More facets on tap for Acapulco's Zona Diamante
Of all the areas in Acapulco, none has grown so quickly in recent years as Acapulco's Zona Diamante, the beachfront zone that lies between the city proper and the airport. Home to upscale hotels and activities, it is slated for even more growth. Among the latest developments to watch for:
" Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts: Singapore-based Banyan Tree is to spend up to $150 million to develop two resorts in Mexico, including the 60-room Banyan Tree Punta Diamante (the other is the 100-room Banyan Tree Mayakoba, in the Riviera Maya). Both resorts, to open in 2008, will have spas and at least three restaurants.
" SMG Mexico: SMG announced in March that it had been awarded a contract by Grupo Autofin to manage the 360,000-square-foot Expo Imperial and Foro Imperial, the new exhibition and convention center that is part of the Mundo Imperial project. Slated to open in November 2007, the complex will include a 4,800-seat performing arts theater, to host Broadway shows, plus the 879-room Casa Imperial hotel and Fiesta Imperial, a 210,000-square-foot plaza that will be home to restaurants, nightclubs and cultural venues.
" La Isla Acapulco: A shopping complex to open by next summer. Developed by GICSA, a company that operates a similar mall in Cancun, La Isla Acapulco will include brand-name shopping, a movie theater, aquarium and restaurants. -- M.C.
The days when movie stars like John
Wayne and Debbie Reynolds were frequent visitors to Acapulco may be
long gone, but this seaside city is looking to rebuild some of its
reputation for glamor and glitz, especially in the neighborhood
called Acapulco Diamante, according to Mary Bertha Medina,
president of the Acapulco Convention & Visitors Bureau. Medina
took some time to speak with Travel Weekly about recent
developments in Acapulco.
Travel
Weekly: How has Acapulco changed for the 21st century? Is
it the same destination as before?
Medina: Acapulco has reinvented itself to
[take advantage of] its prestige as one of the most famous tourism
destinations in the world. In recent years, Acapulco Diamante has
been constructed, which complements traditional Acapulco. It
features modern, sophisticated hotel and leisure options for the
most demanding tourists.
TW: Are today's visitors to Acapulco the
same types that have always come?
Medina: Acapulco continues to be the most
versatile tourist destination. It's visited by the most demanding
tourists, for the glamor that the traditional bay once had, which
is now preserved in Acapulco Diamante. At the same time, it's a
destination for every pocketbook, because of its varied hotel
offerings.
TW: What do the most recent visitor
figures show?
Medina: To give you an idea, I would
mention the changes in passengers who arrive by plane to Acapulco.
(There were 889,442 air arrivals in 2005, up from 791,794 the
previous year, an increase of nearly 100,000 arrivals.)
These figures
give an idea of the general increase [in visitors] to the port
city, which from 2003 to 2005 [rose] 68.4%. This is due [in part]
to the investment in services and infrastructure, which has
increased noticeably in recent years.
TW: Did you receive a lot of visitors
during the past year who were rerouted from Cancun?
Medina: Without a doubt, the [damage done
by] Hurricane Wilma [positively impacted] other destinations,
including Acapulco, since tourism in Cancun was seriously
affected.
TW: How important is the U.S. market for
Acapulco? What percentage of your visitors are from the
States?
Medina: Figures from the general office
for Municipal Tourism of Acapulco show that U.S. visitors are the
foreigners who visit Acapulco the most. In 2005, for example,
nearly 90% of the foreigners who visited Acapulco originated from
various cities in the U.S.
TW: How do you
intend to attract more visitors from the U.S.?
Medina: The Mexico Tourism Board is making
an exhaustive effort to promote all tourist destinations to
Mexico's principal market, the U.S.
The strategy [in
Acapulco] continues to be increasing investment in the
infrastructure and services, to preserve Acapulco's attractiveness
and versatility.
TW: The frequency of flights between the
U.S. and Acapulco can sometimes present a challenge. Do you think
there is enough airlift?
Medina: Currently, there are direct
flights from Acapulco to 12 cities in the U.S. That includes more
than 20 domestic and foreign airlines.
In addition,
Delta Air Lines is undergoing its biggest expansion ever in Latin
America. This includes a flight that began operating recently
between Atlanta and Acapulco and an additional one from New
York.
That gives you an
idea of the growing interest from the airlines in connecting
Acapulco directly to U.S. cities and of the great visitor potential
for this city.
TW: What are the most important new
tourism developments?
Medina: In the last two years, the state
of Guerrero [where Acapulco is located] has [designated] more than
$4.1 million for projects currently under construction, and
Acapulco [is the site for] 70% of this investment.
This year, it's
estimated that $137.7 million will be invested solely in the Zona
Diamante.
Likewise, during
2005, as part of the improvement of the hotel offerings, nearly
$120 million was invested in Acapulco for renovations and air
conditioning in hotels, which will permit [the destination] to
maintain the high level of hotel and tourism service that today's
tourist demands.
Among the next
tourism projects are the Hotel Banyan Tree, Hotel Imperial, Foro
Imperial and Centro Comercial La Isla.
To contact reporter Mark Chesnut, send e-mail [email protected].