Two New Flights to Mexico Finalized

flight map from russia and the united states to mexico

As interest in Mexico continues to rise, two new and much anticipated flights to Mexico have been confirmed.

Having recently received approval from U.S. regulators, the consumer-lauded airline Virgin America has announced that their new flight from San Francisco, California to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico will begin on December 2nd of this year. The direct flight will run twice a week (Mondays and Thursdays).

Virgin has been quoted as seeing an increasing demand for flights to Mexico from their customers, and this new flight from San Francisco to Puerto Vallarta will become Virgin’s third destination in Mexico. Virgin America currently flies to Cancun and Los Cabos.

The biggest increase in demand for Mexico has interestingly come from the Russian market. In 2010, Mexico saw an increase of travel from Russia of 134% and from Jan. to Apr. of 2011, Mexico has already seen 64% more travelers from Russian than in 2010!

To accommodate this enthusiastic market, the Russian airline Aeroflot has confirmed that they will begin a new flight from Moscow to Cancun on October 30th of this year. The flight will run every ten days and accommodate 241 passengers.

As more and more new flights to Mexico continue to be confirmed, the 2010/2011 winter is on pace to see record numbers of international visitors.

August 2011 Journey Mexico Newsletter

AUGUST 2011 NEWSLETTER
(View the full newsletter >>)

Jacques Cousteau once called Mexico’s Sea of Cortés “the Aquarium of the world,” and for good reason as 39% of the Earth’s marine mammals either live in or visit the Sea of Cortes during their lifetime. Nearly all of the World’s Gray Whales are born just off the coast of Baja, Mexico and each winter, thousands of Gray Whales migrate back down to Mexican waters to breed – offering travelers unforgettable up-close-and-personal encounters.

Traditionally, exploring the Sea of Cortés and its wildlife has meant camping in the rugged terrain of Baja California, which is great for adventure lovers but can be discouraging for others. Now, however, Journey Mexico is excited to offer a fabulous alternative: an eight-day, seven-night cruise aboard a 120-foot, 22-guest yacht.

On The Sea Quest Explorer, you’ll tour the Sea of Cortés, a World Heritage biosphere reserve that harbors more than 900 islands (many uncharted), flora, fauna, and animals found nowhere else in the world. In addition to whale watching and site-seeing, travelers will enjoy a burro ride through the arroyos, swimming with baby sea lions, and a visit to Isla Coyote, a tiny island populated by only two families! Included in the experience are two-person sea kayaks, paddle boards, snorkeling and water-skiing equipment, a sailboat, and motorized shore boat for close-up wildlife viewing.

As a kick off promotion, we are pleased to offer travel credits of $200 dollars per person (and $400 dollars for teenagers) for select travel dates booked by September 30th, 2011.

Journey Mexico Leading an ATTA Pre-Summit Adventure

The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), the largest international network of adventure travel companies and organizations, is holding their their annual World Summit in Chiapas, Mexico this upcoming October. Together with the State of Chihuahua, Journey Mexico will be operating a pre-summit adventure to the Copper Canyon. The Pre-Summit Adventures provide Mexico the opportunity to showcase the beauty of their area and their talented tour operators. To find more information on how to join the Copper Canyon tour, click here.

Journey Mexico News

Mexico Safety The Journey Mexico blog has quickly established itself as a leading resource for all up-to-date (and from-the-ground) information about Mexico. Our posts on the latest in the safety of Mexico have been getting hundred of shares throughout our social media networks. For the latest safety updates, click here .

Hotel Updates

Demetria: This new and innovative boutique hotel is in one of the most exclusive zones of Guadalajara. The cultural and artistic aspects of this hotel is mixed to create a full urban environment of life and we are delighted to share it in our exclusive portfolio.

 

Four Seasons Punta Mita: Back by popular demand, their “1-2-3-4 Reasons to Vista Punta Mita” promotion is back, including a $1,234 resort credit.

 

 

Journey Mexico: On The Road

August 12-19: Zach wil be traveling to Las Vegas for Virtuoso Travel Mart

August 20-26: Zach will traveling to New York for client visits

August 24-29: Matteo will be traveling to New York for client visits

September: Journey Yucatan will be launched with a new line of product 6* transfers, tours, excursions, yachts, villas, incentives & more!


How Safe is Mexico?

cathedral in Guanajuato, Mexico

How Safe is Mexico was written by Carol Pucci and was posted on The Seattle Times

I’ll be taking my first trip to the Yucatan in Mexico later this year, and I’m excited to delve into Merida’s music scene, explore ancient ruins and relax along the Mayan Riviera.

