program that encourages values and gives them an opportunity to participate in sports, artistic, cultural and volunteer activities.
Best academic offering in tourism • Bachelor’s Degree in Gastronomy • Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism Administration • Bachelor’s Degree in International Hotel Management • Bachelor’s Degree in Restaurant Management • Masters’ Degree in Upper-Level Hotel and Restaurant Management • Ongoing education: courses, workshops, diplomas and specialized consultancy
Francisco Madrid Flores Director of the Tourism School of Universidad Anáhuac México Norte Francisco Madrid Flores has a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism, with a major in Tourism Planning and Development from the Higher School of Tourism of the National Polytechnic Institute; specialization courses in Market Research and Tourism Planning at the Organization of American States; Master’s Degree in Administration from the Tecnológico de Monterrey; Diploma in Advanced Tourism Studies from the Universidad Antonio de Nebrija in Madrid; and a Doctorate in Tourism from the same University. For 23 years he worked in the Mexican Ministry of Tourism, holding various posts, among them Director of Tourism Training, Under Secretary of Planning and Under Secretary of Operations. He served for two years as Regional Representative for the Americas to the U.N. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and for six years chaired the UNWTO Committee on Market Studies. He is a founding member of the knowledge network of that specialized agency of the United Nations. He has given more than 320 conferences in more than 20 countries. He was invited by the Ministry of Tourism to join the Steering Committee on Follow-up of the National Tourism Agreement. He is currently Director of the Tourism School of Universidad Anáhuac México Norte and professor of post-graduate courses in the Higher School of Tourism of the National Polytechnic Institute. You can follow his Twitter account at @fcomadrid. More information: Phone: 5627-0210 ext. 8201 Or 5328-8012, Toll-free within Mexico: 01-800-508-9800 www.anahuac.mx/turismo
Academic Excellence in Tourism “To earn a degree in the field of tourism and the hospitality industry is a good option; choosing to study at Universidad Anáhuac is more than that, it is the best option.” Francisco Madrid Flores. Autumn
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Industry
Canadian Consumers Are On A Global Spending Spree By Ross Perlmutter
If you’re involved in the Mexican resort and recreational real estate market, you already know that Canadians are currently travelling, spending and purchasing real estate products in record numbers. In fact, Canadians purchased over 25% of all of the real estate sold to foreigners in the US in 2010! When you consider that Canada is home to only 34.5 million people - just 4 times the population of Mexico City and approximately one tenth of the population of the entire United States – these sales figures are truly impressive.
S
o how can your company benefit from this tsunami of Canadian consumerism? Before we get to that, it is important for you to understand why we’re currently armed with such purchasing power in the first place. While several countries are still desperately trying to find their economic footing, Canada was the very last country to enter the recession and the very first to exit it. For the past decade, Canada has consistently been the best producing economy of the entire G8, (also integrated by France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States), and we’ve always managed both our government and household debt extremely well. We’re home to a wealth of natural resources and, in fact, we have more oil in the ground in one province (Alberta) than in all of Saudi Arabia. All of this has served to elevate Canada on the global economic stage, and our economy is solid.
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By far, one of the biggest “game changers” in terms of the Canadian consumer has been the recent strength of the Canadian Dollar, especially in relation to the US Dollar. As our dollar hovers above (or close to) par with the US, a combination of pent up consumer demand and increased purchasing power has resulted in a veritable flood of currency southward; money used to acquire everything from household items to vacations to luxury goods, including several billion dollars worth of recreational and investment real estate.
Canadians and Mexico Canadians generally have a sophisticated understanding of Mexico as a tourist destination, and we continue to vacation there in droves. Canada is currently the second most important tourist market for Mexico, and in 2010, they represented 14.6% of all visitors. According to Mexican government figures, from 2005 to 2009, the number of Canadian
tourist visits has doubled, reaching 1,222,739 visits. In contrast, visits from the U.S. fell from 62.9% of the market to 61% in 2010. Still, Canadians remain extremely cautious about purchasing real estate and shared ownership products in Mexico. Many have serious questions about the consumer rights and protections available to them, and as such, they are much more likely to purchase luxury recreational properties and products in the US because they perceive that their purchases and consumer rights are far better protected than in Mexico.
How to Sell to Canadians So how can your resort capitalize on the affluent Canadian tourist market? Here’s what you need to know….
