Cuba, U.S. Travel

Among the more curious events scheduled in Cancun is the meeting March 24 – 26 to be attended by executives from several American tour operators and representatives of the Cuba tourism ministry and ground operators on the island. Among those praising the idea is Sen. Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat. The gathering can be described as curious because Cancun is expected to suffer and lose tourism business if the United States decides to allow its citizens to visit Cuba.
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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Cruise ship visits decline

Mexico is losing its appeal to potential cruise ship passengers. The number of ship arrivals has declined from 2,620 visits in 2005 to 1,843 in 2009. Many reasons have been given, from a shift in demographics to greater interest in cruises in Europe and Asia. Hoteliers in Mexico have been known to complain that cruise ships compete unfairly and bring little benefit to the country. The unfair charge is that cruise ships operate under “flags of convenience” provided by countries that minimize supervision, that the ships pay no local taxes and are subject to local labor laws. Since passengers eat and sleep on board, they spend little on shore. Nonetheless, when a flu scare caused many ships to cancel visits, Mexico lost millions of dollars normally spent on sightseeing, taxis and in souvenir shops.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Promise for Campeche

Until now, Campeche has been discovered by only a few international travelers. The state, which takes its name from its capital city, lies along the Gulf of Mexico just north of Campeche. There, along three kilometers of beachfront, Europe’s Grupo Mall is developing a mega-project that is scheduled to include two hotels (one a 250-room Westin), a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, plus homes and condo apartments that will sell for up to $1 million. Europeans are expected to buy most of the properties, although 20 percent has been set aside for Mexican citizens. Total investment in the “Campeche Beach, Golf and Marina Resort” is programmed at $800 million and the project is set for completion within three years.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Acapulco Convention Center

Having announced that the Acapulco Convention Center was to be closed, authorities now say it is being refurbished, a task that will take an estimated 24 months to complete. Meanwhile, it remains open and will be the venue for the Tianguis Turistico trade show in April. The center opened some 35 years ago to house the annual meeting of the American Society of Travel Agents.

Work also is continuing to complete the Mundo Imperial convention facility near the airport. Mundo Imperial, which includes a large hotel, shopping center and auditorium, failed to meet scheduled completion dates because of the worldwide economic slowdown.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Nurses urged to learn English

As many as a million retired foreigners, most of them from the United States, are expected to move to Mexico during the next decade. Since they will be bringing money with them and employing people rather than taking away jobs, the government intends to welcome them warmly. For starters, the Health Ministry is urging nurses to learn English. Medical tourism is seen as another important source of dollars. Physicians and surgeons are likely to be fluent in English. Many have completed post-graduate studies abroad. Medical care in Mexico, while not cheap, costs considerably less than in the United States.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Central Europe Experience

2010 has the makings of a big year for the Central Europe Experience with anniversaries, special events and new hotel openings. More than 20 years after the reunification of Germany, the Velvet Revolution in the Czech Republic and the fall of the Iron Curtain, the region is buzzing with one event highlight after another.

Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia make up the Central Europe Experience. For less than $100 a night, including accommodations, there is plenty to do, see and experience.

Here are some of the things happening this year:

2010 Event Highlights

Throughout the year — Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) anniversary in Vienna, Austria. He is a music pioneer of his time and influenced many composers. 2010 marks his 150^th birthday.

January — “Chopin,” a four-act opera based on the life of Polish composer Frédéric Chopin, takes place in Wroclaw, Poland.

February — Dogsled racing in Slovakia.

Feb. 5-16 — The Bohemian Carnevale in Prague, Czech Republic. Festival highlights include the Ballerian fashion party, Feb. 6; The masked Crystal Ball in 18^th-century dress Feb. 13 and the float-jammed Fat Tuesday Parade and fireworks finale on the medieval Charles Bridge Feb. 16.

March 19-April 9 — Pécs, Hungary Spring Festival. A celebration of classical and contemporary arts.

April — The Seventh Misteria Paschalia Festival, Krakow, Poland. Music linked thematically with the period of Holy Week and the Easter holidays.

April-May — International Festival of Ghosts and Monsters at Bojnice castle. The largest event of its kind in Slovakia.