I’m also thrilled about the prices. I’m paying $60 for two, including breakfast, at the Hotel Julamis, a boutique inn with a garden and pool in Merida’s historical center. For a short stay in the beach town of Puerto Morleos, I found a studio apartment for $80, with free bikes thrown in.

I’ve traveled in Mexico for years, and I always look forward to going back. Mexico is cheaper than Hawaii and, to me, more interesting than Costa Rica. But with all the reports of drug-related violence and killings, people ask, “Is it safe to go Mexico?”

I put the question to Mexican Tourism Secretary Gloria Guevara, who was in Seattle recently for meetings with airline executives and travel agents.

Her answer: “Get a map.”

Misconceptions of Mexico

Surprisingly, Guevara didn’t sugarcoat the impact the violence among warring drug cartels has had on how people feel about travel to Mexico. How could she when I brought along a news clipping about a man’s torso and arm found on a street near a beachfront hotel in Acapulco? Mexicans are as upset about what’s happening in their country as anyone.

But Guevara points out that Mexico is a big country, with 2,500 municipalities.

“All of the problems you hear about have occurred in just 80 of these places, less than 5 percent,” nearly all outside the places most travelers go.

“Asking if Mexico is safe,” she says, ” is a little like asking if something happens in Atlanta, is it safe to go to Seattle.”

Fair enough. So what is the biggest misconception people here have?

“When they think of Mexico, they don’t think about specific places,” Guevara says. “They just say ‘Mexico.’ ”

It’s true that drug-related violence has left thousands of Mexicans dead in the border towns of Ciudad Juárez and Nuevo Laredo. The violence lately has begun to spread, and the country remains under a U.S. State Department travel warning (see www.travel.state.gov).

It’s also true that most American tourists go to a handful of destinations such as Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta and the Mayan Riviera, all areas as safe as they look.

Tourism is hugely important, generating 22 million international visitors annually, 2.5 million jobs in 2010, and $11.8 billion in revenue, according to Mexican government figures. It’s Guevara’s job to promote travel. But I get her point.

I’ve never felt unsafe in Mexico. Not taking the subway in Mexico City. Not riding a long-distance bus to Mazatlan in the state of Sinaloa, home to one of the most powerful drug cartels. Not walking the streets of Guadalajara, Sayulita, Oaxaca or Guanajuato.

Most people who go to Mexico feel this way, Guevara said. Ninety-nine percent of travelers who responded to a recent government tourism survey said they had a good experience and would go back again, she said.

“The fact of the matter is that most of central and southern Mexico sees less violence than many U.S. cities,” writes Lonely Planet guidebook author Robert Reid.

The U.S. travel warning advises which areas to avoid. None include Reid’s top destinations — Mexico City, Merida, Todos Santos, San Miguel de Allende, Huatulco, Playa del Carmen, Guanajuato and Puebla. I’d add Oaxaca for food and art and Guadalajara for shopping.

Guevara says that the best way to judge what it’s like in Mexico is to ask someone who’s been recently.

 

The Journey Mexico ATWS FAM Trip to the Copper Canyon

man taking photo of the copper canyon

Now that we’re less than two months away from this year’s Adventure Travel World Summit in Chiapas, Journey Mexico is excited to offer attendees our Pre-Summit Copper Canyon FAM Trip.

The Copper Canyon FAM will run from October 12th-16th and is free of charge for ATWS attendees! Trip members will explore the Sierra Madre Mountains on one of the greatest train adventures in the world, the famous Chihuahua al Pacifico! In addition to the train trip, adventure enthusiasts will have the opportunity to go zip lining, rappelling, rock climbing, and to marvel at the world’s longest cable car high above the canyon floor.

Trip members will be introduced to local communities of the Sierra Madre and have the chance to visit craft cooperatives and markets. Site-inspections of several iconic hotels and dinner at the finest restaurants in the region will also be a part of the experience.

For more information about the Copper Canyon FAM Trip, visit our Pre-Summit Adventure page here >>

 

Mexico Safer Than Headlines Indicate

women shopping in Oaxaca, Mexico

Mexico Safer Than Headlines Indicate was written by Christine Delsol and has been republished from SF Gate

Quick – which national capital has the higher murder rate: Mexico City or Washington, D.C.?

If you answered Mexico City, you’d be in good company – after all, Mexico is a war zone, isn’t it? But you would be wrong, on both counts.

Based on FBI crime statistics for 2010 and Mexican government data released early this year, Mexico City’s drug-related-homicide rate per 100,000 population was one-tenth of Washington’s overall homicide rate – 2.2 deaths per 100,000 population compared with 22. (Drug violence accounts for most murders in Mexico, which historically does not have the gun culture that reigns in the United States.)

