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FITA, The International Travel Fair of the Americas

2011-02-07T23:04:00.027-05:00

(An important opening message from the Author of the PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN Travel Survey Guidebook - “Before you read any further, please note that if this blog entry seems familiar, this is because it was originally posted on November 23, 2010. The reason I am reposting it at this time is because several pictures disappeared and some of the links were no longer functioning properly. In addition, as a result of FITA, there have been major developments in the new year involving our travel guide's discounts program and several high-profile establishments in Cancun.”)

One week after Mexico celebrated its 200^th anniversary on September 16^th, 2010, Mexico City played host to one of the world’s largest and most important travel conventions. The International Tourism Fair of the Americas, also known as FITA, took place at the Bancomer convention and Expo Center between September 23 – 26. Here is a short video about the 2010 FITA conference:

The following link contains interesting facts about the FITA 2010 Travel Fair:

http://www.mexicocityexperience.com/travel_center/fita_2010/

The Mexico City tourism office and the Mexico Tourism Board organized and hosted FITA, which attracted an estimated 30,000 people. The first 2 days of the conference were open exclusively to travel industry professionals and members of the press, followed by 2 more that were open to the general public. In attendance were more than 120 journalists, 1,500 vacation industry buyers and 600 exhibitors, from all corners of the globe.

Mexico City's secretary of tourism Alejandro Rojas, pictured below making a speech at the Convention Center, proclaimed that the city was a natural place to host a world travel fair due to its convenient centralized location. He was quite engaging, and a true Embassador of travel to Mexico, who represented Distrito Federal (Mexico City) very well. It was refreshing to listen to him discuss quite openly, and without spin, the security issues that Mexico faces as a country.

Rojas said the fair was designed to showcase Mexico City, both as an ideal location and as a world-class cosmopolitan city. In addition to Mexico City, representatives from every major state tourism office from around the country were in attendance. Perhaps my favorite booth, aside from the one presented by Cancun, was the Oaxaca exhibition.

As I mentioned in one of my previous blogs, Oaxaca boasts an incredibly diverse art and culinary scene. Local inhabitants create woven fabrics, handcrafts and wares made of black clay. While the chocolate sauce known as Mole was originally created in the State of Puebla, it was perfected and brought to another level in the mountainous regions of Oaxaca. In the blog, I described one of my favorite moderate-priced restaurants in Cancun, Calenda Oaxaca. The establishment specializes in Oaxacan style fare, and is solely responsible for introducing me to a regional culinary treat known as Chapulinas, grasshoppers, roasted with chili powder. Unlike the ones shown in the picture below, the ones prepared for us were chopped into fine bits, and served along with fresh guacamole on the side with tortillas, to eat them in tacos. Eating insects may sound a bit over-the-top weird, but believe it or not, grasshopper tacos, a Oaxacan delicacy, are really quite tasty:

Of course I was thrilled to discover the Oaxaca booth at the FITA conference had some grasshoppers to try, but I digress…

Due to the fact that I am an Author of a Cancun travel guidebook, I was invited to attend the conference with a group of journalists from the U.S. On the day we arrived, after getting checked into our hotels, members of the press attended an inaugural lunch at the Camino Real Hotel in the Mexico City neighborhood of Santa Fe.

After a delicious meal, we boarded a minibus to take a drive around town in order to get acquainted with Mexico City’s many neighborhoods. After getting to see some of the city’s world famous sites, we made our way around Chapultepec Park. This ancient park is best described as Mexico City’s version of New York’s Central Park. Adjacent to the park sits the Museo Nacional de Antropología, where we went on a two hour guided tour. It has been a goal of mine to visit this museum because ever since I took my first trip to the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, I have heard that this was the place to go for ancient Mayan history buffs. It was incredible to be within arm's length of some of the artifacts that I have been seeing pictures of for so many years! Here are a few pictures I took with the camera on my smartphone. My favorite has to be the reclining Mayan rain god known as Chac Mool. This particular statue was taken from the site of Chichen Itza, located approximately 2 1/2 hours west of the resort city of Cancun, Mexico. There remains a statue at the site, however it is difficult to see, unlike the one in the photo, which sits at waist level. The first photo is of a massive calendario Azteca (Aztec calendar).

In order to get a better idea of how big the calendar is, for a better perspective I took a picture from a little further back, with people standing next to it:

The only remaining evidence of the Olmec Indians is in the form of rock carvings scattered throughout the Yucatan Peninsula. Based on their facial features and shape of their heads, one theory of this peoples' origin is that they made their way across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa several thousand years ago:

And finally the Mayan rain god known as Chac Mool, pronounced Chahc+mole, like the animal, mole:

After a cocktail reception to close out the first day, we were taken back to our respective hotels to get some rest. Most of us were put up at the Westin in the neighborhood of Santa Fe, while a few others were located at other hotels scattered throughout the neighborhood. This area is one of Mexico City’s newest business districts, and home to many brand new buildings, including the Expo Bancomer Convention Center where the FITA conference was held. Even in the midst of an economic downturn, Santa Fe was teeming with construction. This is because it is one of the only areas in the city where tall buildings can be built, as it does not sit on an active seismic zone. The hotel where I was put up had just finished construction approximately one month prior to my arrival. While I wish I can provide an in-depth review of the hotel, in all honesty, I didn’t spend much time there. What I can say is for a business hotel, I found the Westin Santa Fe to be in the best location, within walking distance of the Expo Bancomer Convention Center. The front desk personnel were very friendly and helpful, the maintenance crew was slow to get to my room to address an electrical issue, but they did manage to make the repairs the following day. My guestroom had an open-sky view with buildings in the distance, was very clean, with two comfy beds, easy-to-use in-room safe, a fully-stocked mini bar and several English speaking TV stations. As members of the press, we were treated to a daily breakfast buffet, which was decent, but not exactly what I would classify as haute cuisine. That being said, on our final day at the hotel, we were treated to a special breakfast prepared by the Head Chef. This meal I would definitely say was haute cuisine, prepared in a Mexican and French style, bravo to the Head Chef! I highly recommend the Santa Fe Westin in Mexico City for those who are conducting business in the area and are looking for a conveniently located, clean hotel. Here is a link to the Santa Fe Westin information page on the Starwood Hotels website.

The FITA convention’s second day was perhaps the most productive as far as doing business is concerned. One of the highlights for me was attending a press conference hosted by Sr. Jorge Luis Tellez, the Promotion Director of the Cancun CVB (Convention and Visitors Bureau). Topics he covered during his press conference included recent statistics about Cancun’s tourism trends and the new advertising and marketing campaign, Cancun & The Treasures Of The Caribbean. The major difference between the current campaign and those of campaign’s past, is that more attention will be given to attractions outside of Cancun including Isla Holbox, Isla Contoy, Isla Mujeres and Puerto Morelos:

http://cancuntravel.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/cancun-and-the-treasures-of-the-caribbean/

I was extremely excited to listen to Sr. Tellez discuss future plans for the Cancun Hotel Zone and the ongoing beach maintenance program. There has been the need to address sand levels ever since Hurricane Wilma struck in late 2005. During the day and a half the storm ravaged the area, much of the Hotel Zone beach was swept away in the strong currents. In an effort to improve the size of the beaches in the Cancun Hotel Zone, sand from the ocean floor was siphoned on shore. Subsequently there was a need to repeat this process a couple of years later. Sr. Tellez’ words were reassuring, as he announced that the local officials were aware that this will be an ongoing process, and one that will need to be repeated again in the future. When comparing the before and after views of the beach at the Krystal Hotel Cancun, it is easy to see the vast improvement.

Señor Tellez was not only knowledgeable about Cancun and the history of the area, but he was extremely generous with his time. I would personally like to thank Sr. Tellez for allowing members of the press the opportunity to meet independently for a little Q&A. Here is a picture of my sit down with Señor Tellez where I had the opportunity to ask him several questions about Cancun and plans for the future:

After attending the press conference in the morning, we were granted free time to walk around the floor and explore, before heading out for another guided tour of the city. This is when I got the most work done, making valuable contacts and connections with several Cancun related businesses including hotels and tour company representatives. Several of the resort managers expressed an interest in participating with our guidebook’s Discounts program. Although it has been a little more challenging to get through the red tape that the majority of resorts have in place, this trip has made it possible to add more hotel restaurants to our ever growing list of promotion participants. What this means to our customers is that when they present their copy of PEOPLE’S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN Travel Survey Guidebook at participating establishments, they will be able to choose from exclusive promotions that are only available to our customers. After FITA, we put out a press release that we published online to announce the new program.

For a current list of promotions, visit, and bookmark, the PEOPLE’S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN Travel Survey Guidebook Disounts Page.

Another tour included a visit to the Zocalo, the largest public square in the western hemisphere. The Zocalo is known around the world for being the place where Mexico’s President gives an annual speech every September 16th, followed by the grito de Dolores, to celebrate the country’s independence from Spain. This year was extra special, because it was Mexico’s bicentennial year, so it was extra special to be in the Zocalo when we were there. Even though it was approximately one week after the massive celebration, everyone can still feel the energy! A fact that is very interesting is the Zocalo sits directly on top of an ancient Aztec ruin site. During our visit to the square, we visited another of Mexico City’s spectacular museums, the National Institute of History and Anthropology. The museum sits adjacent to an ongoing excavation site and features exhibits that were dedicated to the Indians that inhabited the area long before the Spanish conquistadors invaded. If you are looking for an interesting place to learn about the Aztecs and Mexico's indigenous peoples, this museum is definitely a must see. Visit the following link for additional information about the Zocalo:

http://www.mexicocity.com.mx/zocal2.html

After our tour of the Zocalo, we walked a few blocks from the square to have a relaxing dinner at a restaurant called Aguila Real. The service and food were very good at this moderately priced Mexican restaurant. Our dinner included soup, flautas filled with duck in a tamarind sauce, arrachera steak and flan for dessert. However the highlight for me about this dinner was the wonderful soup known as Crema de Poblano (cream of poblano soup). I now prepare this mouth-watering soup at home on a regular basis, and it’s definitely one of the best dishes in my culinary repertoire.