May 12-June 4 — Prague Spring International Music Festival, Czech Republic. The annual Prague Spring International Music Festival has become a must-see for classical music lovers.

May 15-Oct. 3 — Oberammergau Passion Play, Germany. The Passion Play in the breathtaking town of Oberammergau in Bavaria dates back to 1633 and is held only once every 10 years.

May 20-24 — Budal Gourmet Wine, Champagne & Cheese Festival, Budapest, Hungary. At Budapest’s Millenåris Park, famous Hungarian, French, Italian and overseas top shelf wine producers, noted restaurants and cheese makers offer their best to entertain visitors, meanwhile, on stage, funky bands play the moodiest jazz in town.

June 11-20 — Bach Festival, Leipzig, Germany. The Bach Festival presents the immortal music of the great erstwhile cantor of St. Thomas’ Church in locations where he lived and worked.

July 17 — Life Ball, Vienna, Austria. It is one of Europe’s most fun and flamboyant AIDS charity events and has grown to be a renowned society gathering.

Aug. 13-15 — Grand Prix Motorcycles World Championship, Brno, Czech Republic. Brno, the Czech Republic’s second largest city, hosts the World Motorbike Championship. Since 1987, the newly built Masaryk Circuit has offered racing fans one of the premier venues in the work, which recently won the IRTA trophy for “Best Grand Prix” in 2007.

August-September — Jewish Summer Festival, Budapest, Hungary. The festival is one of Hungary’s most important, most visited and most interesting cultural art events.

September — Coronation celebrations, Bratislava, Slovakia. The Coronation celebrations are a spectacular three-day event, when a medieval atmosphere full of kings and queens, nobility, troubadours and thousands of curious spectators enlivens the city.

Oct. 2-23 — Fryderyk Chopin Competition, Warsaw, Poland. Sixth International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. Renowned Jury, extraordinary concerts and — traditionally — great excitement at the Warsaw Philharmonic.

Oct. 12 — Munich: 200 Years of Oktoberfest. Oct. 12, 1810 marked the birth of Oktoberfest. Honoring the marriage of Crown Prince (later, king) Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Oktoberfest began as a horse race. In 1811, a parade was added to the festivities. By the end of the 19^th century, brewers had erected the now-familiar beer tents. Now, Oktoberfest is arguably Germany’s most-anticipated event. People of all nationalities gather in Munich to experience this Bavarian tradition, have fun, guzzle overflowing steins and enjoy local delicacies. A bit of a misnomer, it’s held on the Wies’n fairground from mid-September to early October.

Oct. 19-31 — Festival of Lights, Berlin. Berlin will sparkle as a range of illuminations and projections light up landmarks and spaces, including Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Cathedral and the radio tower.

November-December — International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography PLUS CAMERIMAGE, Lodz, Poland. This is an extraordinary event where art and technology meet creating a unique and unforgettable atmosphere at the Grand Theatre in the film capital of Poland.

Christmas Markets in all CEE countries. Usually the last week of November until Dec. 24. Sparkling Christmas lights and decorations adorn the streets of Central Europe’s cities and villages. Visitors can savor local specialties from thin potato pancakes to mulled wine.

Dec. 30 — New Year’s Eve Gypsy Concert, Budapest, Hungary. New Year’s Eve celebration starts early on Dec. 30 featuring the “Hundred Member” Gypsy Orchestra. Welcome the New Year with Gypsy and Hungarian folk music.

New Hotel Openings

Sofitel Vienna — October sees the opening of Vienna’s newest five-star hotel, close to the Schwedenbruecke, an important hub between the inner city and Vienna’s up-and-coming Second District. The 18th floor will house a top-tier restaurant with stunning views over the city, as well as a stylish bar. A Swarovski boutique opened in the city Dec. 2.

Kameha Grand Hotel — Opened in Bonn, Germany in November. It is a five-star hotel with 360-degree views. A postmodern wall of glass separates this hotel from the drop of the Rhine River and the rise of the Siebengebirge hills. It is just 15 minutes by car from the Cologne/Bonn Airport and 40 minutes by train from Frankfurt Airport.