And while parts of Mexico can be legitimately likened to a war zone, drug violence afflicts 80 of the country’s 2,400 municipalities (equivalent to counties). Their locations have been well publicized: along the U.S. border in northern Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas states, and south to Sinaloa, Michoacan and parts of San Luis Potosí, Nayarit, Jalisco, Guerrero and Morelos states.

The flip side is that more than 95 percent of Mexico’s municipalities are at least as safe as the average traveler’s hometown. Yucatan state, for example, had 0.1 of a murder for every 100,000 people in 2010 – no U.S. tourist destination comes close to that. Most cities in central Mexico, outside of the scattered drug hot spots, have lower murder rates than Orlando.

It would seem fairly clear – fly, don’t drive, across the border into the safe regions. Yet whenever people say they are going to Mexico, the invariable response is “Aren’t you afraid?”

Media sensationalism accounts for much of the wariness. “Gangland violence in western Mexico” “Journalists under attack in Mexico” and “Mexico mass grave toll climbs” sound as if the entire country were a killing field. The story might name the state, but rarely the town and almost never the neighborhood. And some reporters apparently are confused by the word “municipality” – some of the killings reported as being in Mazatlan, for example, actually happened in a town miles away from the city – akin to attributing East Palo Alto’s slayings to San Francisco.

But the biggest factor may be that travelers looking for a carefree vacation simply find it easier to write the entire country off than to learn what areas to avoid.

The Mexico Tourism Board is working to change that. Efforts so far have concentrated on getting accurate information to travel agents, who funnel the lion’s share of tourism to Mexico’s popular destinations. Independent travelers’ primary source of information is the State Department travel alerts (travel.state.gov), which are finally getting better at pinpointing the trouble spots.

“We are trying to work with U.S. authorities in making these travel alerts specific and not general,” said Rodolfo Lopez Negrete, the tourism board’s chief operating officer. “Unfortunately, they have projected a somewhat distorted image.”

In the meantime, we have done some of the work for you. The chart above recommends destinations for various comfort levels and travel styles. If you’re totally spooked, there are places that pose no more risk than Disneyland. If you’re open-minded but don’t want to take unnecessary risks, we have places safer than Miami, New Orleans or Washington, D.C. For fearless travelers, these sometimes dicey destinations are worth the extra caution.

Your most important tactic for traveling safe, in Mexico or anywhere else, begins before you even decide where to go. Get familiar with Mexico’s geography; it’s a big country, and your destination might be hundreds or even a thousand miles from violence-prone areas. Keep up on Mexico coverage in major dailies, then do some focused research. Some sources:

— The current State Department travel warning (travel.state.gov) and security updates make a good start.

— The travel agents trade publication Travel Weekly has created a map that puts the latest travel warning in easily digestible graphic form (travelweekly.com/uploadedFiles/MEXICOMAP4.pdf).

— The United Kingdom Foreign Office Travel Advisory for Mexico ( www.fco.gov.uk; “Travel advice by country”) provides another perspective.

— Stratfor, a global intelligence company that advises government agencies and international corporations on security issues, is a reliable, up-to-the-minute source. Membership is expensive, but the website ( www.stratfor.com) makes some reports available for free.

Assuming you’re not headed for northern border areas, normal safety precautions that apply anywhere in the world will suffice. These are particularly important in Mexico:

— Don’t pack anything you couldn’t bear to part with; leave the bling at home.

— Carry only the money you need for the day in a money belt (not a fanny pack), and leave your passport in your hotel unless you know you will need it.

— Get local advice about areas to avoid.

— Don’t get drunk and stumble around dark, unfamiliar streets. Drunk or sober, don’t walk beaches late at night.

— Stick with taxis dispatched from your hotel or a sitio (taxi stand); if you go out for dinner, ask the restaurant to call a taxi for you.

— Drive during the day; if nighttime driving is unavoidable, use the toll roads.

— Leave a travel itinerary and a copy of your passport with someone at home. If you’ll be traveling in higher-risk areas, notify the nearest U.S. Consulate.

A final note: Don’t get rattled if you see armed soldiers patrolling the beach or manning highway checkpoints. They are young men doing a difficult job. On the road they’ll usually just ask you where you’re coming from and where you’re going; very rarely they will ask to inspect your trunk or your bags. I’ve never encountered one who wasn’t cordial and glad for a smile or a brief conversation.

 

Journey Mexico Achieves Inc. 5000 List for the 3rd Consecutive Year

We are proud to announce that for the third consecutive year, Journey Mexico has achieved a spot on Inc. magazine’s annual list of the 5000 fastest-growing private companies in America, ranking 21st in the Travel Industry.