Another of our several guided tours we took brought us to the house where famous artist Frida Kahlo lived. Although I was not too thrilled that her political views were reflected in her work, the art she created was quite beautiful. I highly recommend visiting this museum, if not for the artwork, then for the impressive home and guided tour of the grounds. I enjoyed relaxing in the beautiful garden where one can sit and enjoy finger food and coffee sold at the gift shop. Here are a couple of links to learn more about the museum:

http://www.museofridakahlo.org.mx/serviciosingles.html#

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frida_Kahlo

Although the following video is a bit dizzying to watch, it shows the home and gardens that await visitors at the Frida Kahlo art museum:

For our farewell dinner, the FITA organizers arranged for our press group to dine at a restaurant called Villa Maria:

http://www.villamaria.com.mx/

While everyone was extremely satisfied with the meal, I noticed something on the menu that I found to be very enticing. A regional delicacy, and something that can be considered a “weird food” known as escamoles was on the menu. This dish essentially consists of salsa, in this case green chilis, mixed with ant eggs! How one goes about eating the escamoles is by taking a spoonful and spreading them with the salsa on a soft tortilla, making an ant egg taco. I considered myself to be extra fortunate because escamoles are only available for a limited time each year, and depending on availability during the rainy season. The following pictures were taken on my Blackberry, which is why I am including them both for reference. While the photos aren't the best, you can clearly see the white eggs mixed in with the green sauce.

When my special order arrived, several of the other journalists at the table were in amazement that anyone would know about such a dish as escamoles, let alone have the cojones to go ahead and order it. However after I tried a few and didn’t drop dead on the spot, a few people began to show curiosity, enough to ask if they can have a small taste. Of course I was more than happy to oblige as I passed the plate with the tortillas around the table. I believe it is important to try new and interesting things when traveling abroad, and in this case, more than happy since the food was so good. To my surprise, several of the women on our tour who were originally grossed out at the thought of eating insect eggs were becoming interested in trying the escamoles. In all, there were nine of us, three men and six women, all of whom sampled and enjoyed eating the land caviar! Now that I have tried grasshoppers and ant eggs, I for one cannot wait to return to Mexico to try other insect dishes, namely gusanos de maguey. These are the worms that are found in maguey plants (agave), and placed in bottles of Mezcal. They are cooked with spices and are supposed to taste like shrimp, land shrimp, delicious!

Before I go, some closing thoughts… All in all our time spent in Mexico City was nothing short of spectacular! That being said, I should add that four days is barely enough time to scratch the surface and get your feet wet. I will certainly need to return again in the future to explore more of this great world city, and I am looking forward to doing just that. Something I should have done in the first blog is thank the organizers of the FITA Travel Fair, Señor Jorge Luis Tellez of the Cancun Visitors Bureau, and a special mention to Cessie Ceratto and Teresa Villarreal of Newlink Group for organizing such an incredible experience for us in Mexico City.

CALENDA OAXACA

2010-11-02T02:02:00.028-04:00

A Different Dining Experience In The Cancun Hotel Zone

When looking for authentic regional Mexican fare in the Cancun Hotel Zone, you needn't look any further than Calenda Oaxaca. Located on the lagoon side of Boulevard Kukulcan at Kilometer 8.9 next to the Plaza La Fiesta indoor flea market and across from the Convention Center, stands one of the more unique Mexican restaurants in all of Cancun. Calenda Oaxaca features fare that is inspired by recipes and ingredients that are found throughout the Mexican State of Oaxaca, which is located in Southern Mexico, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The State features many geographical regions including low-lying coastal areas, flatlands and mountainous zones. Because it has two coasts that border on completely different bodies of water, Oaxaca has long been known for its wide range of seafood. There is also a diverse array of livestock, fruits and vegetables that are farmed in a year round fertile tropical climate. The restaurant derives its name from two words, Calenda, which is a procession of marchers that involves traditional dancing and takes place in the state’s capital city, which is also called Oaxaca.

As you approach Calenda Oaxaca, you are greeted by the sound of festive music playing from the outdoor public address system. Once inside the front door, you enter an open room with several seating areas, a stage on the far right side, a second level with balcony seating and a double-high ceiling. The restaurant surrounded by handmade art that is indigenous to the area that surrounds the capital city of Oaxaca. Perhaps the most famous of the art produced in the area, black pottery, is displayed on many of the tables. Here is a short video that shows several beautiful examples of black pottery:

Once seated, diners experience fare that is both culturally inspired and truly memorable. Before you have time to open the menu, a sampling plate with six different selections of chicken smothered in Mole placed on the table to share. Mole is a salsa (sauce) that originated in Puebla, but has since grown into a national favorite dish in Mexico. Most people associate Mole with chocolate, however it can typically contain roughly thirty different ingredients and can range from sweet to spicy. Recipes are handed down from generation to generation, and vary from home to home depending on the region where it is prepared. Mole has evolved into numerous offshoots over the years, varying from state to state, and inspired by the ingredients that is locally available in any particular area. Oaxaca State is famous for its many variations because of the amount of spices, nuts and fruits that are available in the region.

