Notitur / Summer 2011
28
description
XXV Anniversary, Amdetur Convention.
Transcript of Notitur / Summer 2011
AMDETUREditorial
DEAR READERs:
Iwould like to take this opportunity to extend you all a warm wel-come to the 25th annual AMDETUR Convention, from this idyllic
state of Quintana Roo, one of Mexico's most popular tourist desti-nations, and currently home to 127 vacation property resorts inclu-ding Cancun, the Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel. The state boasts vacation properties, occupying a substantial market share in the total supply of lodging.
For this convention, we have put together a fascinating program of speakers, on topics not limited to the tourist industry: we have also invited some major celebrities to share their views on current events that will help us to reflect and enrich our professional and personal lives.
In this grand celebration, this year AMDETUR is joined by the Quintana Roo Vacation Club Association, which is also celebrating the 25th anniversary of its founding, and has offered us a Forum for the Americas on Marketing and Sales for Vacation Clubs, a splendid new addition to AMDETUR's event.
The Association of Time Share Developers and Tourist Promoters of Puerto Vallarta is also celebrating its 25th year, and the Baja California Sur Association of Time Share Developers is enjoying its 15th year of activities, which attests to the seriousness and con-solidation of this industry, and its ongoing commitment to offer professional, top-quality services.
Through this joint effort, along with the work of official agen-cies and private organizations, we have succeeded in positioning ourselves and earning widespread recognition not only in Mexico but internationally, a distinction that sets Mexico apart from the rest and makes it one of leading forces in the worldwide tourism industry.
I am also pleased to announce that because of the huge success last year of our University-Business Link program, we are once again including presentations focused especially on university stu-dents working toward degrees in the field of tourism, to familiarize them with aspects of this business, encourage them to make their career in tourism, and thus to improve the level of education and professionalism of the entire industry.
Finally, and based on the results of our efforts this year, and in response to requests by our members, our goal is to make the AMDETUR convention a traveling event. We want to make it our priority to promote each and every one of the resorts affiliated with AMDETUR, and create a more dynamic event with more partici-pants and more benefits than ever for those attending.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on how to improve this event and raise expectations with every passing year.
Thank you for participating.
Summer 11
Sincerely,JUAn VELA RUIZ
CHAIRMAn
NOTITUR2
BOARD Of DIREcTORsChairman Juan Vela ruiz Grupo VelasExECutiVE PrEsidEnt José alfonso Bayón ríos amdetursECrEtary Gerardo rioseco Orihuela Fiesta americana Vacation ClubtrEasurEr Jaime márquez Vargas royal holidayGEnEral COunsEl Juan manuel Gutiérrez nava lecumberri, lópez y Gutiérrez navaCOunsElOrs José Carlos azcárraga andrade - Fiesta americana Vacation Club Carlos Berdegué - El Cid resorts ricardo montaudon Corry - rCi Kemil rizk - royal resorts marcos agostini - interval international Juan Carlos Barillas – sol meliá Vacation Club Jorge Pallas Cáceres - Promotora Cancún sunset Clubs Juan ignacio rodríguez - rCi robert louis Kistner - Grupo VilladirECtOr rosa de Jesús lugo dorantes
NOTITURPrEsidEnt Juan Vela ruizExECutiVE PrEsidEnt José alfonso Bayón ríosPuBlishEr amdEtur EditOr aurora martínez V.GraPhiC dEsiGn reacción Gráfica s.a. de C.V. tel. 52(55) 5004-4176 art dirECtOr sergio Octavio Funes navarrete [email protected] amdEturamdEtur PhOtOGraPhEr José mata Cel. (04455) 1885 8581 www.pbase.com/ppmataLOcAL AssOcIATIONsPatricia de la Peña asociación de Clubes Vacacionales de Quintana roo, a.C.alejandro lemus mateos asociación de desarrolladores y Promotores turísticos de tiempo Compartido, a.C. (Puerto Vallarta)Jesús García torres asociación sudcaliforniana de desarrolladores de tiempo Compartido, a.C.Emmanuel Omaña Camín asociación de Promotores de Clubes Vacacionales del Estado de Guerrero, a.C.Fernando de leeuw santiago asociación de Clubes Vacacionales de Cozumel, a.C. Fernando madero irizar asociación de Clubes Vacacionales de sinaloa, a.C.héctor mauricio sánchez Ochoa asociación de desarrolladores turísticos de Colima, a.C. raúl manzanares romero asociación de desarrolladores y Operadores turísticos de ixtapa y Zihuatanejo, a.C.