Weathering past storms such as “The Swine Flu” and the unrelenting negative reports of Mexico pouring out of the United States, Journey Mexico has continued to provide unforgettable travel experiences to a continuously growing number of discerning and sophisticated travelers. 2010 was a record year for Journey Mexico, and 2011 is poised to accomplish even more as interest in Mexico continues to rise.

In a stagnant economic environment, median growth rate of 2011 Inc. 500|5000 companies remains an impressive 94 percent. The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 list report having created 350,000 jobs in the past three years, and aggregate revenue among the honorees reached $366 billion, up 14 percent from last year.

For other Journey Mexico accomplishments, visit Journey Mexico: In the Press

 

Mexican Tourism Board Looking to Boost Visitors

#MexicoToday: The Mexico Tourism Board recently wrapped up “The Mexico Day,”  a seven city roadshow in the US cities of  Chicago, New York, Washington DC, Seattle, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Houston.  Inviting the top travel industry professionals, Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism, Gloria Guevara, met with CEOs and Executives from airlines, wholesalers, tour operators and media to reinforce Mexico’s presence and promotional strategy in the high-potential US market.

During the event, a presentation was given with emphasis on Mexico’s tourism advantages and national priority to become one of the ‘Top 5 Tourist Destinations in the World.’ It leveraged it’s 37 UNESCO World Heritage sites, 40,000+ archeological sites, 3,000 years of history and 62 ethnic groups while proudly boasting Mexico’s growing tourism infrastructure, its grand investments, as well as the country’s 97 % guest satisfaction rating. The message that “There is Confidence in Mexico,” was clear as they assured that incoming tourism numbers are continuing to grow and that Mexico continues to be the number one destination for American travelers.

Rodolfo López Negrete, The Mexico Tourism Board’s COO,  disclosed Mexico’s powerful objectives and campaign to encourage travel to the country for the upcoming fall/winter season. One of the initiatives is a campaign called “The Mayan World: The Beginning of a New Age,” which will celebrate Mexico’s Mayan archaeological sites and display that it is possible to visit the living Mayan Culture for a deeper examination of the 2012 prophecies. Mexico sees this as the opportune moment to position itself as a rival to other iconic cultural travel destinations like Egypt and China.

Also lined up for the season is a series of commercial campaigns featuring Cancun, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. The ads display not only the beautiful beaches of these cities but also natural wonders, modern aspects, and cultural heritage. An investment of $30 million will be spent on television, print, online and trade advertising. A comparable figure from last year’s budget when releasing their new slogan “Mexico, The Place You Thought You Knew.” Negrete also noted that Mexico  is concentrating on positioning itself as a diverse and world-class destination for adventure travelers as it is a very strong market with high value. As a result, Mexico is hosting the Adventure Travel World Summit this October, something Journey Mexico is proudly involved in.

These initiatives, alongside their constant monitoring of media coverage and proactively addressing security issues, hope to propel Mexico to achieve the goals they stive for and keep the positive momentum going. The Mexico Day roadshow is now on it’s way to Russia and Brasil, revealing similar facts and figures in their effort to capture the growing markets and enforce Mexican tourism opportunities.

 

Mexico: The Royal Tour

The Royal Tour Mexico

#MexicoTodayPeter Greenberg, credited as “America’s most recognized, honored and respected front-line travel news journalist,” hosts a special series on PBS called The Royal Tour in which he travels a country guided by its head of state. On September 22nd (September 23rd in Mexico), PBS will air The Royal Tour: Mexico – Greenberg’s grandest royal tour to date.

With Mexico’s President, Felipe Calderón, as his guide, Greenberg explored Mexico from top to bottom, undertaking such adventures as whale watching in Baja California, rappelling 110 stories down the Cave of Swallows in San Luis Potosi, zip-lining through the jungles of Puerto Vallarta, and exploring several of the Yucatan’s cenotes and underground rivers. In addition to the adventure, Greenberg was able to sit down with the President and discuss some pressing issues such as the United State’s perception of safety in Mexico.

 

While in Oaxaca this past June for the Mexico Today kick-off event, I had the chance to discuss the filming of The Royal Tour: Mexico with Jaime Diaz, the government official who was integral in making the event happen. Jaime explained to me that the previous Royal Tours (in places like Jordan, New Zealand, Peru, and Jamaica) were filmed in about seven days but because Mexico is such a vast country, Greenberg and PBS wanted to reserve the President for two weeks – something the Mexican government strongly opposed. According to Jaime, President Calderón overrode his advisors and agreed to the filming, seeing The Royal Tour as a huge opportunity to open the eyes of American viewers to the beauty of his country and to the wealth of meaningful travel experiences offeren in Mexico.