1. Give them space! Canadian consumers are generally skeptical, cautious and reluctant to purchase, espe-
Industry
cially when buying outside of our borders. However, despite being extremely cautious and guarded, they respond very well to mutual respect; the more respect and space you can give them, the more receptive and open they will be to your offering. In addition, they’ll respect your professionalism and reward you with their trust and business.
2. Personal safety is critical While Canadians might tend to walk and talk just like Americans, it’s important to know that we’re very different, especially when it comes to personal safety. Unfortunately, our media provides some conflicting news about Mexico and this is why it is so important that you address these issues head on. It’s not enough that you tell them that the violence is limited to a certain area; they need to know that they will always be safe, that the resort is fully secured and that no harm will ever come to their families. If there is any doubt in this regard, it is possible that you will lose the sale.
ket. It is important for me to affirm that I’m not simply saying this in order to sell you a CRDA Membership. Within the past year alone, we’ve affiliated US resort developers such as Hilton Grand Vacations, Starwood and Diamond Resorts, and in 2010, we rescued over 70 of their deals that were definitely headed for rescission! This is why even if you only get a few Canadian prospects per year, you should seriously consider becoming a CRDA Member.
If you would like more info about CRDA (and more importantly, how we can assist you with selling to Canadians) please email us at crda@rogers.com or call us at 416-960-4930!
5. Partner with Canadian companies Whether your resort tends to do all of its administration in house or not, you should seriously consider partnering with a company that has a Canadian footprint. Canadians tend to protect their credit ratings like they protect their children, and even if they do not have any fear of Mexican credit and collection processes, you’re “down there” and we’re “up here” and you’ll have far greater success with your receivables and collections if you contract a Canadian company to assist you.
3. Be honest with them It has been said that “honesty is the best policy”, and that is especially true when you’re dealing with Canadians. Very simply, we’re intelligent consumers, and one doubt can easily negate hours of sales labor. Don’t be afraid to discuss construction plans, bad press, negative reviews or anything else because the worst thing you can do is to allow them to discover this info on their own.
4. Become a Member of CRDA Whether you realize it or not, your Canadian prospects already regularly call our offices before, during and after you’ve contacted them. They call us from their homes to inquire about your mini-vac offers, they call us from their hotel rooms for advice just prior to their tour, and many of them call us afterwards to find out how to rescind the purchase they’ve just made. This is the reason why I encourage you to become a member of CRDA. While I realize that this may (understandably) sound self-serving, becoming a Member of CRDA may be one of the most important things you can do in order to expand the sales of your products to the Canadian mar-
Ross Perlmutter is currently the President/CEO of the Canadian Resort Development Association (CRDA), the non-profit entity entrusted with overseeing the shared ownership industry in Canada. Prior to assuming the CRDA position in 2007, Ross spent 17 years in the shared ownership industry as a successful marketing and communications consultant specializing in the development of marketing infrastructures, communications and collateral materials for resort properties and leisure products. Most recently, he co-developed (and served as the VP of Marketing) for a 172-unit resort located in the Canadian Rockies. Ross previously spent 16 successful years in the corporate side of the entertainment industry and is the recipient of multiple marketing awards, including “Canadian Marketer of the Year”. He is often called upon to share his expertise at conferences and other industry events, and he is a regular contributor to several industry publications. Autumn
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A chat with …
I
n this section, Olivera discusses some of the main issues involved in the tourist realestate industry, which he has addressed as Under Secretary of Tourism Operations for the Ministry of Tourism (SECTUR).
Among SECTUR's Regional Programs, what actions have been taken to promote beach destinations?
Fernando
Olivera
Under Secretary of Tourism Operations - SECTUR
Over the course of his career in the tourism industry, Fernando Olivera has held important positions in both the private sector and in government, an experience that today gives him a thorough knowledge of the needs and challenges that businesses face and the strategies and mechanisms that guide the actions of government agencies. His extensive experience became an opportunity to create better relations, define more consistent objectives for specific areas and time periods, and make further progress in the areas assigned to him, through a concerted effort and clear commitment by both sectors.