AMDETUR www.amdetur.org.mx
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4 How much do foreign tourists spend in Mexico?
•According to the annual report prepared by Visa
Inc, "Tourism Outlook: Mexico," spending by foreign
tourists in Mexico has been growing steadily after
overcoming the obstacles of 2009.
8 U.s. Timeshare Industry refocuses on Global Opportunities
The recent global economic crisis and recession in the
United States heavily affected the business model
traditionally applied in the timeshare industry, forcing
it to change strategy and refocus on international
markets.
10 celebrating 25 years of AMDETUR conventions
Since 1987 AMDETUR has hosted the most important
event in the Mexican vacation ownership industry,
today celebrating 25 years of success, thanks to the
support of its affiliates and recognition of renowned
figures from the tourist industry.
14 Tourism in Mexico: facing the challenge of rising growth
In this issue, we present the first part of an article by BBVA Bancomer analyzing the myths and realities that surround the industry, as well as its competitiveness and prospects for 2011.
The second part of this article will appear in our next issue (Autumn 2011).
18 Investment in sustainable Tourism: Mexico's Alternative
following a series of difficult circumstances affecting tourism in Mexico, the business world is optimistic about President felipe calderon's initiative, the signing of the National Agreement for Tourism, and about the investment opportunities it will bring to the industry.
notitur is the official magazine of the asociación mexicana de desarrolladores turísticos, a.C. (amdetur) (mexican resort development association), published four times a year for its members and major official tourism organizations in mexico. notitur’s digital version in English is electronically distributed in several countries. all rights are reserved. this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher: Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or amdetur and no responsi-bility is accepted for lack of precisions in editorial or advertising content.Original magazine hard copies printed in mexico. amdetur: montecito 38, Piso 32, Ofics. 11 a 14, Col. nápoles, méxico 03810 d.F. Certificado de licitud de título no. 3856, de fecha 19 de abril de 1989. Certificado de licitud de Contenido de la Comisión Calificadora de Publicaciones y revistas ilustradas no. 3172 de fecha 19 de abril de 1989. número de Certificado de reserva otor-gado por el instituto nacional del derecho de autor, secretaría de Educación Pública, 04-2005-030817343600-102. nOtitur July-sEPtEmBEr 2011. e-mail: [email protected]
AMDETUR
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intErVal intErnatiOnal celebrates 35 YEARs of leadership and innovation in shared ownership
INDUsTRY
Interval International, a prominent world-wide provider of vacation services and an
operating business of Interval Leisure Group (nasdaq: IILG), is celebrating 35 years of lead-ership and innovation in the shared ownership industry. As a pioneer in the field, Interval helped advance legislation that established the foundation for the concept’s growth in mar-kets around the globe and committed to qual-ity in every aspect of its operations, including its unparalleled vacation exchange network.
Over the years, the company has created landmark products that came to be industry standards; steadfastly supported resort-devel-oper clients in their sales and marketing efforts; and provided member families with high-touch service and effective programs designed to meet and exceed their expectations.
“It is a tremendous honor to have partici-pated in leading the talented team at Interval to where we are now. And it is very exciting to have the opportunity to shape Interval’s future, so that we will continue to play an integral role in the achievements of our evolving industry,” said Craig M. nash, chairman, president, and CEO of Interval Leisure Group. “We are pursuing a number of new initiatives that will enrich our consumer member benefits and further align our business with our valued clients, who have been such a tremendous part of our success.”
Interval has an impressive history of exchange industry “firsts” such as the first quality recognition program in 1982; a qual-ity rating system developed in collabora-tion with Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration in 1985; an enhanced mem-bership program in 1987; a trial program for non-buyers in 1991; and the first exchange company presence on the Internet in 1995.
Today, Interval is part of a publicly traded company and boasts some 2,600 affiliated resorts in more than 75 countries. Approximately 2 million member families are enrolled in its various membership programs and hundreds of clients use its benefits and services.
Recent product launches include Interval PlatinumSM, the company’s ultimate mem-bership level. Along with Interval Gold®, it expands the premium benefit offerings, mak-ing Interval’s membership options among the most comprehensive in shared ownership. Another enhancement to the company’s inno-vative product line-up is Club Interval GoldSM, a points-based exchange service for owners of fixed- or floating- week interests that com-bines all the membership benefits of Interval International and Interval Gold® and provides a more flexible vacation exchange option.
