Prevue November/December 2011 - (Page 46)

Riviera Maya sit-down gourmet meal prepared in a very traditional Mexican way.” In Aguascalientes, festivals have less to do with perfect wine pairings and more to do with the perfect pair of jeans. The Feria San Marcos in Aguascalientes has been holding court every April since 1828, and has evolved into an extravaganza of true Mexican proportions. Parades, bullfights, fireworks, art exhibits, theater, concerts and dancing in the streets have made it the state’s premier In pristine Riviera Nayarit, just north of Puerto Vallarta, planners are discovering the quaint little village of Guayabitos, a wonderful throwback to the classic fishing village vibe. A short 40 miles from Vallarta’s sparkling resorts, day trips to the area include a dip in the clear waters of Guayabitos’ beach, lined with palapa restaurants selling cold coconut drinks and shrimp on a stick. Near Manzanillo, the beautiful Las Alamandas resort is well known to planners seeking a haven for C-suite execs. They recently added the 2-bedroom, 2-story Casa San Isidro villa and reopened three of their seven villas after top-to-bottom renovations. For business sessions, this absolutely scrumptious resort situated on a long private beach features a lounge and conference room with a revolving collection of artwork. And make sure to ask about the cooking classes with chef Alejandro Aguilar. Farther south along the coast, consider pairing your event with the Food & Wine Festival Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, celebrating its second year from March 22-24, 2012. “We had a fantastic turnout last year,” says Liliana Lara Guzman, strategic planning manager for Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo CVB. “We prepared intimate cooking demos for groups with celebrity chefs such as Rick Bayless and Guillermo González Beristáin, wine and mezcal tastings from Mexico’s finest producers, and we toured the bay in a catamaran set up for a gourmet wine and dine.” COLONIAL COOL Northwest of Mexico City, the colonial cities of Queretaro, San Miguel de Allende, Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosi deliver the meeting attendee into the heart of Mexican culture. Inaugurated in February of this year, the Centro de Congresos del Estado de Queretaro offers 145,600 sf of expo space with room for up to 9,000 attendees. A big draw for planners is its city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where local DMC PromoTur Queretaro has set up a series of theatrical tours. “The idea is to promote the historic riches of our city through a totally interactive experience,” says Gustavo Galicia, director of groups. “For example, we’ll hold a dinner in a beautiful ex-convent where the waiters are dressed as monks and nuns who interact with the guests. It’s a great way to blend culture and an excellent Visit Mexico: visitmexico.com/meetings Cancun CVB: cancun.travel Riviera Maya CVB: rivieramaya.com Mexico City: mexicocity.gob.mx Riviera Nayarit CVB: rivieranayarit.com Puerto Vallarta CVB: visitpuertovallarta.com Manzanillo CVB: vivemanzanillo.com Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo CVB: travelixtapazihuatanejo.com San Miguel de Allende: portalsanmiguel.com Queretaro: queretaro.travel Aguascalientes: vivaaguascalientes.com San Luis Potosi: visitasanluispotosi.com tourist attraction. Check out the traditional charreada (rodeo). Farther east in San Luis Potosi, the 350,000-sf Center of the Arts, San Luis Potosi is a refurbished industrial factory that’s been converted into a series of art galleries, artist studios, performance halls and event venues. The “City of Plazas” is also home to a heady collection of festivals year-round, from the Corona Music Festival to the stunning Festival of Light. In March, President Felipe Calderón inaugurated the new 67-room Rosewood San Miguel de Allende. San Miguel is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the property reflects that history, inspired by the town’s 16th century Spanish Colonial Baroque architecture. We like the swath of cultural classes offered for groups both on- and offsite, related to cooking, wine, art, history and jewelry making. Also check out the recently excavated Toltec ruins at La Cañada de la Virgin about 16 miles from the city. ”We’ll hold a dinner in a beautiful exconvent Where the Waiters are dressed as monks.” 42 | prevue magazine http://www.visitmexico.com/meetings http://cancun.travel http://www.rivieramaya.com http://mexicocity.gob.mx http://www.rivieranayarit.com http://www.visitpuertovallarta.com http://www.vivemanzanillo.com http://www.travelixtapazihuatanejo.com http://www.portalsanmiguel.com http://queretaro.travel http://www.vivaaguascalientes.com http://www.visitasanluispotosi.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue November/December 2011

Planner's Pick: Sheraton Nassau
Planner's Pick: Buenos Aires
Fresh Meets: Park Hyatt
Good Business: Hilton Head
Bureau Buzz: Washington DC/Anaheim/Detroit
On Location: Paws Up, Montana
On Location: The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas
Meetings + The Muse
Meetings + The Muse
Mexico, Now
Mexico, Now
On Location: Marriott Resorts, Cancun
On Location: Marriott Resorts, Cancun
On Location: Starwood Resorts, Los Cabos
On Location: Starwood Resorts, Los Cabos
The Next Latin Boom
The Next Latin Boom
Barcelona
Barcelona
Queensland
Queensland
On Location: Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado
On Location: Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado

Prevue November/December 2011