The following is a rather gritty, yet informative video about Mole:

Specialties at Calenda Oaxaca include Tlayudas (pronounced Tlah-you-dahs), best described as Mexican version of a flat tortilla pizza, Memelitas which are little round flat cord breads (similar to sopesitos) topped with Oaxaca cheese, pork chicharron (crispy skin), rice and tomato sauce), Tasajos (flat dry strips of beef prepared to your taste) and Tacos de Cecina (Oaxacan prepared salty pork). Familiar Méxican fare includes a variety of steak cuts and an extensive seafood menu including Octopus grilled flabee with mezcal, garlic and chilis. A must try is the specialty drink from Oaxaca called Mescoline, a mixture of fruits, Mezcal, grenadine, and topped with worms in chili dust. The full bar features tequila, rum, vodka and freshly made margaritas. Oh but wait, did it mention worms in the last drink? Si Señores, it most certainly did, but don’t worry, they are quite tasty and safe for consumption. In fact, one of the favorite local Oaxacan specialties, and one that I had the pleasure of trying while at Calenda Oaxaca is known as Chapulines. The preparation at the restaurant was a little less graphic, as the grasshoppers were chopped in little pieces the size of broken pencil tips and mixed with chili powder and salt. I tasted them on their own, and I must say they were pretty good, but even better as a filler in a soft taco with homemade guacamole.

Once you have eaten at Calenda Oaxaca, you will know why the State of Oaxaca is so famous for its cuisine. Also make a visit to the on-site store for arts and handcrafts from Oaxaca State. Reservations are not required however they are recommended if you are going with a large group, 883-5788. The kitchen is open daily 2 p.m. - 11 p.m., Credit cards accepted: Visa, MasterCard and Amex.

As an extra added bonus, readers of PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN Travel Survey Guidebook receive exclusive discounts at Calenda Oaxaca. Visit the PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN website's Discounts Page to discover these and special offers available at other fine dining establishments. Learn about discounts as soon as they are added via the PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN FACEBOOK Page.

The following is a video that features Calenda Oaxaca, enjoy!

CHARITY IN CANCUN

2010-10-04T14:09:00.007-04:00

Before I get into how great the Give A Toy, Get A Smile charity is, if you already have given in the past, or intend to make a donation the next time you are in Cancun, place a wall post about it on our PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN Facebook Page, we would love to hear from you.

The concept of to give a toy and get a smile in return, sounds like a rewarding experience and a heartwarming moment waiting to happen. However it is quite a different situation when the needs of so many children and families motivate someone to take action. When we here at PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN learned about this Yucatan based charity GIVE A TOY, GET A SMILE, we felt that it was such a worth while cause that we decided to seize the opportunity, and put our money where our proverbial mouth is. Earlier this year, shortly after the release of our current edition, we made the pledge to give a donation in the amount of $1.60 (10% of the regular retail price), to this Cancun based charity that helps so many people. We do this for every guidebook purchased via our BUY DIRECT & SAVE store, located on our website's SHOP page.

In an effort to make a difference in her new community, Nancy Myers, a Registered Nurse from New York, along with her husband Andy, started a non-profit organization known as Give A Toy, Get A Smile. Nancy and her husband Andy are rewarded by the smiles they receive from the children, parents, grandparents, doctors, nurses and administrators of the facilities they assist. Rather than write about my thoughts on this wonderful charity, the rest of this blog entry will be the words of the charity's founder, Nancy Myers.

THE GIVE A TOY, GET A SMILE STORY

In late October 2005, Hurricane Wilma struck the Cancun area. People faced an array of difficulties including repairing homes, lives and livelihoods. Finding a way to purchase the bare necessities became an everyday challenge, and buying toys for the children at Christmas was certainly out of the question. We knew we couldn't sit around and do nothing, so we decided to start a charity with the goal of helping to replace the little things in life that make a big difference. The mission has simply been to accept donations of toys and school supplies from tourists, and get them to those in need. The collection point was originally at a small restaurant known as My Place, however, as awareness spread, a location with a larger capacity was needed. Today the Hard Rock Cafe is graciously accepting donations on behalf of GIVE A TOY, GET A SMILE. Since its inception, donations in excess of 3,000 toys and countless school supplies have been distributed to La Casita Orphange, El Hogar del Esperanza Orphanage in Bonfil, the Little Yellow Schoolhouse on Isla Mujeres, School for Children with Exceptional Needs (autism, cerebral palsy, etc.), Hospital General, "Families Learning to Live with AIDS-HIV", Francisco May Pueblo and countless other pueblos in the jungle throughout the State of Quintana Roo.

We take tourists along on our trips to visit with the beautiful children in our region. Although Cancun has beautiful beaches and resorts, most never see the poor and sick children that need help. When you come to Cancun, please pack something to drop off for our kids. Donations of toys and school supplies are accepted at the Hard Rock Cafe located at the Plaza Forum By The Sea shopping mall, Boulevard Kukulcan Km 9, in the Cancun Hotel Zone.

For additional Information and to view photos of our work visit: www.GiveAToyGetASmile.org

REMEMBER THE UNTOUCHABLES

2010-08-31T12:50:00.058-04:00

CRIME AND CRIME AGAIN

Safety while vacationing in México seems to be a much talked about hot-button topic these days. In case you have been living in a vacuum-sealed bubble, the Méxican Government has been busy fighting a war against powerful homegrown drug cartels. This story has been in the news, and discussed at great length on the Internet on popular websites such as TripAdvisor. When President Felipe Calderón took office in 2006, he announced that fighting corruption in his government and waging war against the drug lords would be a major focus of his presidency. Thus far he has remained true to his word, but unfortunately as an unintended consequence, the violence has been spilling onto the streets resulting in much collateral damage and the loss of life.