In addition to these milestones, the com-pany has also been a proactive market-maker
Summer
it is always a pleasure for amdEtur to share each of its successes with its members
and friends, knowing besides that every one of their successes is a milestone in the
growth of this association as well as the consolidation of our industry. in this spirit,
we congratulate interval international for its 35th anniversary, and urge it to keep
building and moving ahead, toward the winning future this industry promises.
through the Shared Ownership Investment Conferences that it founded in 1998. Since the first events were held in the United States and the Caribbean, venues have been extended to Beijing, Budapest, Cape Town, Dubai, Durban, Johannesburg, Macau, and Shanghai, with Mumbai and Delhi scheduled later this year.
nash concluded, “All of our dedicated employees look forward to exploring new avenues for innovation and continuing to set new standards for shared ownership.”
ABOUT INTERVAL INTERNATIONALInterval International operates member-
ship programs for vacationers and provides value-added services to its developer clients worldwide. Based in Miami, Florida, the company has been a pioneer and innovator in serving the vacation ownership market for 35 years. Today, Interval has an exchange network of approximately 2,600 resorts in over 75 nations. Through offices in 15 coun-tries, Interval offers high-quality products and benefits to resort clients and approxi-mately 2 million families who are enrolled in various membership programs. Interval is an operating business of Interval Leisure Group, Inc. (nasdaq: IILG), a leading global provider of membership and leisure services to the vacation industry.
INDUsTRY
How much do international tourists spend in Mexico?
NOTITUR4
5
INDUsTRY
Summer
In its third annual report, Visa presents data on the amount, source and destination of the money Mexico received in 2009 and 2010 from international travelers who
used their Visa cards in Mexico. In 2010, this amount reached $4.4 billion dollars, compared to $3.9 billion in 2009.
cOUNTRIEs cONTRIBUTING THE MOsT TO MExIcO's TOURIsT REVENUEs
In 2010, visitors from the United States were once again the biggest contributors to Mexican tourism revenues, accounting for $3.1 billion dollars--more than double total spending by the card holders of the next top 25 tourism spending countries combined--while Canadian travelers came in second with $583 million, a 21 percent increase over 2009.
But tourists from other regions also sharply increased their spending in Mexico between 2009 and 2010, confirming Mexico's role as an attractive travel destination in the world's tourism market. In Europe, countries like Germany, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom were among the top 10 spenders in Mexico, while South America saw the strongest growth as a source for travelers to Mexico, led by Brazil, with $54.5 million (85 percent more than in 2009), Guatemala with $26.4 million (26 percent more) and Argentina with $25 million (53 percent more than the year before).
The following chart shows the countries that contributed the most of Mexico's tourist revenues according to the level of spending by Visa cardholders, and the per-cent change seen from 2009 to 2010.
10 countries contributing the most to Mexican tourist revenues, 2009-2010 (in U.s. Dollars)
Source
Country
2010 2009 % Growth
YoY
1 united states $3.1 billion $2.9 billion 7%
2 Canada $538 million $445 million 21%
3 spain $102 million $88.3 million 16%
4 France $89.8 million $78.2 million 15%
5 united Kingdom $83.3 million $65.2 million 28%
6 Brazil $54.5 million $29.5 million 85%
7 Germany $43.3 million $35.6 million 22%
8 italy $32.8 million $28 million 17%
9 Guatemala $26.4 million $21 million 26%
10 argentina $24.9 million $16.3 million 53%
Source: VisaVue Travel Data, 2009-2010
The amount of money international tourists spend during their stay in Mexico is one of the most useful indicators for sizing up the success of our promotion and marketing of tourist products. It is therefore encouraging to note that this figure is rising again, having overcome some daunting obstacles in 2009, as can be seen in the report by Visa Inc. entitled "Tourism Outlook: Mexico," in which it analyzes the consumption of its cardholders visiting this country.
NOTITUR6
2010: A YEAR Of REcOVERYEven though Mexico's tourist industry has faced
some tough problems recently, like the H1n1 flu out-break and sluggish recovery of the world economy, by late spring-early summer 2010, a marked recovery was already under way.
Compared to 2009, foreign tourist spending grew 13 and 9 percent, respectively, in March and April, and in May international travelers spent 44 more than in the same period of last year, when the country was dealing with the flu situation. The growth continued in June with 18 percent and July with another 11 percent. Finally, after the Mexican government raised its flu alert after 14 months of waiting, a large number of foreign tourists returned to Mexico's most popular beach des-tinations, resulting in a 23 percent rise in the influx of tourists from the United States and 100 percent in Canadian travelers, compared to 2009.
