with Puerto Vallarta/Rivera Nayarit the pinnacle on the Pacific coastline.
When it comes to romance, this region delivers in spades. Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit are backed by a spine of lush, jungle-covered mountains that gives way to a coastline edged with spectacular beaches. Amazing resorts and boutique hotels promote locally sourced menus, craft cocktails and spa treatments rooted in indigenous practices.

For travel advisors designing the perfect destination wedding, couples who marry in Puerto Vallarta or Riviera Nayarit can have a civil or religious marriage ceremony. Travel advisors benefit from wedding planners in the hotels that can help prepare the necessary documentation and, if desired, obtain clergy from the appropriate religious denomination.
These destinations embrace visitor diversity like few others, and the LGBTQ market is one of the pillars of tourism across this region. As a premier destination for LGBTQ travelers, Puerto Vallarta is known for its annual Pride Parade, as well as the dozens of LGBTQ bars, nightclubs and hotels in the Zona Romantica. Equally, Nayarit has always been a champion for inclusivity.

In 2022, the destination’s beaches took home the award for LGBTQ travelers at the LGBT+ Travel Awards Mexico.
For those looking to either expand their contacts in this region, or simply maintain existing contacts, the place to be is the annual Gala Puerto Vallarta-Rivera Nayarit trade event. This year’s event was held Feb. 8 to 9, 2024 at the Puerto Vallarta International Convention Center. GALA is part of the joint marketing effort of the Mexican states of Jalisco and Nayarit.

An Amazing Event FOR ALL
GALA 2024 created a record number of interactions and meeting between participants, which included 107 participating hotels, 80 wholesalers from 13 countries, and 99 niche market companies. Over the two day event, just over 6,000 pre-arranged meetings were held, the largest number in GALA’s 29 year history.
Both Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit are famous for their amazing beaches, water sports, resorts and nightlife. One of the main reasons to attend an event such as GALA is to explore a destinations other noteworthy visitor attractions.

Puerto Vallarta is part of the Mexican state of Jalisco, which is home to 9 Pueblos Magicos (Magical Towns). A brief sample of these include San Sebastián del Oeste, a quiet alpine like village with colonial architecture and cobblestone streets that take you back in time; Tequila, the birthplace of the world-famous agave-based alcohol, and where you can explore tequila distilleries and learn about its history, production, and enjoy the vibrant culture of this magical town; Talpa: Known as the “Land of Pilgrims and Miracles”- this is a spiritual destination and a visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Talpa is a must!

Not to be outdone, Nayarit is home to 9 Pueblos Magicos. A brief selection would include: Compostela, one of the oldest cities in the region, it was founded in 1530; Sayulita, which exudes a lively and bohemian vibe and is a hub for shopping, great eateries, and an iconic surf scene; Ixtlán del Río is a destination for history enthusiasts, and is close to an archaeological zone; Puerto Balleto (Islas Marías) which over a century ago was a penitentiary that housed criminals and political prisoners.

By attending GALA, travel advisors had an opportunity to learn what these destination can offer business travelers, particular in the MICE field.
Nayarit is home to nearly 15,000 hotel rooms along its 200-mile coastline, and half of them are dedicated to upscale and luxury products. The region offers more than 81,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting facilities, as well.

Puerto Vallarta has more than 22,500 hotel rooms across all categories, more than 480,000 square feet of meeting space and other venues specifically designed for special occasions. The Puerto Vallarta International Convention Center, with 54,000 square feet of space, and the Paradise Village Convention Center in Nayarit offer the best in infrastructure, location and services, with more than 800,000 square feet of total space.

Getting clients to Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit is easy as the region’s main airport in Puerto Vallarta (PVR) offers quick access to both destinations. The state of Nayarit is also in the advanced stages of a rebuild of Tepic International Airport (TPQ), which will shortly be connected by a new highway that will go directly to some of the state’s most popular tourist destinations – including San Blas, Guayabitos, Sayulita, San Pancho and Punta Mita. Nayarit is currently in the process of convincing US carriers to serve this soon to be
state-of-the-art airport.

In closing, JAX FAX would recommend that any travel advisors who want to increase their business to this remarkable region of Mexico consider making plans to attend GALA 2025.