During the past several months, while developing new ideas for the PEOPLE’S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN Facebook page and future blogs, something about the world news coverage of México's drug war has been rubbing me the wrong way. There have been numerous stories with a judgmental tone regarding those who have been killed. The overwhelming majority of reports imply that those who are being killed, in any situation other than a shootout between law enforcement and gang members, are most likely secretly working with the drug cartels. What should be getting said is that the majority of México's people are decent, hard-working folks who are just trying to live their lives in peace and make ends meet. It is certainly easier and more convenient to jump to the conclusion, as many in law enforcement and members of the media already have, that those who have been killed must have deserved it. In some way it is comforting to accept this as fact, because to believe otherwise, one would have to face the truth about their own vulnerability and helplessness. With that being said, it is imperative that everyone, especially those in law enforcement and the media, accept and address the fact that there are instances where those who are targeted by the drug gangs, are law abiding citizens, many of whom own or are employed by successful businesses that simply have no choice but to pay “protection money.” This very scenario is reminiscent of the old-time gangster tactics seen before in the United States. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the ways criminals generate income at the expense of innocent civilians. Another situation in modern day México that has begun to spill across the border, has involved people being kidnapped, and held for ransom to secure their release. Since the focus of this blog is Cancún travel, it is highly likely that since it is not located along a major drug or human trafficking route, shakedowns, kidnapping for ransom, prostitution and illegal gambling will be on the rise in the near future. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the different ways criminals generate income at the expense of civilians.

HOW TO KILL A SNAKE

For as far back as I can remember, there has been non-stop finger-pointing emanating from both sides of the border, asserting blame as to which country is “more” responsible for the problems each one faces with drugs and gun violence. While everything has become more complicated lately with the proactive approach taken by the Méxican Government, I believe there can be a quick resolution to the issues of illegal drugs and out-of-control corruption. If both nations can agree to work together in a joint effort (please excuse the choice of words) to seal off the border, with the exception of the established border-crossing checkpoints, we would begin to see a dramatic decrease in the bloodshed. The reasoning behind my theory is that in order for the drug cartels to maintain their power and influence, just like with any traditional business model, there has to be a continuous supply of money in order for them to function. It is irrelevant whether we are talking about funds being earned by engaging in legal or illegal enterprises, the end result is without capital, there will be no means to pay employees, prosper and survive. If judging by traditional business practices, at first there would probably be a truce, or even partnerships worked out by the drug cartels. This would naturally have the desired effect of decreasing the violence in the streets of México’s cities and border towns. Realistically it is possible that with every measure taken, corruption would still exist and the drug cartels would continue to find a way to function and survive, but on a much smaller scale. It all sounds so basic, but if both countries prevent the flow of unlawful entrants and drugs heading north into the United States, and simultaneously stop the illegal guns and money headed to our neighbor to the south, the payoff would probably be immediate.

WALK BEFORE YOU RUN

Some have suggested a Liberal approach, to legalize marijuana, with restrictions and taxation similar to those imposed on alcohol and cigarettes. This can be implemented on a trial basis to at first, to measure the effect it has on the drug trafficking industry. It is possible that it can work, but only after the border is secure and the commitment to continue the effort is made by both countries. Unfortunately the entire approach is being turned on its head with the State of California inching ever closer toward legalizing recreational use of marijuana. I can only imagine what would happen if proposal nineteen is passed, the chaos it would cause for law enforcement in surrounding states and in México. Again, this may be only my opinion, but in order for something like this to have a chance at being successful, legalization must occur across the board at the Federal level:

Just for the record, I do not partake in smoking marijuana, or anything for that matter. However I am of the belief that some drugs cause little or no harm to the general welfare of society. Lately I find myself pondering something I have never heard anyone suggest before, especially when it comes to the current state of Méxican society; what effect would it have if there was legalization or recreational use of marijuana in both the United States and México? Beyond this or even in lieu of legalization of marijuana, what if México changed its laws to allow its citizens to carry handguns? I have to say that this might not be such a bad idea, especially considering that México’s police force has had limited success with protecting México’s law abiding citizens. This is understandable, especially when considering that México’s law enforcement agencies have had their hands full with fighting internal corruption among their own ranks, not to mention heavily armed drug gangs.

http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/News/Opinion_Editorial/LOS_ZETAS_ILLEGAL_IMMIGRATION_AND_THE_TIRESOME_CRY_OF_RACISM/31850

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION?

2010-08-21T00:19:00.034-04:00

MISCONCEPTION

When I first created the PEOPLE’S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN Travel Survey Guidebook, I spent quite a bit of time on the Internet doing research, and on bulletin boards such as the Cancún Forum on Tripadvisor, answering travelers’ questions. These days I find myself spending much more time on the topic of the drug war, instead of answering questions about hotels, tours, and the various types cuisine served at local area restaurants.