TOURIsM REVENUEs BY MARkET sEGMENTThe biggest chunk of tourist spending in Mexico was
in retail establishments, like clothing and food stores, accounting for around 51 percent of all purchases made using Visa cards, a total of more than $2.3 bil-lion dollars.
In the travel segment, lodging accounted for 17 percent; other travel and entertainment, 7 percent; restaurants, 5 percent; and airlines--which saw impres-sive growth between 2009 and 2010--4 percent. These four segments accounted for almost $1.5 billion in spending.
OUTLOOk fOR 2011The twelve percent rise in spending by interna-
tional tourists using their Visa cards during their visit to Mexico, from $3.9 billion to $4.4 billion dollars, is a signal that confirms once again that tourism in Mexico continues to growth, and underscores our certainty that this industry is capable of overcoming any obstacle. That is why we see more extraordinary growth oppor-tunities ahead for 2011, especially because this year has been declared the “Year of Tourism” by President Felipe Calderon, and thanks to the combined efforts of public agencies and private enterprise, among which Visa reiterates its commitment to helping meet the goals we have set.
Visa cardholder spending data cited is based on data from VisaVue® a review of cross-border spending on Visa-branded payment cards by card-holders from key source countries while in Mexico during the calendar years 2009 (January 1 – December 31, 2009) and 2010 (January 1 – December 31, 2010). These findings are based upon VisaVue® Travel data. For more information on the report "Tourism Outlook: Mexico," contact:[email protected] is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 coun-tries and territories to fast, secure and reliable digital currency.Contact: Rocío García, Visa Inc., Mexico. (55) 5387-4134
2009 AND 2010 INBOUND TRANsAcTION VOLUME IN TOP MERcHANT cATEGORIEs
Market segment 2010 2009 % YoY growth
General retail $2.3 billion $2.2 billion 3%
lodging $738 million $622 million 19%
Other travel and entertainment $310 million $278 million 11%
restaurants $220 million $186 million 18%
airlines $191 million $65.8 million 191%
Source: VisaVue Travel Data, 2009-2010
2009-2010 MONTH-BY-MONTH INBOUND INTERNATIONAL sPENDING cOMPARIsON OVER TOP MERcHANT cATEGORIEs TOTAL
Mes 2010 2009 % YoY growth
January $446 million $415 million 7%
February $420 million $382 million 10%
march $483 million $427 million 13%
april $397 million $364 million 9%
may $335 million $234 million 44%
June $311 million $263 million 18%
July $333 million $300 million 11%
august $326 million $300 million 9%
september $269 million $246 million 9%
October $317 million $285 million 11%
november $366 million $336 million 9%
december $435 million $417 million 5%
Source: VisaVue Travel Data, 2009-2010
As A POINT Of cOMPARIsON, HERE ARE sOME HIGHLIGHTs Of THE 2009 VIsAVUE REPORT:• In2008,Mexicosawan11.36percentgrowthintourismrevenues.
• Inthesameyear,touristsfromtheUnitedStatesaccountedfor80%oftourismrevenues
in mexico.
• Thecountrieshosecitizensweremost likely tovisitMexico in the futurewere:United
states (72%), Brazil (61%), Canada (58%), China (43%) and the united Kingdom (39%).
• The most popular tourist destinations among foreign travelers in Mexico are: Cancun
(45%), acapulco (43%), mexico City (41%), Puerto Vallarta (26%), Cozumel (21%), Guada-
lajara (18%), Playa del Carmen (17%), riviera maya (16%), los Cabos (15%) and tijuana
(13%).
INDUsTRY
NOTITUR8
INDUsTRY
u.s. timeshare industry refocuses on Best Business Practices,
Global Opportunities
Beginning with the collapse of Lehman Brothers (9/15/08), the U.S. credit markets
froze, and lenders stopped lending … even to companies with a long history and excellent credit rating. This was particularly damaging to our industry, given its traditional business model, which relies heavily on credit markets to monetize consumer debt and even out cash flow for developers. Although the credit freeze was a painful lesson, it served as the catalyst to refocus and strengthen our funda-mental business model.
cHANGE Of sTRATEGYDue to the present economic environment
and lack of access to capital, developers have shed more inefficient marketing channels and have moved forward from the direct sales and marketing model of the past to more traditional and strategic marketing models that have streamlined costs. This change has been further enabled by the overall traveling public’s acceptance of timeshare as a great way to vacation and a mainstream lodging alternative.