Hotel President — It has been park of Budapest’s bustling heart since October.If it were not for the designer rooms, this place would be straight out of “Bourne Identity,” complete with a bulletproof Presidential Suite and a rooftop helicopter landing pad.

Hilton Garden Inn, Krakow — Two milestones at once. In the spring, Poland gets its first Hilton Garden Inn and the brand ticks off its 500th hotel. The Inn is in central Krakow and offers 154 rooms on six floors.

Kempinski Hotel River Park — Opening May 2010 in Bratislava, Slovakia. On the border of both Austria and Hungary, Bratislava is accustomed to being a hybrid. It has a rich history. The hotel is centrally located under Bratislava Castle and within easy walking distance of Old Town. The hotel also is on the banks of the Danube River.

Aeroméxico to renew Shanghai service

Aeroméxico has announced that it will renew its twice-a-week service from Mexico City to Shanghai via Tijuana starting March 26. The service reportedly had been suspended due to visa problems (“reportedly” because the airline never gave an official explanation).

Mexico requires visas of citizens coming from China and from several South American countries. Aeroméxico launched its new route hoping to attract passengers lacking visas to the United States, only to discover Mexican regulations were keeping them away. Now passengers in transit will find transit visas much easier to obtain.

Aeroméxico also announced that it will be increasing service to Japan to three flights per week. Japan Air Lines, after 38 years, has terminated its Mexico City–Tokyo service.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Arches National Park has ‘Wow!’ Factor

Landscape Arch and Delicate Arch (below).

Story & Photos By Stan Wawer

As national parks go, Utah’s Arches is one of the small guys. It is also one of the most surreal, with its sandstone monoliths and ever-changing arches.

Nothing tops the Grand Canyon for spontaneous awe, but the 119 square miles that make up Utah’s Arches National Park gives you a lot of bang for your buck, your mind ringing with superlatives as you hike the rugged trails.

Arches’ 73,000 acres has that “Wow!” factor, with its more than 2,000 miracles of nature — arches, spires, pinnacles, fins and balanced rocks.

I recently visited Arches for the first time. I don’t know what took me so long. After all, I’m a national parks kind of guy. I’ve been to most of the National Parks west of the Mississippi and many of them east of it. Arches’ state neighbors, Bryce and Zion, were on my radar screen years ago.

The scenery in Arches is an ever-changing one. Ice and water, persuasive forces of gravity, along with time constantly change the configuration of an arch, create new ones and destroy old ones. Arches usually form slowly, but quick and dramatic changes do occur. In 1940, a large boulder suddenly fell out of Skyline Arch, almost doubling the size of the opening. The arch now has a span of 72 feet and a height of 33.5 feet. On Aug. 10, 2008, Wall Arch collapsed.

The park is full of such stories. On Sept. 1, 1991, hikers thought they heard cracks of thunder from distance clouds, according to a Ranger at the Visitor Center. Visitors resting under Landscape Arch, one of the park’s signature arches, noticed loud cracking and popping noises overhead. They fled as small rocks tumbled from the slender 306-foot-long span. Moments later, a 60-foot-long rock slab peeled away from the arch’s right side. When the dust settled, 180 tons of fresh rock debris lay scattered on the ground.

Arches was born of seeping salt, which began about 300 million years ago. Saltwater from a nearby ocean flooded the area. The water evaporated, leaving a deposit of salt. Constant flooding and evaporation left deposits of salt that, over millions of years, became thousands of feet thick. If that wasn’t enough, along came debris that washed over the salt from the higher elevations.

Debris was eventually compressed into rock and along came domes, cavities, faults and anticlines. As rock deposits slowed — between 60 million and 10 million years ago — erosion began in earnest. Good old erosion opened cracks in anticlines beneath the rock. Eventually the salt valleys began to collapse, setting the stage for the formation of the arches and what the park has to offer to today’s visitors.

In 1971, President Richard Nixon (yes, that Richard Nixon) signed into law an act of Congress designating Arches as a national park. In 1998, the park’s area was expanded by 3,140 acres to include Lost Spring Canyon, bringing the total to 119 square miles.