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The way to promote a destination is by strengthening and consolidating its competitive capacity by improving local infrastructure and services and retrofitting all its facilities. This is done by allocating funding -through Resource Reassignment and Coordination Agreements- to urban improvement projects like underground cabling or remodeling of historic buildings; and in tourist equipment like signage, tourist information modules, artistic lighting, boarding facilities, and such. In 2011, SECTUR funded 37 projects in the "sun and beach" category, totaling close to $368 million dollars, which is part of the total investment SECTUR allocated for developing public investment projects. This amount was made up of 1.74 billion pesos in federal contributions, which with the support of state and municipal governments grew to 3.45 billion pesos. The purpose of the total figure was to support 284 tourist projects. 43 percent of the investment was used to diversify the country's tourism offering, and 21 percent to fortify sun and beach destinations.
What new goals has SECTUR set to encourage the development of tourist products? As part of its commitment to this National Tourism Year, and to Mexico's Tourist National Agenda, SECTUR is designing some major events that serve new market segments, and which can help diversify Mexico's traditional offering. These include Conference Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Nature Tourism -where products are being designed like sustainable lodging and natural wildlife sanctuaries in Mexico- and also Adventure Tourism, with the World Adventure Tourism Summit scheduled for October 17-20 of this year. To attend special tourism segments -as established in the National Tourism AgreementSECTUR will also take specific action in areas like cruise travel; the development of the gastronomic inventory in Mexico and of the Nation's 41 “Pueblos Mágicos” products; and the development of tourist products in cities that are classified as World Heritage sites.
A chat with …
What progress has been made toward the Regulatory Improvement program? First, in the area of Facilitation, I'm pleased to report that we are working together with the Federal Regulatory Improvement Commission (COFEMER) and with state and municipal governments to encourage private and social investment in a project called Ventanillas de SARE Turístico. SARE are the initials in Spanish for Fast-Track Company Startup, and this project involves special offices to serve investors who want to open a small or mid-sized business. The advantage of these offices is that entrepreneurs can set up the business in as little as 72 hours, with no red tape, simplifying the business startup procedure. I am also proud to share with your readers that SECTUR has an Executive Tourism Committee, which is made up of representatives from various federal agencies and institutions, and will be key to making regulatory progress in the area of tourism in the future. Its basic purpose is to facilitate communication and address issues shared by two or more agencies, which might, for example, be useful in promoting sports fishing, bringing more cruise trips to Mexico, or providing the regulatory facilities for the temporary import of items owned by foreign tourists, among others. In the area of Verification, because this process is fundamental for the security and quality of tourist services, in 2010 we conducted 475 visits in order to check on compliance with Official Mexican Standards applicable to the industry. Another area we have worked on is the National Tourism Registry (RNT), where we are modernizing structures and determining how to make the system accessible and efficient, to make it easier for suppliers of tourist services to register, and generate a variety of information reports once the Regulatory Law is in place and the catalog of tourist service providers has been defined. This modernization will involve the following: • Creating a national catalog of Tourist Service Suppliers (TSS). • De-centralization operation of the RNT to state, municipal and Mexico City governments, with SECTUR handling only the coordination. • Guaranteeing dissemination of and access to information relating to the RNT. • Ensure that TSS take advantage of all the benefits accorded by law.
• Issue a certificate to TSS that states that they are registered in the RNT. • Draft regulations on the RNT registry process (specifying what information tourist service supplies must provide to SECTUR, until the certificate is issued). In the area of Standards, and taking advantage of the creation of a new General Tourism Law, the Standards Consulting Committee coordinated by SECTUR has taken on the task of going over and updating Official Mexican Standards, and identifying tourist activities that require a specific set of standards. For example, in May we concluded our review of the NOM01 standard regarding numbered forms for complaints and suggestions, and are now revising NOM-05 on Snorkeling Operators. We will do the same thing with the operating rules of the Committee itself in order to expedite the creation and updating of standards in the tourist industry. As a complement, we have organized national and international workshops on standards in order to share and obtain information on the use of legal instruments that make tourist products and services safer, and ensure the provision of quality services.
