North American Meetings Industry Leaders Gathered in Mazatlan

Submitted by MexicoToday on Wed, 2012-11-14 22:37

On November 4-6, 2012, North American meetings industry leaders who are also members of thePCMA North American Advisory Board gathered for the 5th Annual PCMA North American Advisory Summit 2012 held at the Mazatlan International Center in Mazatlan, Mexico. To watch our MexicoToday exclusive coverage, go to our Flickr channel, and watch our video wrap up on our YouTube channel.

During the closing ceremony and joined by local government representatives, PCMA’s president and CEO Deborah Sexton announced that the 2013 conference will take place in Puebla, Mexico. 

At the nearly 100,000 square feet venue, Mexican meetings industry representatives heard from theAdvisory Board members, such as Barry Smith of Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Robert Lander of Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau, a series of successful business practices in the meetings industry.

  

During a panel discussion on the opening day, key representatives discussed the importance of educating the world on Mexico’s continued development in recent years and highlighting advantages of selecting Mexico as meetings and travel destination. They suggested that delegates focus on features such as Mexico’s proximity to the United States, the government zero-tax incentive, all-inclusive resorts, diversity among various states, a rich culture and welcoming people, among the key advantages in selecting Mexico.

Experts gathered also with delegates in small groups to address current issues within the industry and possible solutions. Through strategic collaboration and consulting sessions, the participants searched for ways to further enhance the sector in Mexico and promote it as a top attraction for business travel in a competitive market. 

At the final panel discussion, members of the Advisory Board provided overall tips and ideas on ways to combat current challenges in the tourism sector, and ways to advertise Mexico’s strengths to the global community.

For a number of years, Acapulco was the primary spot for business travel in Mexico. This year, however, the PCMA North American Advisory Summit was held at the Pacific Coast beach resort in Mazatlan, Mexico to showcase other attractions within the country. Mazatlan was selected for its rich culture and history as an international commercial seaport, as well as its established resort destinations.