Sunrise and sunset are the best times to view the arches and the many monoliths, including Park Avenue. The sheer walls of Park Avenue reminded early visitors of buildings lining a big city street. Rising majestically, these geologic “skyscrapers” tell the story of three important rock layers. These layers began forming more than 150 million years ago as tidal flats, desert and beach deposits. Over time, more layers of rock, covered these deposits. Tremendous pressure from this rock compressed the buried sand into sandstone and cracked it. As erosion removed the overlying rock, the layers now exposed began to weather.

Within thepast 2 million years, erosion of the cracks in the Entrada has left vertical slabs like the rock wall in the picture on this page. These slabs, called fins, are the first step in arch formation.

Park Avenue Trail is an easy hike along a canyon floor, offering close-up views of massive fins, balanced rocks and lofty monoliths.

Wear comfortable footwear — hiking boots, cross trainers or good walking shoes — in the park. If you are going to see the many arches up close and personal, you will be hiking on some rugged trails and over beach-like sand. Delicate Arch, another of the park’s signature arches and one they predict could collapse at any time, is a rugged three-mile hike with an elevation gain of 480 feet. Rangers suggest you take at least one quart of water per person. Believe them. It’s a tough hike and summer temperatures can easily reach more than 100 degrees. It is hiked best and seen at sunset.

Arches’ wild and eclectic landscape is best viewed in the spring or fall when temperatures are mild. If you can stand the cold of winter, the intoxicating arches and monoliths glow white with snow.

Courthouse Towers, the Three Gossips, Devils Garden, Parade of Elephants, Tower of Babel and Sheep Rock all can be seen from the main park road.

Year-round activities abound inside and outside Arches. Hiking, photography, four-wheel-drive trips, wildlife watching and camping all can be done in any season. The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round and, except for Christmas Day — Dec. 25 — a park ranger is available during visitor center hours.

Arches National Park is a photographer’s dream and a place where you can spend hours or days contemplating nature’s wonderment.

Getting There

By Car: If you are traveling from the West, take I-70 east to the 191 south to the entrance of Arches. If you are coming from the East, take I-70 west to the 191 south to the entrance of Arches.

Where to Stay

Moab is a great little town with excellent accommodations and restaurants. Arches is only five miles north of downtown and Canyonlands National Park — Island in the Sky District— is just 32 miles away. The Colorado River flows through Moab and offers a multitude of outdoor experiences, including rafting.

For more information on Moab, go to www.moab.net. For more information about Arches National Park, go to www.ohranger.com/arches.

Complaints about all-inclusives

Several noted figures in the hospitality industry have voiced concerns about the growing number of all-inclusive resorts in Mexico. As the name implies, rates include everything from airport transfers, activities and entertainment as well as meals and drinks.

Guests seldom venture off the premises, since they have all they need where they are. Resort management benefits since guests spend all their money at the resort. Some all-inclusives even fudge on the amount they pay in room tax, claiming that room charges only account for a small percentage of the total daily fee. All-inclusives are understandable in places such as along the Maya Riviera, where hotels are rather isolated and taxi fare to a nearby restaurant would cost more than dinner, but not on Cozumel where many shops and restaurants have closed because tourists never leave their resorts.

While industry leaders complain, none have come up with any suggestions about what to do about the situation.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Name change for Niagara-on-the-Lake?

Story & Photos By Stan Wawer

Niagara-on-the-Lake should be called Ice Cream Town. Everyone is eating ice cream, finishing an ice cream cone or buying an ice cream cone. On this August afternoon, my wife and I felt like everyone was staring at us because we didn’t have a cone. On one side of the street, it appears as though every other establishment serves ice cream. One scoop runs from $2.85 to $3.25 Canadian.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, about 20 minutes from Niagara Falls on the Canadian side, is a National Historic Site steeped in history. It is a quaint, bucolic, magical town lined with mansions with a view to Niagara River and Lake Ontario. The area around Niagara-on-the-Lake is sprinkled with about 85 vineyards that are producing some of Canada’s finest wines.

Here you can take a horse-drawn carriage ride ($45 for 15 minutes; $70 for a half hour), tour a winery, explore its forts, colorful gardens and parks and potpourri of arts and crafts.