Judging from the trailer, it seems President Caldrón made the right call as The Royal Tour: Mexico looks fantastic. Set your TiVos now because, trust us, Mexico is going to blow you away!

Copper Canyon Train Trip Tops Lonely Planet List

train trip in mexico

The Lonely Planet recently published an article called Riding the Rails: Classic Train Journeys of the World and guess which trip was at the top of the list – Mexico’s very own Copper Canyon Railroad Adventure!

The trip aboard Mexico’s first-class Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacifico train can be found on bucket lists worldwide – and for good reason. The train journey whisks you over 36 bridges and through 87 tunnels as it travels 655km in length, offering unforgettable views of the Copper Canyon. During the trip, travelers stop to visit the local people of small, remote towns in the Sierra Tarahumara mountains to experience their unique culture.

The luxury of the train is matched in Posada Barrancas, where passengers unwind at the gorgeous hotel Mirrador, the only hotel that offers sweeping views of the canyon from each and every room!

Reaching the town of Creel, adventurous travelers leave the luxury of the train behind to descend the rugged switchbacks into the depths of the Batopilas Canyon. Passing through La Bufa Canyons, adventurers take in the local wildlife, beautiful rivers & streams, and have the chance to explore historic mining outposts. Another highlight of the trip is a visit to the “Lost Cathedral of Satevo,” whose grandeur and magnitude attest to the importance of its town and the riches that it produced at the turn of the 20th century.

Though perhaps lesser known, the Copper Canyon Railroad Adventure undoubtedly desserves its ranking amongst the legendary train trips of the world. It’s nice to know that Lonely Planet agrees.

 

Our Mexico: Luxury

luxury in mexico ad

Click image to view the full ad

The fourth in the Our Mexico web-ad series focuses on luxury travel in Mexico. Picnicks on the banks of a private cenote, sunset sails, elegant spa treatments, and poolside margaritas are just a few examples of luxurious experiences that await in Mexico.

For nearly a decade, Journey Mexico has been curating a collection of the finest, most luxurious private villas and hotels in the country. Let us ignite your senses and pamper you with a level of excellence you’ve never imagined – all at a value you won’t believe!

New Venue for Incentive Travel in Mexico

incentive travel in mexico

Businesses interested in incentive travel in Mexico have a new reason to rejoice as RIU Hotels has recently unveiled the RIU Playacar Convention Center, the first convention center of its kind in the Riviera Maya’s Playa del Carmen.

The RIU Playacar Convention Center, a 2.5 million dollar investment, offers approximately 8,070 square feet (divisible in five rooms) and has a capacity for up to 600 people. The center also offers internet access, a kitchen banquet, and cutting-edge technical equipment.

Surrounding the RIU Playacar Convention Center are six RIU hotels, which combine to offer 2,700 rooms in Playa del Carmen – all offering RIU’s renowned 24 Hour All Inclusive program.

Aside from Cancun, Playa del Carmen is the Riviera Maya’s fasted growing region and with the addition of this new conference center, Playa del Carmen is sure to become a favorite of businesses looking to capitalize on the benefits of incentive travel. For more information, visit Incentive Travel at Journey Mexico.

Luxury at Sea in Mexico

Jacques Cousteau once called Mexico’s Sea of Cortés “The aquarium of the world,” and for good reason as 39% of the Earth’s marine mammals either live in or visit the Sea of Cortes during their lifetime. Nearly all of the World’s Gray Whales are born just off the coast of Baja, Mexico and each winter, thousands of Gray Whales migrate back down to Mexican waters to breed – offering travelers unforgettable up-close-and-personal encounters.

Traditionally, exploring the Sea of Cortés and its wildlife has meant camping in the rugged terrain of Baja California, which is great for adventure lovers but can be discouraging for Grandmom and the kids. Now, however, Journey Mexico is excited to offer a fabulous alternative: an eight-day, seven-night cruise aboard a 120-foot, 22-guest yacht.

On The Sea Quest Explorer, you’ll tour the Sea of Cortés, a World Heritage biosphere reserve that harbors more than 900 islands (many uncharted), flora, fauna, and animals found nowhere else in the world. In addition to whale watching and site-seeing, travelers will enjoy a burro ride through the arroyos, swimming with baby sea lions, and a visit to Isla Coyote, a tiny island populated by only two families! Included in the experience are two-person sea kayaks, paddle boards, snorkeling and water-skiing equipment, a sailboat, and motorized shore boat for close-up wildlife viewing.