With your private-sector experience, do you have any remarks for the tourist real estate industry? I am confident that this industry is on the path to continuing expansion. We are a country with 630,000 hotel rooms, and we're not even close to that figure in the development of vacation property. I think we're heading for a second-generation boost, after the growth we saw starting in the 1980s, plus today we're seeing an expansion of the domestic market. This is clearly a virtuous business model, because it gives both vacation property owners and developers, and the resorts themselves, confidence that the demand for tourist services will be there. Perhaps one of the biggest areas of opportunities where we should focus our attention is the leasing of informal space in order to handle it in a general and fair way as vacation property rentals. This is a phenomenon we have seen in other destinations, like Benidorm in Spain, where it has allowed this business of second residences to compete in a major way, but with an unfair advantage over traditionally established tourist businesses. I think this is one thing we might consider to continue the healthy growth of this industry.
Fernando Olivera Rocha has a degree in Tourist Enterprise Management from Universidad Anáhuac, and also a Master's Degree in Commercial Management and International Marketing from the Instituto de Empresa in Madrid, Spain. From 2000 to 2003, he was director of Mexico's Tourism Promotion Council in Spain and Portugal, and Chairman of the Association of Foreign Tourism Offices in Spain, as well as vice president of the Mexican Association of Travel Agencies. In the private sector he has headed companies like Howard Johnson Hotels and Days Inn Hotels, and in SECTUR he had been serving as General Director of Tourist Product Development before taking his current position. Among the duties he performs today as Under Secretary of Tourism Operations is to support the development, operating and promotion of tourist services through the evaluation of programs that can make Mexico's tourism industry sustainable and competitive.
Autumn
11
A STEP TOWARD SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AMDETUR
ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT BY FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS:
A STEP TOWARD SUSTAINA
DEVELOPMENT. By ALBERTO SILVA
14
NOTITUR
SUSTAINABLE
A STEP TOWARD SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AMDETUR
In today's world, economic growth and the new technologies and products can sometimes lead to environmental risks. Environmental risks must be assessed before the development of a new project in order to determine how they should be properly mitigated or managed. This is an important area of what is called “risk management�. Financial institutions must closely analyze the development of any activity or project that may cause a direct or indirect impact on the environment, before granting a loan.
F
or some years, experts have been arguing that environmental problems or environmental impact caused by large-scale projects can be mitigated or controlled if financial institutions or investors review and assess environmental risks from the start. In 1998, the International Finance Corporation adopted a Social and Environmental Policy and it has been applied in all the projects funded by the IFC since 2006. The aim is to weigh the environmental risks and thereby, avoid or minimize the negative impact to the environment or communities where the project is developed. In 2003, a group of international banks and the International Finance Corporation came up with the Equator Principles, providing a framework for financial institutions to assess and manage environmental and social risks in their project finance transactions worldwide, for any economic sector, including real estate development. The assessment of environmental risk by financial institutions has several advantages, including the reduction of indirect risks that are generated by the operations or the client’s project itself. This type of risk can occur in two circumstances: when a company fails to comply with environmental legislation and incurs sanctions that prevent it from meeting its obligations with the financial institution; or when the financial institution receives the site in foreclosure and it has been contaminated, obliging the institution to pay for remediation. In Mexico, the General Law for the Prevention and Comprehensive Handling of Waste, stipulates that owners or possessors of contaminated land must rehabilitate the site, independently of any administrative, civil or criminal sanctions. This may pose a grave risk for financial institutions if they have failed to assess the environmental risks before granting a loan. Another advantage of assessing environmental risks is that companies are encouraged to comply with environmental legislation and to implement environmental management systems, giving them advantages among competitors and clearer access to loans from financial institutions.