Loyalists who fled the U.S. during the American Revolution incorporated Niagara-on-the-Lake in 1781 as the town of Newark. In 1792, the newly renamed Niagara-on-the-Lake was the capital of Upper Canada, but lost that distinction to York (now Toronto) because of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s proximity to the U.S., which was considered a vulnerable position at that time.

During the War of 1812, Niagara-on-the-Lake was destroyed. It was rebuilt and became a commercial center, owed mostly to a vibrant shipping industry.

Niagara-on-the-Lake’s picturesque main street is a testament to the beauty of 19^th century architecture. A landmark on this street is the clock tower monument, erected as a memorial to 10 of the town’s men who lost their lives in World War I. In 1996, Communities in Bloom named the city with the only Lord Mayor in Canada the Prettiest Town in Canada.

The town is home or in close proximity to many of the Niagara region’s most popular attractions, including the famous falls. My parents honeymooned at Niagara Falls 75 years ago. It was a far different place then, but it still is one of the world’s most popular honeymoon destinations. Today, a row of casinos and hotels rise high above the falls on the Canadian side overlooking Horseshoe Falls.

The natural wonder can be observed from Queen Victoria Park’s gardens and platforms as well as underground observation rooms. Skylon Tower offers the highest overhead view of the falls. My wife and I explored the roar aboard the Maid of the Mist, which cruises to the base of the American Falls, then to the basin of the commanding Horseshoe Falls. It gives a new meaning to “Raindrops are falling on my head.” The experience is exhilarating as you confront millions of gallons of water crashing like thunder into the nearby rocks. Prices for Maid of the Mist are $13.50 for adults, $7.85 for children 6 to 12 and no charge for 5 and under.

Less than 10 percent of the water flows over the American Falls. The average depth of water below the falls is 170 feet, which is as deep as the Niagara Gorge banks are high. The water from the falls travels down the Niagara River to Lake Ontario, then on to the St. Lawrence Seaway before reaching its final destination — the Atlantic Ocean.

Niagara-on-the-Lake shops of the picturesque Heritage District are in well-preserved buildings dating back to 1817. The grand boulevard of Queen Street anchors the shopping area, lined in summertime with beautiful floral plantings. This area also is home to historic sites and the three theaters that house the Shaw Festival, which has 10 different plays running from April 1 through Nov. 2. The Shaw Festival brings to the stage plays by Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries (1856-1950).

Peller Estates, Winery of the Year in 2006, calls Niagara-on-the-Lake home. Hungarian Andrew Peller founded the winery in 1961. He opened his first winery in British Columbia. Peller brought his son Joseph into the business. Grandson John now owns the winery. Andrew Peller died in 1990. Peller produces some excellent white wines (its 2002 chardonnay is considered among the top 100 in the world), but the winery does not ship outside Canada. Peller Estates’ four-diamond restaurant was voted No. 1 in Canada.

I would return to Niagara-on-the-Lake in a heartbeat. It reminds me of a bygone era without computers, cell phones, iPods and the Internet. It reminds me of a time when we stopped and smelled the roses.

If You Go

Airport access to Niagara-on-the-Lake is available through Toronto International Airport (75 miles north) and Buffalo Airport (50 miles southeast).

Where to Stay

There are a number of excellent hotels, country inns and bed & breakfast homes in Niagara-on-the-Lake. My wife and I stayed at the four-diamond Prince of Wales. Built in 1864 in the heart of historic Niagara-on-the-Lake. It was renamed Prince of Wales in honor of a royal visit in 1901 when the future George V and Queen Mary were guests.

This is a warm and charming hotel, with each room a unique and intimate hideaway. Each of the 110 guestrooms is individually designed and furnished in the authentic style of the Victorian era. The hotel also has a salt-water pool, fitness center, spa and Escabéche — the hotel’s flagship restaurant. Churchill Lounge is less formal, but with a ton of ambience. Pet-friendly rooms are available. For reservations, call (905) 468-3246 or toll free at (888) 669-5566. Or you can go to Vintage Hotels’ Website at www.vintage-hotels.com.

