ol Melia Hotels &
Resorts said the $22 million expansion of its
Melia Azul Ixtapa is nearing completion with the
opening of a convention center and tower scheduled for November.
The two-story convention center will offer 19,250 square feet of
space that can be divided into seven meeting rooms. In addition,
the top floor will house eight breakout rooms, a business center
and an executive lounge.
The new tower will hold an additional 137 rooms, bringing the
total room count to 410, including three Presidential and 67 Junior
suites.
For information or reservations, call (800) 336-3542 or visit
the Web at www.solmelia.com.
• • •
Vallarta Adventures, a Puerto Vallarta tour
company, launched a six-hour excursion to Talpa de
Allende and Mascota.
Mascota is a 16th century agricultural town at the foot of the
Sierra Madre mountains.
One of the stops on the Mascota tour is the colonial town of
Jalisco, established in 1592 by Spanish colonists.
Talpa de Allende is one of the most important religious centers
in Mexico. Talpa is famous throughout Mexico for its Gothic church
dedicated to the Virgin Rosario de Talpa. Pilgrims from all over
Mexico journey there to pray for miracles.
The six-hour tour costs $130 per person, including
transportation via private air charter. For information or to book,
call Vallarta Adventures at (866) 256-2739 or visit www.vallarta-adventures.com.
• • •
Viva Resorts introduced the Viva
Junior's Club aimed at travelers between the ages of 13
and 18.
The complimentary program will be in effect at Viva's
all-inclusive, child-friendly properties in Mexico, the Bahamas and
the Dominican Republic.
Viva recently entered into an alliance with Wyndham
International to rebrand its resorts as Viva Wyndham Resorts.
Viva Resorts' Mexico properties are the Viva Maya and Viva
Azteca, both on the Riviera Maya, and the Viva Vallarta in Puerto
Vallarta.
Effective Dec. 1, the contact number for Viva will be (800)
WYNDHAM; the Web site will be located at www.wyndham.com. In
the meantime, find information at www.vivaresorts.com.
• • •
Apple Vacations launched a travel agent
incentive promotion called King of the Palace in
conjunction with Palace Resorts in Mexico.
Under the promotion, agents can earn a $50 bonus and 1,500 Bonus
Royalties Points for every new air-inclusive charter that includes
at least three nights at a Palace Resorts property.
Bookings must be made by Feb. 6 for travel during the same
period from Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, St.
Louis and San Francisco.
After 10 bookings, Apple will award agents an additional $250
bonus and an extra 10,000 Bonus Royalties Points.
For information, log onto www.applevacations.com and click on "Just For Travel
Agents."
To contact reporter Jorge Sidron, send e-mail to [email protected].