Equator Principles The Equator Principles were created by a concerned group of international banks to manage the environmental risks involved in project finance. The result was the adoption of 10 principles based on the International Finance Corporation's Environmental and Social Standards. Their adoption is voluntary for any financial institution. Currently, there are more than 70 financial institutions worldwide that have adopted the Equator Principles in their project finance transactions. While these principles apply to projects involving a major investment (total capital cost of $10 million or more), there are no limitations to applying them to any project that may adversely affect the environment or pose an environmental risk. Autumn
15
A STEP TOWARD SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Equator Principles Principle 1. Review and categorization Principle 2. Social and Environmental Assessment Principle 3. Applicable Social and Environmental Standards Principle 4. Action Plan and Management System Principle 5. Consultation and Disclosure Principle 6. Grievance Mechanism Principle 7. Independent review Principle 8. Covenants Principle 9. Independent Monitoring and Reporting Principle 10. Financial Institutions reporting
Given the activities and the environment in which tourist resorts are built in our country, it is clear that financial institutions must take the lead in implementing environmental management policies (the Equator Principles), and obliging companies that seek funding, to comply with them. This preventive rather than corrective approach, is a move toward sustainable development. On the one hand, environmental risks are covered from the beginning in order to manage them and, on the other, they promote the development of productive activities while addressing the environmental, social and economic issues involved in sustainable development. In order to apply the Equator Principles, financial institutions categorize the project according to the magnitude of the potential impact and risks of the project. This classification is at the heart of the principles, since a project category will determine the action plan and the requirements to be imposed by financial institutions. The project categories are: A) projects with potential significant adverse social or environmental impacts that are diverse, irreversible or unprecedented; B) projects with potential limited adverse social or environmental impacts, reversible and mitigated; C) projects with minimal or no social or environmental impact. So if a planned tourist resort project falls into Category A, it must: i) create an environmental management system; ii) prepare and implement an action plan, that is implemented through the environmental management system; iii) fully comply with local environmental legislation in the area where the project is located; iv) conduct a review and assessment by external experts; and v) monitor and report the information to the financial institution. In Category A projects, financial institutions will also engage an independent external expert to review and assess the project’s compliance with the Equator Principles. This set of principles reflects awareness of how environmental issues should be considered in decision-making. There are an increased number of public and private organizations that demand compliance with environmental legislation and the adoption of environmental management systems as part of the development of an economic activity, and not as an isolated issue. Preventive rather than corrective action will benefit the present and future generations. This change has been undertaken by financial institutions already, and it will oblige companies interested in acquiring a loan to do the same.
Alberto Silva is head of the Environmental department in Goodrich, Riquelme & Associates in Mexico, with more than 10 years of experience in environmental law. He is an active member of the Environmental Sector of the National Association of Corporate Lawyers; the State of Mexico’s Industry Association; the Environmental Sector of the International Association of Young Lawyers, and of the Environmental Sector of the Mining Chamber of Mexico. He has participated in various seminars and conferences regarding environmental law. He is professor of environmental law at the Universidad de Las Américas. He received his LL.M in International Environmental Law from the University of Nottingham, England. In 2007, Alberto received the “Past Presidents’ Award” from the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA), as the best national report of the environmental committee “Can asbestos kill careers? Directors’ liability for Environment and Safety”. He advises clients on a broad range of environmental matters, including impact assessment, litigation, remediation actions, real estate developments, environmental compliance, permitting and corporate transactions. Conducts and co-ordinates environmental assessment diagnosis and environmental legal audits (due diligence). He has been involved in many environmental cases and represents clients from different industry sectors, such as mining, pharmaceutical, medical supplies and machinery, automotive and auto parts, soft drinks and carbonated beverages, real estate and maritime, among others. Mexico, City. e-mail: asilva@goodrichrqiuelme.com
16
NOTITUR
Tourism AMDETURin Mexico
BY Fernando Gonzรกlez and Adolfo Albo, BBVA Bancomer
Tourism in Mexico: Facing the Challenge of
Stronger Growth
18
NOTITUR
Tourism in Mexico
Following up on BBVA Bancomer's analysis of the myths and realities surrounding Mexico's tourism industry, the first part of which was published in the previous issue of Notitur, we will here continue to go over some points that need to be worked on jointly in order to attain the goals we have set ourselves as an industry; and we will also speak about competitiveness, and the outlook for this crucial pillar of the Mexican economy in the future.
A. Myths and Realities
Weight of tourism activities in sectors of the economy 70
(% of GDP)
68.3
60 50 40 31.4
30
27.1
20
15.5 3.1
3.0 Construction
3.1
Other services
Manufacturing
Real-Estate
Leisure
Transportation
Source: BBVA Research with data from INEGI, SCNM, CST
3.5
Commerce
7.3
0
Business support
10
Lodging
• "Tourism is more than just lodging." Tourist activities involve a wide range of products and services: transportation, lodging, food, leisure, etc.; and within these four areas, which account for around 85 percent of total tourism GDP, the biggest contributor is transport in all its forms. This business accounts for 26.8% of production by this industry; coming in second and third but almost even are real-estate and lodging, and preparation of food and beverages (20.6 percent and 20.5 percent, respectively). In fourth place stands manufacturing, with 16.9 percent. Construction comes in fifth with 2.9 percent; and finally, leisure with 1.3 percent. Tourism plays a major role in many sectors of the Mexican economy. In lodging, food and beverages, almost 70 percent of its aggregate value depends on tourism; in transportation and leisure, around 30 percent; and in real-estate services, 15 percent. • "Tourism requires heavy investment, both public and private." Domestic and international travelers differ in their profiles, reasons for travel and levels of income. But the flow of travelers in Mexico breaks down as follows: For example, in 2009, 26 percent of available hotel rooms in Mexico were in five-star hotels, which in turn accounted for 56 percent of tourism's added value. When we add four-star hotels to this number, it rises to 45 and 80 percent, respectively. These are quality services, and they require high investment. • "Tourist activities are constantly changing and challenging." One of the characteristics of tourism around the world is the tremendous competition among different countries: the incorporation of new participants, like China; the vigorous growth of some emerging countries; the constant renewal and sophistication of the required services; and the need to advance at least at the same speed as our closest competitors.
B. Internal and External Shocks In Mexico, tourist-related activities had a particularly tough year in 2009 when they were hit by two shocks1: one external, which was the global recession that affected the entire economy; and one internal, which Autumn
19
Tourism AMDETURin Mexico
was the H1N1 flu outbreak, which had most of its impact on the second quarter of the year. Additionally, the problem of crime and violence, the fight against drugs and grounding of one of Mexico's largest airlines, can be considered a third "shock" on the industry, and it is therefore understandable that activity in Mexico should have slowed by more than the global average. In this regard, we must consider the airline industry in a slightly broader perspective, because we must factor in its unique characteristics along with recession and the public health crisis: for example, the growth in competition in the preceding years, the increasing presence of low-cost carriers, or the costs of fuel and labor liabilities, which led to a restructuring of the airline industry following the exit of some of its players.
C. International Competitiveness Using incoming international tourists as a reference value, Mexico is one of the top tour-
ist destinations in the world, but this privilege is not guaranteed: new countries are entering the field of the leading tourist destinations. According to the World Economic Forum's Tourism Competitiveness Ranking, in 2009 Mexico came in 51 in a list of 133 countries. But in our own classification, which is subject to nuance, we have classified the pillars of competitiveness into three major groups: strengths, opportunities and weaknesses, and according to the components of the competitiveness index and its 14 variables. In four of these, Mexico has strengths; in eight, opportunities; and in two, weaknesses.
D. Prospects and Projections In the last week of December 2010 (week 52), the 70 main Datatur2 centers reported a hotel occupancy rate 4.6 percent higher than the preceding year, and 73 percent higher than in 2008. This points to a good rate of annual growth for 2011, although on average this level will still be lower than 2008--but it is improving.
Tourism Competitiveness Index 2009* (Rank among 133 countries)
Factors or pillars
Mexico
Main destinations France
USA
Spain
Italy
China
Turkey
Brazil
Dom. R.
Natural resources
18
39
1
30
90
7
89
2
55
Cultural resources
20
7
9
1
5
15
27
14
95
Importance of tourism
35
21
44
4
51
28
46
84
13
Transp. infrastructure
40
5
2
10
27
34
44
46
47
Tourist infrastructure
49
14
10
1
3
80
44
45
51
Regulation
58
25
16
74
71
87
44
94
26
Human resources
63
23
7
31
41
46
75
55
92
Technological infrastructure
69
19
15
31
25
68
57
60
83
Health and hygiene
74
9
47
35
27
91
62
80
68
Price competitiveness
77
132
107
96
130
20
109
91
81
Land transp. infrastructure
84
3
18
20
40
55
62
110
99
Attitude toward industry
90
55
106
48
71
127
47
108
14
Sustainable environment
101
4
106
31
51
105
104
33
108
Security
126
55
122
66
82
116
92
130
101
Total competitiveness
51
4
8
6
28
47
56
45
67
Strength: 1 to 45 Opportunity: 46 to 90 Weakness: +90 Source: BBVA Research with data from The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report
20
NOTITUR
Other destinations
1. Here we are using the word "shock" in the economic sense, as a sudden and profound change in demand or supply conditions in an industry. 2. Ministry of Tourism Statistical Information System
Tourism in Mexico
Tourist Activity Indicators: Hotel activity in beach resorts (Number of rooms occupied, week 52 in 2010, as of the close of January 2, 2011) Occupancy as of 2 Jan.
