WYNDHAM INTERNATIONAL is expanding its presence in
Mexico through a 10-year alliance with Viva Resorts. Under the
agreement, as of Dec. 1, Viva's three resorts in Mexico, as well as
its resorts in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, will be
re-branded as Viva Wyndham Resorts and incorporated into the
Wyndham portfolio. The Viva Wyndham properties will bring together
Wyndham brand standards and the resorts will participate in the
Wyndham ByRequest guest-recognition program. In Mexico, the
re-branded resorts are the 400-room Viva Wyndham Maya and the
234-room Viva Wyndham Azteca, both in the Riviera Maya, and the
355-room Viva Wyndham Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta. In addition to
the three Viva Wyndham properties in Mexico, Wyndham operates the
Grand Bay Hotel Isla Navidad -- A Wyndham Luxury Resort near the
Pacific coast town of Manzanillo.
CHEAP TICKETS, a Cendant company, launched a
summer sweepstakes promotion rewarding customers with a one-week
trip to Mexico. Under the "Buy, Save, Win, Ole...!" promotion,
customers who purchase an airline ticket, car rental, hotel
accommodations, cruise package, vacation package or "Last Minute
Trip" package in the month of August will be eligible to win a trip
for two to Mexico, including two economy class roundtrip airline
tickets and accommodations. The awards are provided by Cheap
Tickets in partnership with AeroMexico, Mexicana and RCI Holiday
Network, a Cendant affiliate that operates vacation rentals on
behalf of resorts. Customers who purchase designated "bonus items,"
which change each week, will be entered an additional 10 times. One
winner will be chosen at random from each day's purchases. Winners
will be announced on or around Sept. 30. Visit www.CheapTickets.com for sweepstakes details.
REACTING TO DEMAND, US Airways Vacations
extended the booking date for its summer promotion to Mexico. The
operator is offering up to 40% off on air-inclusive packages to
Mexico for bookings made through Aug. 22 (the original deadline was
Aug. 8) for travel through Dec. 14. In addition, travel agents will
earn 17% commissions on bookings made via VAX VacationAccess [www.vaxvacationaccess.com], 15% on bookings via the
major GDSs and 10% on call-center bookings via (800) 455-0123.
Packages include roundtrip air fare on US Airways, hotel
accommodations, roundtrip airport transfers and hotel taxes and
service charges. The lead price in Cancun is $299 per person,
double, for a three-night package at the Imperial Las Perlas with
air from Raleigh/Durham, N.C.
FRONTIER AIRLINES wants to add a fifth Mexico
destination and filed an application with the U.S. Department of
Transportation for authorization to serve Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo from
its Denver hub. If granted authority, Frontier said it would begin
the new flights in first-quarter 2004. Frontier flies to Cancun and
Mazatlan from Denver and last month announced it would launch
nonstop service between Denver and Los Cabos Nov. 1 and Denver and
Puerto Vallarta Nov. 22.
THE PUERTO VALLARTA CVB announced the Puerto
Vallarta Gourmet Festival will take place Nov. 13 to 23. In its 9th
year, the event will bring together local Mexican chefs and more
than 20 guest chefs from restaurants and hotels throughout the
world. The event will feature cooking classes, wine and tequila
tastings and special a la carte dinner menus. For reservations,
call Juan Carlos Balderas at (011) 52-322-222-3228, send a fax to
(011) 52-322-222-3227 or e-mail [email protected].