Ever since the highly publicized drug war being played out in the media on an almost daily basis, I have been overwhelmed with trying to convince people that Cancun is still safe. In addition to this challenge, when compared to other vacation destinations, there has been virtually no advertising. Even though it is the single most visited Caribbean destination, it is unrealistic to think that the city can compete with the advertising budgets of other Caribbean countries such as Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Aruba. However with the absense of advertising, people naturally assume that if they aren’t hearing anything positive, this must mean something bad is going on, like drug cartel violence. What makes the lack of promoting Cancun an even bigger mystery, is the fact that an investment of $71 million Dollars U.S. was made to completely restore the beaches by the beginning of 2010. After months of negative press, the Mexico Travel Board finally announced a new ad campaign on August 9, 2010:

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100809005364&newsLang=en

After reading the press release, the question that entered my mind was “why no mention of Cancun and the newly restored beaches?" I think it is extremely important to point out that Cancun is located roughly 1,500 miles away from the border where the majority of the drug war violence has been taking place. I only wish that the Mexico Tourism Board would consider airing TV commercials showing Cancun on a map so everyone could see how far it is from the border for themselves. This would certainly make my life, and the lives of the Cancunenses who depend on the tourist trade, so much easier.

PERCEPTION

Perhaps the best way to judge if Cancun is safe enough to visit is to ask yourself this; with gang violence in Chicago and the murder rate on the rise, would this prevent you from visiting Miami’s South Beach? Obviously there is violent crime in every major city, but this doesn’t stop people from visiting them, including Chicago. With that said, I have posted a number of news articles and a fairly informative BBC documentary from youtube.com about México's drug war. I will also be posting more articles, opinion pieces and videos on my next blog about the problems happening along the border. While the information is from very different sources, there is one common theme that all the videos and articles share… there is no mention of Cancún being dangerous! While there have been recent events that show Cancun is not immune to the drug cartels' infiltration, including the mayor being arrested on corruption charges, there have been no reports of tourists being caught up in the violence.

The following is a link to a great article, with one of my favorite quotes, “Popular tourist areas remain the safest places in the country, and Stratfor singles out Cozumel, Cancún and Los Cabos as the safest of all.” Read more:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/06/02/mexicomix060210.DTL#ixzz0xD5EllNZ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/06/02/mexicomix060210.DTL

USA Today published an informative story that also doesn’t mention Cancún as being a dangerous place to visit. What's even more important about this article is the reliance on statistics, instead of feelings. I especially love the part that reads,“The state with the lowest murder rate is Yucatán, the Gulf of Mexico state known for its beaches and Mayan ruins. Its murder rate of 2 per 100,000 was comparable to Wyoming and Montana.”:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-08-03-Mexico-drug-violence_N.htm

Earlier this year, the BBC produced a rather interesting documentary describing many different angles and a little about the history of the drug war in México. While they visit several locations and discuss the problems of violence that is taking place around the country, the one place that is never mentioned is Cancun.

In order to view the entire documentary, after each part reaches its conclusion, simply scroll down to the next installment and click the arrow in the center of the screen to start the next installment, enjoy:

PART ONE BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

PART TWO BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

PART THREE BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

PART FOUR BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

PART FIVE BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

PART SIX BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

PART SEVEN BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

RUMORS TO REALITY

2010-08-02T18:32:00.064-04:00

CANCUN NOW & WHEN

Ever since the year 2000, when I first began visiting Cancun and way before I started writing a travel guide about the place, I have been hearing rumors about all kinds of building and infrastructure projects. The ideas that received the most mention included some that sounded very promising, and others that sounded, well, not so much. The topics that I recall hearing most about included:

A bridge to stretch across the Nichupte Lagoon linking Centro (Downtown) Cancun to the Marriott Hotels.
A bridge to divert traffic around the Km 9 Convention Center area to allow access for public buses, taxis and trolleys only.
A development to be built to the west of the golf course overlooking the lagoon across from the Hilton.
A shopping mall, and, or, a condominium complex to be constructed at Playa Delfines (Dolphins Beach), just south of the Hilton.
A new International airport to be constructed somewhere along the coast of the Mayan Riviera.
A brand new Hotel Zone to be constructed on the mainland, north of Downtown Cancun in the vicinity of Puerto Juarez.

After Hurricane Wilma struck the area in late October 2005, there were so many more ideas floating around, I was skeptical any of them would ever become reality. However at roughly the same time, the real estate market in Cancun, Playa Del Carmen and the Mayan Riviera was booming and property values were on the rise.

A RUMOR NOT TO BE

A very well-respected developer that had constructed condominium projects in other Mexican cities, set its sights on creating a brand new community in Cancun. Even before their first Hotel Zone building projects Bay View Grand and Portofino condominium towers were completely sold out, there were rumblings about plans for a Bay View Grand Island! The development was to be a residential golf community, built on the west side of the Hilton’s golf course overlooking the Nichupte Lagoon. The area was to consist of several high-rise condominium towers, private homes and mixed-use buildings containing villas and commercial space. The island paradise was also going to include swimming pools, gardens, a health club, spa, arts and cultural venues and a private clubhouse on the beach. The developer set up a showroom at their Portofino tower, launched a flashy website displaying beautiful renderings of the plan, and began accepting pre-construction down payments for the proposed units. I was optimistic that finally, one of the many rumors I had been hearing about was actually going to come true. However several months later, there was news that the project was going to be scaled down due to ecological concerns cited by the local authorities. I was still optimistic, however, to make a long story short, at the present time the land to the west of the Hilton golf course is being sold off as empty lots and the developer has no plans to build anything on the site. Maybe this situation was more about the real estate bubble bursting, rather than the ecological concerns that were put forth in the media, who knows? All I know is that I was disappointed to learn that the project was not going to happen; not because a rumor I had been hearing about for years was not going to take shape after all, but because it sounded like an interesting plan, and one that would most likely enhance life in Cancun’s Hotel Zone.

SOME RUMORS DO COME TRUE

Approximately four years ago, I met a Dutch engineer and land surveyor who was spending a few days in New York taking some time off. He was actually breaking up an otherwise long flight on his way home, while returning to Amsterdam after working for several weeks in Mexico. The reason for his trip was to assist the Mexican Government in selecting an appropriate location for a new airport in the Mayan Riviera. This is the area located south of Cancun that stretches to roughly the border that Mexico shares with Belize, nobody really knows for sure. He claimed that while he was in Mexico to function as an advisor on where or if a new airport should be built, the local authorities seemed to be mainly interested in focusing their attention near Tulum. In my opinion, this made the most sense for several reasons. An airport in Tulum would immediately alleviate air traffic to Cancun’s busy International Airport. It would also simultaneously jumpstart economic growth and development, creating jobs along the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, A.K.A. the Mayan Riviera. Earlier this year, official announcements were made by ASUR, Mexico’s airport authority, stating that an area just outside Tulum was selected as the location for construction to begin on a new airport.

Meanwhile, closer to Cancun, while it is not the brand new Hotel Zone that many were saying might go up just north of the original, there have been a handful of new resorts, private homes and condominiums built in the area between Centro (Downtown) Cancun and Puerto Juarez. A massive development known as Puerto Cancun, a high-end yacht and golf community, has been taking shape and will continue to grow during the next several years.

Recently I received an email from a fellow blogger that contained a link to a youtube video depicting a proposal for a new mega project in Cancun. Even though I cannot substantiate the validity of this plan, I felt that the production values were so high, that it lent some level of credibility to this being a serious project in the works. Although it is entirely in Spanish, one can easily recognize from the professional renderings in the video, that the presentation is designed to promote the revitalization of the area surrounding the Convention Center:

While I agree that pumping seawater into the lagoon would help increase oxygen levels, I am not sure that building a bridge to divert traffic is the most intelligent way to spend money. So what if traffic is diverted away from the area between Kilometers 8.5 and 9.3? Wouldn’t that create additional confusion and even worse traffic problems for those who want to visit the area? It’s my opinion that Pesos would be better spent elsewhere. For example, a wise investment would be to have a healthy reserve fund on hand for advertising travel and tourism to Cancun. Think about it; when was the last time you saw a TV commercial promoting Cancun? The Hotel Zone has had brand new beaches since January 2010, yet nothing on TV, but I keep seeing plenty of ads for the Bahamas, Jamaica, Dominican, Barbados and Aruba... and while we're on the subject, wouldn't it be better to have funds available for when, not if, the beaches get washed away again after another major hurricane? I like the idea of having arts and cultural centers with an outdoor theater in the heart of the Hotel Zone overlooking the lagoon. It would certainly add a touch of class to the area, and who doesn’t love the idea of strolling around a lush tropical park in the middle of paradise? In my opinion, most of these ideas would be pretty sweet additions to the Hotel Zone… but again, that’s just my opinion.

Do you have other thoughts on the proposal, or a different point of view about the bridge than mine? If you have any comments on the topic, or rumors to add to the mix, feel free to visit the PEOPLE’S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN page on Facebook to join in the discussion. Until then, happy speculating everyone!

PEOPLE"S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN Travel Survey Guidebook

2010-07-22T18:15:00.033-04:00

INTRODUCTION

From The Beginning

My name is Eric Rabinowitz, the creator of the Cancun travel guidebook and companion PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE (com) website. Before I get started, i want to say that this will most likely be the longest blog entry I will ever make, at least I certainly hope so. The reason I am even posting about what made me decide to write a travel book is because of the amount of times I have found myself explaining to people why and how I got started doing this in the first place. I figure enough people have shown an interest, so why not start from the beginning. If you are not one of those inquisitive people however, you should skip all this and read future blog posts and follow us on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.

Although I am a relatively new author, this is not my only profession. My primary love and passion lies in the field of music, namely as a singer songwriter. The following is a little background on what led me to decide to write a travel guidebook in the first place, and why I chose to write about Cancún.

In early 2000, I needed a vacation in order to escape the every day rigors of the music business. Being the leader of a band is hard work, sort of like being a teacher trying to manage a rowdy class of fourth graders. After not having gone on a vacation in several years, I wanted to visit a place where I could feel safe while traveling solo, to a destination with great weather and fantastic beaches to enjoy it on. I decided on Cancún since I could experience everything I was looking for, plus the highly publicized nightlife. In addition there were the nearby cultural monuments of the Mayan world which had always fascinated me as a young boy, which can be visited easily on day trips.

While planning my first Cancún vacation, in order to become better prepared I decided to buy a few travel guides. They listed the usual; how to get there, the weather, some descriptions of Cancun restaurants, clubs, bars, accommodations and a few tour suggestions. However once I got there, I realized the books were far from being reliable sources. For example, I found there were many wonderful restaurants that never received a mention in Frommer’s, Fodor’s, Lonely Planet, Moon, Hidden, etc., etc. Then there were instances where I read a great review, I wondered if what I was reading was completely honest and unbiased. It seemed that many of the guidebooks included the same few establishments and presented descriptions that sounded very similar to one another. Was this merely a coincidence? Was there something more going on beneath the surface? This really bothered me, especially during future trips when I returned to Cancun and became more familiar with all that it had to offer.

In February of 2002 during my fifth trip, I was approached by an entertainment manager at one of the hotels with an interesting proposition. He asked if I would like to entertain poolside at his hotel the following month with my band Turbulence, in exchange for room and board. I thought for a moment about what it would be like to be performing with my rock band, surrounded by beautiful women during spring break, the busiest and craziest time of year; but I digress… Of course my answer was, “Si Señor”! I returned with my band a month later, but a twist of fate had us instead playing for one of the bigger name clubs during their nightly bar hopping tour.

Since I was the leader of the band and had already been to Cancún several times, I was designated the official trip organizer. Despite giving the drummer and guitarist their own travel guides, they were still in need of much guidance. “Which place serves the most authentic Méxican Caribbean style seafood” "Where can we get inexpensive tacos" or, “This club sounds great, where is it in relation to our hotel”, became familiar themes throughout the trip. This is understandable because travel guides do not cover enough establishments nor accurately describe the locations of businesses in relation to resorts. As I gave advice throughout the trip, both band members kept egging me on, saying I should write a Cancún guidebook. Little did they know, I already had a loose plan starting to take shape in my head to do just that.

Upon returning home, I began putting a plan in motion to create the travel guide I wish I had with me during my trips to Cancún. As I started collecting and piecing information together, it was my primary goal to publish a book with info that can be located and used, quickly and easily. It was also important that it would appeal to those returning to Cancún for their fifth trip, as much as someone who is a confused newbie. The confusion for most begins when trying to choose an appropriate place to stay. Cancún hotels routinely advertise themselves as being three and four star rated, when in reality most of them would receive a maximum of only two or three stars in the U.S., Canada and Europe. I am sure many repeat Cancún visitors can relate to that very scenario. We all face this dilemma at one time or another because with so many accommodation choices, how is anyone supposed to know which ones are winners and which ones fall short? With just a couple of travel writer’s opinions to go on, how can anyone trust that the opinions expressed in travel guidebooks are unbiased? Even when it comes to restaurants, clubs and bars, perhaps the writer wrote their review based on the experience they had when they visited a place when it was having a great day, or perhaps an extraordinarily bad one. Another dilemma travelers run into once they are in Cancún, when asking for a recommendation from the hotel’s concierge, they quite often direct their guests to the establishment that treats them most favorably. To find a way around these situations, I set out to create a unique travel guide that could be used to make quick comparisons between accommodations. I surmised this could be done if Cancun travelers can vote on a website, which would then calculate the scores based on a series of criteria, and use them to rate accommodations. The results would then be displayed online, on a dedicated ACCOMMODATIONS PAGE that allows people to compare the scores the accommodations earned and truly deserve. Once that was perfected, the next step was to see if the same technique could be applied to rate the hundreds of Cancún restaurants, clubs and bars. Once everything was tested, tweaked and fine tuned, the PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN website was launched in January 2004.

As the website was busy collecting ratings and reviews from Cancun travelers, I arrived at the realization that the listings would be even more useful if they included information supplied directly by the establishments themselves. The details published in the book would therefore act as a free promotional advertisement for each business combined with their guests' opinions. This unique approach means that our book would not just be another writer’s review, but instead would convey accurate up to date information supplied by thousands of different sources. Once all the data was collected and checked for accuracy, it was sent to the book designer to be organized into a book format. However there was word of a major storm on the way, just one day after the files were sent. I spoke to the designer and we both agreed that it made sense to wait to see what happened with the hurricane. For the next two days, Hurricane Wilma slammed Cancun, and essentially ruined the travel and tourism industry. For the next several months, I called every last business to get updates of their status and projections on when they believed they would be able to reopen. Nine months later, in May of 2006, the premier edition, and the only book with complete Post-Hurricane Updates, PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN Travel Survey Guidebook was released.

Since that first edition, the thing that readers appreciate most is the trust in the information. Since no one is pressured or paid to give their opinions, if an establishment deserves criticism or praise, that is exactly what it will receive in our guidebook. We are confident that our method of combining a voter driven survey together with a travel guide writing style format, will greatly enhance your experience in Cancún. It will virtually guarantee you have the best tool for assisting in making your vacation, time well spent. Our travel guide will also be supported with frequent updates on our website. This means no more wasting time looking for that restaurant all the other travel guides are telling you to visit, but has since gone out of business. We do however rely on your comments and suggestions for future editions. If you would like to cast your vote, give opinions and submit information for our upcoming book, please visit our website's VOTE PAGE. Your opinions and feedback would be greatly appreciated, and will ultimately help us, help other Cancun travelers in the future.