% Annual chge. YTD
Week
Selected beach centers
107,178
12.0
7.2
Riviera Maya
28,564
24.4
10.6
Cancún
22,411
4.9
3.2
Acapulco
14,566
22.0
31.1
Los Cabos
8,614
17.7
2.2
Puerto Vallarta
8,855
1.1
5.6
Mazatlán
5,777
-4.2
-8.1
Veracruz
6,123
-7.4
-1.2
Nuevo Vallarta
5,359
30.8
5.7
Ixtapa Zihuatanejo
4,309
0.9
-6.6
Huatulco
2,600
6.7
10.6
Major cities
20,868
12.5
-0.2
Colonial cities
16,769
10.3
0.0
Pueblos Mágicos
3,299
-3.6
-1.3
Border cities
2,685
5.7
10.1
Subtotal
150,799
11.5
5.1
Other important
32,035
3.5
2.1
Total
182,834
10.0
4.6
From our point of view, the Mexican tourist industry has more strengths and opportunities than weaknesses, and therefore its prospects are positive. The industry will continue to grow, and the country will remain one of the world's leading tourist destinations. In this context, the challenge is to take better advantage of our strengths to invigorate the industry, and to advance in areas of opportunity to consolidate it, and to attain a rate of growth that is above that of the overall economy. Many of the conditions are already in place; others we must build; as a country, we must address these pending tasks.
Source: BBVA Research, with data from Sectur
Fernando Gonzalez Cantú is Senior Economist for Sectorial and Regional Research at Grupo Financiero BBVA Bancomer, having worked in various positions at that institution since 1993. He has also given classes in the Economics department and in Master's Degree programs in Urban Settlements and Health at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, as well as in the Economics Department of the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, and was professor and full-time researcher at the Center for Economic and Demographic Studies of Colegio de México. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, and has taken specialization courses in demographics from the U.N. Latin American Center for Demographics, at the Universidad de Chile.
Adolfo Albo Márquez is Chief Economist for Mexico at BBVA Bancomer, Grupo BBVA, where he directs research into the economy, finance, banking, pensions, industry, real-state, and migration. He has a Master's Degree from ITAM with honors, and has received the following recognitions: Banamex Economics Prize, National Economic Consultancy Prize (Tlacaelel). In addition, he has post-graduate studies in economy and finance and has published studies in collaboration with the IDB and the OECD. For more than 5 years he has been researching and studying emerging economies and markets. He was Chief Economist for Latin America at BBVA, headquartered in Madrid, Spain; and Director of Investment Strategies for Latin America.
Comments f.gonzalez8@bbva.bancomer.com and a.albo@bbva.bancomer.com Autumn
21
Statistics
Domestic Market Demand Rises
for Urban and Vacation homes
in Vallarta
By Omar ChĂĄrraga
Housing Market Growing Rapidly The 2010 census by Mexico's National Institute for Statistics and Geography (INEGI) reports a total of 100,000 urban and vacation homes in the Puerto Vallarta metropolitan area. If we assume a population growth equal to that of 2005-2010, it would mean an average growth of 4,000 homes per year, an annual average of 7 percent. This trend would lead to almost 150,000 homes in that area of Vallarta by the year 2015. In the same census, INEGI found that there were 3.7 inhabitants on average per home, a number that is expected to decline to an average of 3.4 by 2015.
Annual Housing Growth Rate Zone
1995
2000
2005
2010
95-00
00-05
05-10
2015
2020
Puerto Vallarta
34,965
44,313
53,195
66,729
5.3%
4.0%
5.1%
85,524
109,614
BahĂa de Banderas
10,551
14,181
21,017
33,956
6.9%
9.6%
12.3%
57,784
98,209
All Vallarta
45,516
58,494
74,212
100,685
5.7%
5.4%
7.1%
143,272
207,823
New highway will boost tourism and bring in more domestic home buyers Authorities are planning to build a new highway between the city of Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta that will reduce the travel time to only 2.5 hours instead of four at present. Although a formal date for the start of work has not been set, the plan is for this to be done in the short-medium term. This reduction in travel time will turn Vallarta into a destination that can even be visited as a day trip, but for many families it could become attractive as a weekend stay, with a night in a hotel, particularly travelers from the state of Jalisco. As regards the purchase of real-estate properties, the new highway will not substantially increase ownership in
22
NOTITUR
Statistics
This is a phenomenon we have seen in the past, when tourist flow increased to destinations like Acapulco, with the "Highway to the Sun," which runs from Mexico City to that port; or Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, with the new highway from Morelia; and soon Mazatlán, when the highway from Durango to that coastal destination is completed.
Puerto Vallarta Annual Sales
600 400 200 0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Without frontage but with sea view. Without frontage and without sea view. With beach frontage.
Bahía de banderas 600 Annual Sales
Vallarta by residents of Guadalajara, since 60 percent of domestic homeowners in Vallarta are already from that city. But it could further boost purchases of vacation property by tourists from the Bajío and central region of Mexico, because it will shorten travel time to the resort cities of Vallarta (4-6 hours maximum). The cities whose inhabitants may be more likely to buy tourist homes in Vallarta after the new highway opens are: Aguascalientes León Irapuato Celaya Guanajuato Querétaro Morelia Mexico City Toluca
400 200 0
Trend in High-End Homes The following graphs show the trend in annual sales of high-end homes (selling for more than USD200,000) in Vallarta and Bahía de Banderas.
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Without frontage but with sea view. Without frontage and without sea view. With beach frontage.
In conclusion, we can say that public and private investment are definitely the triggers of growth and development for the city of Vallarta, not just for the tourism industry but for the real-estate market in general, which will also benefit from this future program to improve highway and communications infrastructure. Omar Chárraga is Director of Tourist Residential Housing for Softec. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the Department of Accounting and Administration of UNAM and a Master's Degree in Marketing from the Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. He has been Marketing Manager for KPMG and Promotion Supervisor for Procter & Gamble. He has been a project leader in 300 consulting projects, has given conferences at expositions and has been instructor and trainer for 20 construction companies throughout Mexico. In his current position, his responsibilities include market analysis of Tourist Residential Housing, Urban Housing, Shopping and Office Centers and Industrial Bays. He has also authored various articles for newspapers like Reforma, Excélsior, and El Economista, and magazines like Expansión, Mundo Ejecutivo, Real Estate and Metros Cúbicos. He is also the author of the publications Mexican Housing Overview and DIME Vallarta. omar@softec.com.mx; omarcharraga@hotmail.com Tel. (55) 50638828
Autumn
23
Developers
Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay Resort & Spa in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, was awarded the Expedia Insider Select 2011 prize, which recognizes the best hotel resorts in Expedia's global market.
Award Winner Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay Resort & Spa in Mazatlán T
Award received by Pueblo Bonito: José Gámez, Sales Director, and Roberto Tussi, Managing Director Emerald Bay. Attests Oralia Rice, Minister of Tourism for the Sinaloa state.
24
NOTITUR
he prize is awarded on the basis of more than 500,000 comments that Expedia travelers send every year, and Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay in Mazatlán was one of the 500 properties from around the world that were recognized for its consistently high level of service and for providing an exceptional service to its guests. Earning a spot on the “Insider Select” list is proof of Pueblo Bonito's ongoing commitment to excellence, and the permanent nature of this commitment is clear in its winning the award for the second year in a row. Constant training of its associates has made Grupo Pueblo Bonito the best hotel chain in Mexico, as reflected in the positive comments and recommendations by its guests. In fact, Pueblo Bonito has the highest guest satisfaction rating of any hotel group in Mexico. In addition to this recognition, Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay Resort & Spa in Mazatlán has received the following additional awards in recent years: • Four Diamonds from AAA • Travel & Leisure Magazine Top 20 Resorts & Spas of Canada, Mexico and Central America • Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Best Mexico Resorts, from 2007 to 2011, consecutively • Travel + Leisure Top 10 Hotel Spas in Mexico, Central and South America 2007 Grupo Pueblo Bonito has two hotels in Mazatlán: Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay Resort & Spa and Pueblo Bonito Mazatlán -the chain's flagship hotel- and four more stunning developments located in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: • Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos or “Blanco”, as it is traditionally known • Pueblo Bonito Rosé Resort & Spa • Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort & Spa • Pueblo Bonito Pacífica Resort & Spa