Romantic setting with jewels

Terranea Resort ignites the season of romance with a month-long celebration that couples its unrivaled romantic setting with jewels. The Fire and Ice packages come with a gift sure to warm any heart — a shopping spree at Morgan's Jewelers. Located on 102 oceanfront acres, Terranea Resort boasts romantic views of the Pacific, Catalina Island and the California coastline. Adding heat to the romantic setting are 225 fireplaces and firepits located throughout the property’s spa, restaurants, pools and suites that create cozy nooks for snuggling with loved ones.Things will heat up as couples enjoy the romantic setting of Terranea and a shopping trip courtesy of nearby Morgan’s Jewelers. Each couple that books the Resort’s Fire and Ice andUltimate Romance package for two consecutive nights will receive a store credit at Morgan’s — dollar amounts vary with the package.

The Fire and Ice room package includes breathtaking ocean view accommodations, breakfast for two, and sparkling wine and chocolate truffles on arrival. Guests who book two nights will receive a $250 store credit at Morgan’s Jewelers. Rates start at $450 per night.

Terranea also will warm hearts with the Fire and Ice Suite package where couples bask in a fireplace suite in a bungalow or casita, enjoy sparkling wine and chocolate truffles on arrival, a rose petal turndown one evening and breakfast for two. When booking two nights, guest can splurge with a $500 store credit at Morgan’s Jewelers. Rates begin at $795 per night.

For those who want to really heat things up, the Ultimate Romance package includes an overnight in the stunning Vanderlip Presidential Suite. The package also includes a limousine transfer to and from any location in Los Angeles county, dinner for two in the Resort’s signature restaurant mar’sel, a bottle of champagne and two toasting glasses, two plush bathrobes, a couples massage in the fireplace suite at The Spa at Terranea, champagne breakfast in bed, rose petal turndown, and golf for two at The Links at Terranea. With a two night stay, guests receive a store credit at Morgan’s Jewelers for $1,000. For those who simply must have the experience, the Ultimate Romantic package is available at $4,500 per night.

Fire and Ice and Ultimate Romance packages are available throughout the month of February and include the daily resort fee. A two-night minimum is required over Valentine’s weekend on all three packages.

For more information visit http://www.terranea.com or call (310‚ 265-2770. Morgan’s Jewelers has been Southern California's source for fine jewelry since 1946. Visit the new remodeled Torrance and Palos Verdes stores. For more information visit www.morgansjewelers.com.

Toluca woos U.S. carriers

Management of the Toluca airport reports that American Airlines and Delta along with Iberia and Taca, are interested in providing service there. The Toluca airport serves Mexico City and supposedly is more convenient than Mexico City International for business travelers with offices and homes in posh west side neighborhoods.

Toluca was promoted as an optional airport when plans to replace Mexico City International crashed. Low-fare startups were obliged to fly out of Toluca, but with the collapse of Aviacsa, AeroCalifornia, Azteca and others, low-fare Interjet rushed in to grab their slots and provide service from Mexico City International as well as Toluca.

For a time, Toluca ranked as one of the busiest airports in the country, but in 2009 the volume of passengers using the installation declined by 45 percent compared to 2007. Unofficial surveys indicate that passengers are unhappy with the limited facilities available as well as with the time it takes ground transportation to get there.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Yucatan to get Maya ‘Disneyland’

Ground has been broken for the construction of the “Museum and Palace of the Maya Civilization” in Yaxcabá. Yucatan Gov. Ivonne Ortega Pacheco described it as “like Disneyland, but with culture.” She went on to call the project as the biggest being undertaken by her administration.

Press reports noted that a request for bids from construction companies has yet to be made and no date for completion yet announced. Indeed, from press reports and statements from the Yucatan government, it is not clear exactly where Yaxcabá is. Apparently, however, it is in the general area of Chichen Itza and Valladolid.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

InterContinental Keeps Growing

The InterContinental Group – which includes Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge and Indigo – plans to open 15 properties in Mexico this year, the same number as last year. These will be franchises, not properties actually owned by the organization, but by Mexican investors. Among the cities to benefit are Guadalajara, Manzanillo, Merida, Poza Rica and Queretaro.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers