The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board will be exhibiting at this year’s AIBTM Expo taking place at the McCormick Place in Chicago from June 11-13. The destination will be represented by a delegation of hoteliers, including Melia Vallarta, Westin Puerto Vallarta, Velas Vallarta as well as Puerto Vallarta’s International Convention Center and will be under the Mexico Tourism Board’s stand, number 833.
 
Puerto Vallarta is one of Mexico’s leading MICE destinations because of its world-class infrastructure and superior professional services along with its proximity to key markets in the US and Canada. Enriched by Mexican heritage, this charming seaport has colonial-era roots and is framed by the lush Sierra Madre mountain range and the Pacific waters of the Bandera’s Bay, providing some of the most unique settings for corporate events. Meetings held in Puerto Vallarta have consistently brought 20% more attendees to events than at their previous meeting location.
 
This year the destination will be holding a hosted site visit titled: Vallarta Meetings, from July 9-12, a special educational trip where Puerto Vallarta´s MICE industry will host 15 US and Canadian meeting planners to experience the diverse infrastructure and services that are available in Puerto Vallarta and can ensure that any event or meeting is a success. The special agenda will be offered 3 times a year to prospective MICE specialists. To learn more on this initiative please visit http://goo.gl/AzE1q
 

 
AIR ACCESS
Puerto Vallarta’s Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) handled over 1.2 million passengers in 2012, with over 2,000 direct flights coming from the US and Canada (SECTUR). The airfield is capable of handling 40 takeoffs and landings per hour. The airport terminal has 16 active gates, with an additional six in a recently completed terminal extension project.
 
HOTEL INFRASTRUCTURE
The city’s hotel network offers 20,784 rooms, with well over half being 4-star-plus properties as well as historical boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts, private homes and condominiums, and three new resorts from international chains Hilton and AM Resorts.
 
PUERTO VALLARTA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER 
The Puerto Vallarta’s International Convention Center is the destination’s state-of-the-art facility for conventions and exhibitions. With an investment estimated at US$ 43 million, it occupies 42 acres and offers over 105,000 square feet of flexible indoor meeting and exhibition space as well as 400,000 square feet of outdoor event space; it is five minutes away from the airport and 10 minutes away from Puerto Vallarta’s major hotels and historic downtown.

Gran Salon Vallarta, the Convention Center’s main meeting hall, offers 54,000 square feet of space and can be subdivided into eight fully equipped, sound-proofed rooms. The complex offers 670 car parking spaces as well as a separate lot reserved exclusively for motor coaches, accommodating up to 50. The Convention Center also offers a host of services required by large groups such as an exhibition area, private meeting rooms, simultaneous translation equipment, a research center, cafeteria, a cultural and educational center, workshop, the latest technology, and first class service in elegant surroundings. The Puerto Vallarta International Convention Center has reported a 20% increase in attendance for events taking place in the venue in comparison to their previous celebration. The Puerto Vallarta convention center is the only venue in the world that maintains a natural protected area of 415 acres, from the income generated by events held in the building, over 250 animal species call Estero el Salado home.
 
0% VAT FOR INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSES, CONVENTIONS, FAIRS AND EXHIBITIONS
Holding an event in Puerto Vallarta and Mexico in general can be beneficial to the budget. As part of Miscellaneous Tax Provisions Act published on May 30, 2005, foreign entities holding events in PV do not pay taxes for services provided for a meeting, convection or fairs in Mexico. Meetings in Mexico are also fully tax deductible in  the USA and CANADA. Guests can also benefit from tax free shopping (taxback.com)
 
PUERTO VALLARTA’S MAKEOVER
Puerto Vallarta’s Downtown has had an “extreme makeover” in recent years as part of a six-year urban renewal program along the destination’s iconic Malecon or waterfront which was inaugurated in October 2011 with nearly 4 miles (6,000 meters) of renovated public space, twice as wide, and with improvements extending from the Hotel Rosita to the Hotel Los Arcos.
 
Continued improvements include a second tunnel on the Libramiento highway which is located on the backside of the city, slated for completion this summer and Los Muertos  Pier which officially opened this past January.
 
GOLF, WATER SPORTS AND A HOST OF OTHER ACTIVITIES 
Several tour operators and DMC’s based in Puerto Vallarta offer customized programs for groups including a wide selection of tours and activities in and around the destination and can organize tailor-made excursions and events for groups of various sizes and interests. A few of these activities include snorkeling, sailing, whale watching, and zip lining. Some operators even provide team building activities that encourage teamwork, goal setting, and group problem solving.
 
Puerto Vallarta also boasts numerous world-class golf courses to choose from. Many hotels offer special packages for large groups to participate in golf outings. Marina Vallarta and Vista Vallarta are only two of seven championship golf courses in Puerto Vallarta.

Puerto Vallarta has also provided very scenic alternative venues for events, some that are frequently used as offsite special event space for large events are the outside spaces of the Malecon Boardwalk, the Muertos Pier, and the Municipal Sport Unit, among others. The following are some of other locations that may be used in a professional setting.
 
Teatro Vallarta - This space which opened in March 2010, is located in Puerto Vallarta’s downtown, counting with top quality facilities ideal for meetings, presentations and small conventions, including a 962-seat auditorium and a full open space on its second floor.
 
Hacienda Doña Engracia - Tucked away in the foothills about 20 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Puerto Vallarta, near the village of Desembocada is Hacienda Doña Engracia. The location has a Tequila distillery space ideal for presentations and meetings as well as a large cafeteria for a catered event.
 
Golf Course Marina Vallarta - located in the heart of Marina Vallarta; walking distance from the hotel area or the Marina and easily accessible to all. The golf course is surrounded by lush vegetation, natural lagoons alive with wildlife; including herons, sea geese, iguanas, alligators, and the scenic shores of Banderas Bay. The site is just minutes away from downtown Puerto Vallarta, and from the airport.
 
AWARD WINNING AND SAFE
Puerto Vallarta is committed to ensuring the safety and security of its residents and visitors. In summer 2011, the Tourism Police Program was reinstated in Puerto Vallarta with a focus on tourist security and safety, prevention of crime and preserving the city’s positive image and reputation. During February 2012, Puerto Vallarta initiated a “Taxi Safe” notification system in which anyone witnessing a crime or falling victim to a crime can report the event to any cab, which will report the event to their call center. The call center in turn will notify the Police Emergency Call Center (066), which is the equivalent of (911) in the US. Some 150 businesses in and outside the tourist zone have signed up to participate by advertising the service and providing forms to interested persons in English and Spanish. (www.taxisafepv.com) In addition, the City of Puerto Vallarta has twice the national standard of policemen (2.0 per 1,000 Pop.) required by the Federal Government to qualify for federal subsidies. Police in Puerto Vallarta have increased patrols and are coordinating enforcement efforts with many tour companies.
 
These efforts have paid off, as Puerto Vallarta’s hotels continue to have higher occupancy rates compared to other international destination in Mexico and the destination continues to receive accolades from media and visitors alike. Most recently Puerto Vallarta was named best Mexican Destination by the readers of Tripadvisor.com; in 2012 it was named “Most Romantic Place in Mexico 2012” as well as “Favorite Beach Destination 2012” by users of the site About.com and “Luxury Beach Retirement on a Budget” by International Living. In 2011, Puerto Vallarta won the title of "Friendliest City in the World", as chosen by readers of the prestigious magazine Condé Nast Traveler. In 2010, Vallarta was named "Best Place to Retire in the World" by the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons). This year the city was named "Best Retirement Destination in Mexico" by USNews.com and one of the Top Cities in Latin America by Travel + Leisure Magazine.
 
For a PDF version of this release, click here.
For high definition images of Puerto Vallarta, please click here.