As a kick off promotion, we are pleased to offer travel credits of $200 dollars per person (and $400 dollars for teenagers) for select travel dates booked by September 30th, 2011. For more information, please inquire at info@journeymexico.com!

Mexico Shines as a Family/Eco Travel Destination

students whale watching

#MexicoToday: Mexico was recently featured as one of the world’s top five destinations for family eco-travel in a recent article from the Kansas City Star. The article showcases only Playa Viva, an all-inclusive coastal eco-lodge near the Pacific paradise of Ixtapa, yet due to the country’s abundance of natural phenomena, Mexico is home to endless opportunities for families to enrich their knowledge of the way the Earth, its animals, and its people are interconnected.

Focusing on “preserving the cultures, traditions, communities, species and habitats that make this planet worth exploring,” Playa Viva offers a sustainable boutique hotel for families interested in enjoying “Guilt-Free Luxury” while exploring the hotel’s Sea Turtle Sanctuary, where thousands of endangered sea turtles come to lay their eggs each year.

Like Playa Viva, many local initiatives in Mexico have joined together with international non-profits like SEE Turtles and Earth Watch as well as with operators like Journey Mexico to offer travel enthusiasts an opportunity to enhance their holidays with hands-on interaction with many of the Mexico’s ecosystems and their wildlife.

The goals of these trips include:

  • To Educate travelers about the fragility of the natural ecosystems of the world and about what we as individuals can do to build positive relationships with these ecosystems
  • To get travelers physically involved in the solution through volun-tourism activities like helping aggregate sea turtle census data and monitoring endangered animal populations
  • To expose children to new cultures and languages in order to facilitate cultural understanding
  • To inspire a lifelong desire to travel and learn about the cultures and ecosystems of the world

Another benefit of eco-travel is that it can often be incorporated with a child’s science, social studies, foreign language, even art and music lesson plans. The Rainforest Alliance, of which Journey Mexico is a member, offers curriculum guides for kindergarten through eighth grade students, which parents can use to enrich the life-learning experiences of their children.

We all know that Disney World is a blast (and I hear the butter beer at The Wizardry World of Harry Potter is awesome) but how much of a real benefit are these mass-market attractions for children? If you’re thinking, “Not much,” I agree. But imagine your children actually petting a Gray Whale in the Sea of Cortez; running, arms raised, through a blizzard of Monarch Butterflies that have migrated thousands of miles to the Mexican countryside; or exploring a Mayan pyramid built hundreds of years before the Common Era. Now those are experiences that change lives for the better. And in Mexico, they happen every day.

New Three-Cat Monolith Found Outside Mexico City

#MexicoToday: It seems that the ancient people of Chalcatzingo, located about 60 miles south of Mexico City, fostered some serious artists. Since the 1930’s, more than 40 large stone carvings have been found in the area in which they lived. Just recently, a new five foot by three-and-a-half foot carving has been discovered, which has been deemed “spectacular” by archeologists familiar with these types of works. The carving depicts three felines, thought to be either jaguars or mountain lions, who are reported to have supernatural traits such as “flamed eyebrows,” associated with the ancient Olmec customs.

The Chalcatzingo, who flourished around 1500 to 400 B.C., were not technically Olmecs themselves, but it is believed that the Chalcatzingo traded heavily with the Olmecs and adopted many of their customs and beliefs. While several of the carvings found in the Chalcatzingo region do contain Olmec symbols, however, the Chalcatzingo carvings differ in that they were usually carved as raised figures on a flat background (as shown in the image above). The Olmec works, in contrast, were usually carved as three-dimensional sculptures.

Interestingly enough, this new-found carving, deemed the “Triad of Felines” by its finders, is believed to be just a piece in a much larger display. Scientists are theorizing that the Triad of Felines was a part of a massive frieze built into the Chalcatzingo hill, which overlooks the region. The frieze is thought to have served as sort of a “spiritual billboard” along a pilgrimage route up the countryside.

Month after month, the ancient cultures of Mexico continue to offer fresh insight into their cultures through artifacts like this Triad of Felines. Archeological travel enthusiasts have been rejoicing as this discovery comes just months after two sculptures of Mayan Warriors were discovered at Toniná and new photographs were taken inside an ancient tomb at Palenque, continually exemplifying the profound travel experiences available in Mexico today.

You can read more about the Triad of Felines at National Geographic

 

2012 Tianguis to be Held in Puerto Vallarta

After several months of debate, it’s official – Mexico’s annual Tianguis Turistico will be held in Puerto Vallarta next year. Tianguis is the most important travel trade show in Mexico, providing a unique business arena where domestic and international purchasers are able to meet with over 500 Mexican tourism service providers. The 2012 Tianguis will be the first time the event has been held outside the city of Acapulco since the event’s inception, and the city of Puerto Vallarta couldn’t be happier about the decision.

Earlier today, The Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita tweeted: “We are so proud Riv Nayarit & Puerto Vallarta won for be the host of the 2012 Tianguis Turistico!! Worked so hard for this,” reflecting the buzz that has quickly engulfed the media outlets of Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nyarit, the new hot spot of Mexico’s Pacific Coast. The P.V. Mirror, one of Puerto Vallarta’s top print/online news sources recently posted on Facebook: “We beat 18 other destinations (including Cancún, Mazatlán, Querétaro, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Mexico City) to host the biggest tourism trade fair in Mexico – The Tianguis!!! Congratulations to all concerned and involved!”

Although booming with expats (Puerto Vallarta was recently named the number one place to retire abroad by the AARP), Puerto Vallarta has seen a decline in tourism over the past few years due to the relentless negative reports about Mexico pouring out of US media. It seems you can’t keep a good city down, however, as Puerto Vallarta has been chosen to host a portion of the 16th chapter of the Pan American Games later this year and now looks forward to hosting the 10,000+ buyers expected to attend the 2012 Tianguis as well.

The primary Journey Mexico office has been located in Puerto Vallarta since the company originally moved to Mexico in 2006, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome the Tianguis and its participants into our beautiful home on the sea!

Travel Authorities Comment on Safety in Mexico

Travel Experts Talk Safety in Mexico

Peter Greenberg, a highly regarded authority in the international travel industry, posted an article titled Is it Safe to Travel to Mexico Now? on his blog a few weeks ago in which he and Robert Reid, U.S. travel editor for Lonely Planet, discussed the current state of Mexico in regards to safety and tourism.

Both Greenberg and Reid travel to Mexico frequently and their conversation offers some great insight into the matter (you should definitely read the entire article), but I just want to point out some of the stand-out quotes I came across.

  • Robert Reid: “You need to consider that Mexico is about the size of Western Europe. There’s an area that’s bigger than Britain and Ireland that is not on the travel warnings.”
  • Robert Reid: “The Washington Post had an article last year that the homicide rate in our nation’s capital is four times greater than Mexico City.”
  • Peter Greenberg: “Look at Cozumel. It is probably the most popular cruise ship port in the world. And yet anytime somebody hiccups the cruise ships say we’re pulling out of Mazatlan or we’re pulling out of Cozumel. Guess what happens a week later? They’re back. It’s so fickle and capricious. It’s not based on real facts. It’s based on fear.”
  • Robert Reid: “During the swine flu crisis a couple of years ago, some cruise ships stopped going to places like Puerto Vallarta, where there were no reported cases of the swine flu. Instead, the ships went to places like San Francisco where there were reported cases of swine flu. It is worth listening closely to reports.”
  • Peter Greenberg: “I’ll call a spade a spade here, Mexico has been seen in an almost racist way by Americans for so many years. They imagine dusty border towns, guys wearing sombreros and doing shoot ‘em ups. They see it how it was portrayed in the movies. If you couple that perception with the drug cartels or with the swine flu or with select crime reports, suddenly everybody starts running for the border.”
  • Robert Reid: “I’m in this business because of Mexico. I think it is an asset to be close to such a diverse, wonderful and friendly country. I’m sad that more people don’t take advantage of it.”
  • Peter Greenberg: “Isn’t it ironic that we’re talking about crime and murder in Mexico and I’ve spent so much of the year enjoying the ocean, the beaches and the beautiful sunsets in Mexico?”

On the Road: A Tweet-Up in Mazatlan

Journey Mexico in Mazatlan

This past weekend, I was invited to a “Tweet-up” in Mazatlan (sponsored by the Mexico Tourism Board) to showcase the destination in a positive way through the power of social media. Mazatlan, on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, was the only major beach destination in Mexico I’ve not yet had the chance to explore, so I was excited about the opportunity. For those not familiar with the concept of a Tweet-up, there are actually several variations of how these events can take place. The most common is when friends on Twitter get together in real life for some sort of event. Our Tweet-up was a little different as many of us invited to Mazatlan had not yet interacted on Twitter, so the focus of the event was to bring us all together to celebrate Mazatlan through a weekends worth of collective Tweets using the hashtag #wevisitmexico.

The weekend itinerary planned for our small yet widely diverse group of tweeters included nightly dinners at some of Mazatlan’s most iconic restaurants and several adventure excursion options. I’ve never been much of the adventurous type while on vacation (I’ve zip-lined in Puerto Vallarta and snorkeled in Cozumel, but that’s about as “extreme” as I’ve ever gotten). One of our day tour options was an ATV expedition and although I’ve never been particularly interested in ATVs and that almost every Mexican beach destination offers some sort of ATV tour, it was either that or another zip-line excursion. I’ve been several zip-line tours already (which, come to think of it, were pretty adventurous) so in the interest of trying something new, I went for the ATVs.

four-wheeling in Mazatlan

The ATV excursion was awesome! We were a small group of 4, cruising through the terrains of Mazatlan: dirt, rocks, rivers, fields, and even through the small colonial town of La Noria (where we stopped to see a leather factory and old church.) To my surprise, driving the countryside on an ATV (loud as ATVs are) brought me a sense of tranquility. It was like a nice hike through the park or bicycle ride through the mountains – but without all the dreadful exercise! As I passed by field workers who waved and smiled and an old cowboy on horseback nodding to say hello, I was able to clear my mind and appreciate the beauty of the land and the hospitality of the people around me. It was an experience I will never forget, and I regret not having taken part of it sooner. I can only imagine how amazing it would be to ATV through the sandy desert of Baja California Sur or through the Sierra Madre Mountains on the Pacific Coast. The ATV tour definitely left me with a new desire to try more “adventure-like” opportunities as the arise.

The day after ATVing, we took a private yacht to Deer Island, a semi-private beach filled with various water-activities. Again, things like fishing, snorkeling, jet-skiing are all activities I usually dodge; however, the ATV tour definitely left me with a new-found desire to try more “adventure-like” opportunities as the arise, so I both literally and figuratively “dove right in.” The waters of Mazatlan were beautiful and, best of all, I didn’t drown or have a panic attack! It really felt great to step outside my comfort zone and let myself go.

I definitely left Mazatlan with a new level of confidence in myself, which, combined with my unending appreciation for the incredible nature of Mexico, has me aiming high for future adventures. I figure with a few more adventure excursions under my belt, I’ll be ready for next year’s Copper Canynon Semana Santa Trek in April, which looks both intense and amazing.

No matter how much time I spend in Mexico and no matter how many regions I visit, there’s always something yet to discover. This is, without a doubt, my favorite aspect about this country. I went into this weekend not knowing much about Mazatlan and like most everyone else, all I’ve read about the city lately is that their cruise ships have decided to skip the city for the remainder of the year. Yet after just three days in Mazatlan, I can confidently say to anyone that it’s a safe and gorgeous city of culture, of adventure, and of beautiful and warm people. When I think about our experience in Mazatlan, I’m reminded of Mexico’s new slogan: “Mexico, The Place You Thought You Knew,” which is especially fitting as I know there are many who have a wildly misconceived idea of not just Mazatlan, but many of the cities of Mexico that I’ve come to love.

Mexico Awarded Best Destination Day Spa in the World by Travel + Leisure Readers

Mexico in Travel + Leisure's Reader's Choise Awards

The 2011 Word’s Best Awards mark the 16th consecutive year where Travel + Leisure has polled it’s massive database of readers, allowing them to determine the best hotels, cities, spas, and more. For the second year in a row, Rancho La Puerta in Baja Californa was named the Best Destination Day Spa in the World in this year’s Travel + Leisure: World’s Best Awards readers’ survey.

Originally opened in 1940 in a sheltered valley only an hour’s drive from San Diego, California, Rancho La Puerta quickly became the paradigm of all multi-day “destination spa” vacations that encompass health and wellness for mind, body and spirit. The property encompasses over 3,000 acres of land and includes world-class landscaped gardens, an organic farm, an internationally known cooking school, and mountainsides and meadows of great hiking and walking experiences. For more information about Rancho La Puerta, visit www.rancholapuerta.com.

Also making one of this year’s Travel + Leisure: World’s Best lists was the One & Only Palmilla, Los Cabos, also in Baja California. The One & Only Palmilla was voted number 48 in the World’s 50 Best Hotels list, and for good reason. The One & Only Palmilla was designed with one thing in mind: Luxury. To quote Travel + Leisure, “At the tip of Mexico’s Baja peninsula, One & Only Palmilla takes moonlight serenades seriously. The 172-room resort can arrange a Latin guitar trio to strum ballads on sandy coves facing the Sea of Cortés, atop a historic bell tower, or in a Casa Gardenia suite. For families, there’s a meandering river that connects the kids’ pool to an infinity pool overlooking the sea. Ride horses on the beach—on of the safest in Los Cabos for swimming—then kick back in red-tiled suites with shaded daybeds, ideal for siesta.”

Several other Mexican resorts and hotels were chosen for regional awards, featured in the cover story of the August issue of Travel + Leisure magazine, which hit newsstands July 22nd.