BY HOwARD NUsBAUM
Although 2010 sales were basically flat over 2009 (just slightly higher), better days are ahead, with industry sales beginning to truly “dig out” in 2011. The reason I say this with confidence is because sales reductions were primarily self-induced, attributable to the lack of access to capital to fund consumer notes. Developers intentionally slowed sales for this reason. We are seeing capital begin to flow back into the market and more importantly, we see sales rising (as evidenced by the last two quarters).
In the past, sales velocity was king—today, margin and profitability reign. This is seen in higher down payments (averaging 20%); more due diligence on qualifying customers (FICO scoring is now the norm); more effi-cient marketing; and a more sustainable busi-ness model. Basically, U.S. developers are focusing more on resort development profit from the initial sale rather than depending as heavily on arbitrage financing income in this new model.
Our customers are also doing their part. nine out of ten are current with their main-
tenance fees and/or mortgages. Occupancy rates have remained steady at 80 percent (2009), as has owner satisfaction, at 84 percent (2009). Both of these metrics, along with the steady rise in the price of an interval, have gotten the attention not only of lenders but also the resort communities (destinations that rely on tourism for their economy). These destinations want tourism assets to help even out the dips in their local economy—and timeshare has proven to be less sensitive to occupancy swings.
NEw PERsPEcTIVEsOverall, these changes have led to a
stronger business model, closer, in fact, to the one used in Mexico. In many ways, Mexico is a great example of a strong resort development industry that is less reliant on lending. I am glad to report that after surviving the worst economic recession since the 1930s, the U.S. timeshare industry is and will continue to adapt and change to meet the needs and vacation preferences of today’s customer.
the downturn in sales created by the havoc of the recent global financial crisis and recession in the united states was a humbling experience for
timeshare developers.
The timeshare industry has become a glob-al business. Customers are increasingly inter-ested in exercising their wanderlust through international vacation experiences. We are see-ing an expansion in international development and partnerships by U.S.- based developers, with more domestic timeshare owners explor-ing resort exchange and purchase opportuni-ties in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe. now with more resort development in China, India, Southeast Asia, and South America, there are new opportunities for all developers and timeshare purchasers.
This global trend is clear here at ARDA, where we are in the midst of planning for
howard C. nusbaum is currently President
and Chief Executive Officer of the american
resort development association (arda), the
Washington d.C.-based professional association
representing the vacation ownership and resort
development industries.
Before joining arda in 2000, nusbaum was
director of Corporate and industry relations for
the american hotel & lodging association as well
as Executive Vice President of the Ohio hotel &
lodging association. Before joining the world of
hotel association management in 1990, he was
Vice President of marketing for Janus hotels and
resorts, a hotel management company with more
than 50 hotels and motels nationwide.
he serves on the Board of directors of the u.s.
travel association and its Executive Committee.
he previously served on the Board of the travel
Business roundtable. mr. nusbaum is also a mem-
ber of the real Estate roundtable, a Washington
d.C. advocacy organization for all types of real
estate.
he is a graduate of the university of Cincinnati.
Post collegiate education includes the respected
institute for Organization management, a six-
year program for association Executives. among
other acknowledgements, he received national
recognition for his development of the very suc-
cessful hOst Welfare-to-Work Program.
ARDA is pleased to be a part of this
year’s AMDETUR Conference and
to celebrate the ongoing success
of the Mexican resort development
industry and its promising future. We
also invite all of the Mexican resort
development community to mark the
industry calendar for ARDA World
or ARDA Mundo next April in Las
Vegas. Together, we can work toward
a stronger global industry and better
vacations for people around the world.
the 2012 ARDA Annual Convention. The convention, now dubbed “ARDA WORLD,” will be more focused on the global vacation ownership experience, with enhanced interna-tional networking and a wide range of global educational sessions.
Held at the Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, nevada, April 1-5, 2012, this is an exciting new direction for ARDA. In addition to an increased interest in global expansion by our US developers, we are hear-ing that same interest expressed by colleagues from Latin America, Asia, Canada, Europe, the UK, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean who attended the 2011 ARDA Convention.
NOTITUR10
A cHAT wITH…
Rosa de Jesús LugoCelebrating 25 years of AMDETUR Conventions
this year is especially important to
our association, as we celebrate
the 25th anniversary of our annual
Convention. The first Convention was held in January 1987, when AMDETUR was just begin-
ning to take shape, and it was organized by its founding partner, Grupo ICA, and what was then called the American Resort and Residential Development Association, today the American Resort Development Association (ARDA).
The 1987 Convention brought together a select group of developers and investors from Mexico, who began discussing the foundation of what would be an Association of profes-sionals from different fields involved in the tourism business, specifically in the planning, development, marketing, administration and operation of tourist real-estate developments.
The response was not long in coming, and the idea was warmly welcomed. A number of meetings were held during the course of the Convention, and those present agreed to form a group that would handle the details of creating what is now the Mexican Resort Development Association (AMDETUR) was thus founded on July 13, 1987, thanks to the efforts and tenacity of eight companies that a quarter of a century ago had the foresight to bring together this country's leading investors and resort developers, and to promote and profes-sionalize the Timeshare industry in Mexico.
One of the most enthusiastic proponents of the Convention and of the foundation of AMDETUR was the man who was at the time President of ARRDA, Gary Terry, whose support and disin-terested encouragement in our proposals was tremendously important in achieving our goals.
With all of this, the 1987 Convention was a resounding success, as it was the first event of its type in Mexico, and stirred up widespread interest in the industry. It was attended by promoters, developers, operators, marketers and other professional groups involved in the tourism business.
THE NExT sTEPsOnce the Mexican Resort Development
Association (AMDETUR) was founded, it began working together with the American Resort and Residential Development Association on orga-nizing the next Tourist Resort Development Convention in Mexico, held in 1988.
The event was once again a success, and surpassed attendance goals. The orga-nization and logistics went more smoothly because of the past experience, and a com-mittee was created with the participation of Interval International, RCI, Grupo ICA, ARRDA, AMDETUR and other members that devoted their energy and professionalism to bringing together and holding the Convention.
One outstanding aspect of the second convention was the presence of then-Minister of Tourism, Antonio Enríquez Savignac, who swore in the first AMDETUR Board of Directors during the opening ceremonies, then turned over the floor to Alejandro Morones, who offi-cially opened the second Annual Tourist Resort Development Convention.
Starting with the third Convention, AMDETUR assumed the leadership role and
Eduardo Chabert García, Sergio Montero Querejeta, Luz María Torres González, Rosa de Jesús Lugo, John McCarthy Sandland, Pablo González Carbonell, Jorge Pallas Cáceres.
Cover of the printed program that was published for AMDETUR's first Convention
in 1987.
11Summer
Rosa de Jesús Lugo
Rosa de Jesús Lugo has worked with amdEtur since
its beginnings, and has helped organize all 25 conven-
tions. she joined Grupo iCa, amdEtur's founding partner,
in October 1986, and worked directly with alberto Villada
Camerino in the organization and logistics of the first tourist
development Convention in mexico, an event during which
the decision was made to take steps to create what is today
the mexican resort development association (amdEtur),
whose founding president was mr. Villada Camerino himself.
after that first Convention, rosa de Jesús worked alongside
Gumaro lizárraga, Vice President of the tourism division
of Grupo iCa, who offered her the position of manager of
amdEtur, and then Fernando González Corona, amdEtur's
second president, made her director of the association.
rosa de Jesús has collaborated with 14 amdEtur presi-
dents, during which time she accumulated a wealth of
highly positive experiences, learning from each of them a
different style of working and visualizing different perspec-
tives. she studied Business administration at milwaukee
area technical College in Wisconsin, where she obtained an
honorable mention, and was also awarded the Phil theta
Kappa distinction for academic achievement.
A cHAT wITH…
since then has been a strong supporter for the event, which was from the beginning the largest in the vaca-tion ownership industry, and has grown bigger and stronger of the past 25 years , thanks to the support of all its members.
AMDETUR's road has not always been an easy one, and the Association has had to deal with averse circum-stances, but we are highly pleased to say that today, the Mexican Resort Development Association (AMDETUR) is one of the most widely-recognized and prestigious tourist industry associations among federal, state and municipal authorities, as well as leading organizations in the national and international tourist industry.
AMDETUR has also grown stronger through the support it has received from local affiliate associations, with which it has worked closely to promote and encourage tourist real-estate developments in this country. These include:• AsociacióndeClubesVacacionalesdeCozumel.• AsociacióndeClubesVacacionalesdeQuintanaRoo,
this year celebrating its 25th year of existence.• AsociacióndeDesarrolladoresTurísticosdeColima.• AsociacióndeDesarrolladoresdeTiempoCompartido
de Mazatlán.• AsociacióndeDesarrolladoresyOperadoresTurísticos
de Ixtapa y Zihuatanejo.• AsociacióndeDesarrolladoresyPromotoresTurísticos
de Tiempo Compartido (Puerto Vallarta), also cel-ebrating its 25th anniversary.
• AsociacióndePromotoresdeClubesVacacionalesdelEstado de Guerrero.
• Asociación Sudcaliforniana de Desarrolladores deTiempo Compartido, which just completed its 15th year of activities.
OUR BIGGEsT sTRENGTHBetween 1987 and 2011, AMDETUR has had 14
presidents, and each of them has contributed to the strength and consolidation of this group. The challenges they have faced have varied greatly, but clearly their dedication and commitment have been decisive factors in making AMDETUR what it is today: a leading group in the Mexican tourist industry.
In parallel, the AMDETUR Convention has become an increasingly prominent event over these years, thanks to the efforts of all these presidents, who worked tire-lessly to meet the expectations of conference attendees and to promote the growth of this important industry.
We are confident that our Annual Convention will continue to be the best event in its class, and that with every passing year it will become more interesting and useful to attendees, and an excellent forum for bringing together the most renowned personages in the tourist industry and keep the fast-growing vacation ownership industry constantly up to date.
Our profound gratitude goes to all the presidents of AMDETUR:
• AlbertoVilladaCamerino1987-1989• FernandoGonzálezCorona1989-1990• SergioMonteroQuerejeta1990-1992• JohnMcCarthy1993–1994• EduardoChabertGarcía1995–1996• RaúlSánchezRucobo1996-1997• MarioMuroAguirre1998• ManuelNiembroTapia1998-1999• PabloGonzálezCarbonell2000-2001• LuzMaríaTorres2002-2003• JorgePallasCáceres2004-2005• ErnestoCoppelKelly2006-2007• JoséCarlosAzcárraga2008-2009• JuanVelaRuiz2010-2011
And thanks as well to each and every one of you, because without your participation in this event we could not celebrate and share such significant moments for our industry.
AMDETUR IS CELEBRATInG 25 YEARS OF ITS AnnUAL COnVEnTIOn, and we proudly reaffirm our commitment to holding this event each year for our members, making it stronger and drawing broader recognition every year and taking on the continual chal-lenge of innovation and creativity.
For this reason, and at the urging of our members, our goal is now to make the AMDETUR convention a traveling event. We want to make it our priority to promote each and every one of the resorts affiliated with AMDETUR, and create a more dynamic event with more participants and more benefits than ever for those attending.
ON TO THE NEXT 25 YEARS!!
Cover of the printed program that was published for AMDETUR's first Convention in 1988.
NOTITUR14
TOURIsM IN MExIcO
NOTITUR14
Facing the challenge of
rising growthTourism in Mexico:
BY fERNANDO GONzáLEz AND ADOLfO ALBO, BBVA BANcOMER
tourism has always been a key contributor to economic
development in any nation. in mexico's case, fortunately,
we have what it takes to promote the industry and give it
a more prominent place in the country's economy, provided
we know how to understand and take advantage of its
tremendous potential.
Summer 15
TOURIsM IN MExIcO
In this issue, we present the first part of this article, in which we examine six big myths
and realities about the industry, so that we can provide a balanced diagnosis of both sides of the tourism coin. This will help all of us who are interested in the industry to direct our efforts toward building a more solid and dynamic tourist industry and to work together as a society.
In the next issue of notitur, we will continue on this topic, addressing other equally impor-tant aspects like international competitiveness and the outlook and projections on the tourist industry in the near future.
A. MYTHs AND REALITIEs• "Tourism is one of the fastest-
growing segments of the economy.1" In 2008, the aggregate value of tourism activity in Mexico was more than 980 bil-lion pesos2, equivalent to 8.7 percent of the overall economy, and had grown by 33 percent since 1993. But the industry, how-ever dynamic, shrank in proportion to the rest of the economy, as overall Mexican GDP outpaced the growth in tourism activity by almost a full point each year.
• "Tourism is the largest source of foreign currency." For Mexico, tourism currently ranks fourth in the attraction of for-eign currency, coming in behind oil exports, wage remittances, and foreign direct invest-ment.
• "Tourism is labor-intensive." The tour-ism industry is estimated to have generated 2.5 million paying jobs in 2008, equivalent to 6.9 percent of the national wage base. It is clearly significant that tourism has kept up its historic share of total employment, but an increasing amount of capital is needed to build more infrastructure, services, and lodging. This is why it is so important that the various agents in the Mexican economy--authorities, entrepreneurs, and civil society--work together to make the best use possible of the available resources.
• "Mexico is one of the top tourist destinations in the world." In 2009, Mexico ranked tenth in the world flow of international tourists (staying at least one night), with 21.5 million visitors. But 42 percent of these visi-tors were cross-border travelers contributing only 6 percent of total revenues. So the more important component of foreign tourists, those responsible for demand and vigor in the industry, totaled only 12.7 million travelers.
aggregate value at 2010 prices % weight in GdP
tourist Cross-border traveler
I II III
Source: BBVA Research with data from InEGI, SCnM, CST 1994 and 2008. Series integrated from two series with different bases.
(BILLIONs Of 2010 PEsOs AND % Of GDP)
AGGREGATE VALUE AND wEIGHT IN THE EcONOMY
1,000
950
900
850
800
750
700
650
600
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
e
2010
e
Source: BBVA Research with data from Banco de Mexico
cONsTANT DOLLARs (1980 = 100, LAsT DATA sEPTEMBER 2010, 3M MOVING AVERAGE)
REVENUEs fROM INTERNATIONAL VIsITORs TO MExIcO
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
10.50
10.00
9.50
9.00
8.50
8.00
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
1 Given the nature of the information available, reference periods may be different: structural analysis based on data through 2008 from national accounts and trend evolution based on coincidental indicators.2 At 2010 prices.
NOTITUR16 NOTITUR16
This means that in that year, Mexico received 2.4 percent of the world's interna-tional travelers but only 1.3 percent of the revenues, coming in 20th in terms of this indicator; 31st in terms of tourist spending, and 51st in terms of competitive in rooms per inhabitant3. The number of longer-staying and higher-spending tourists have been grow-ing steadily over the long term, but concen-trated heavily in the states of Quintana Roo and Baja California Sur, as well as Mexico City.
• "Tourism and travelers are synony-mous." Tourist activity should be considered more broadly than it has in the past, when it was considered to include only vacation or lei-sure travelers. It should also include those who travel for family, religious, or health reasons, retirement, and other motives. This allows us to view tourism in a more comprehensive light and to identify specific niches where there are growth opportunities, like medical tourism, or retirement-age baby boomers from the US4.
• "Not all tourists are foreigners." In Mexico, most tourists are Mexican citizens, measured in terms of their number (82 per-cent of the total), hotel nights (68.3 percent) or air passengers (65 percent), to mention just a few indicators. But foreign tourists stay longer on average, 3.4 days, compared to a 1.6-day average among domestic travelers. They also have a strong presence in the three states where Mexico's most popular beach destinations and four- and five-store hotels are located, and they spend more on average than domestic tourists.
As we remarked at the start of this article, analyzing these points helps us objectively differentiate the benefits and areas of oppor-tunities to be found in the Mexican tourist industry--undoubtedly one of the most reli-able and promising sources of total growth for this country--in order to work in the right direction and reach the goals set forth in established plans, like the national Agenda for Tourism.
In the second part of this article, which will be included in the next issue, we will continue to analyze other myths and realities of tour-ism, and will discuss competitiveness and a view to the future.
Fernando González Cantú
is senior Economist for
sectorial and regional
analysis at Grupo Financiero
BBVa Bancomer, where he has worked in various
positions since 1993. he has also given classes
in the Economics department and masters' degree
programs in urban settlements and health at the
universidad autónoma de nuevo león, and in the
Economics department of the instituto tecnológico
y de Estudios superiores de monterrey, and was
professor and full-team researcher at Colegio de
méxico's Center for Economic and demographic
studies. he earned his undergraduate degree in
Economics from the universidad autónoma de
nuevo león and has taken specialization courses in
demographics from the u.n. latin american Center
for demographics at the university of Chile.
adolfo albo márquez is
Chief Economist in mexico
for BBVa Bancomer, Grupo
BBVa, where he is in charge
of research in the areas of macroeconomics,
finance, banking, pensions, industry, regional,
real-estate and migration. he earned his mas-
ter's degree from itam with honors, and was
awarded the Banamex Economics Prize as well
as the national Prize for Economics Consultancy
(tlacaelel). he has also taken postgraduate cours-
es in economy and finance and published studies
in collaboration with the idB and OECd. For more
than 5 years he was in charge of analysis and
study of emerging economies and markets; and
was Chief Economist for latin america at BBVa
headquartered in madrid, spain; and director of
investment strategies for latin america.
TOURIsM IN MExIcO
Foreign domestic Source: BBVA Research with data from Ministry of Tourism, Datatur
IN 29 sTATEs, DOMEsTIc TOURIsM PREDOMINATEs; fOREIGN TOURIsM Is GREATER IN ONLY 3
HOTEL OccUPANcY
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
tlax
dgo
hgo ta
bVe
rm
ich
tam
psa
gs mor
Qro
Gto
slP
Zac
son
méx
Chih
Oax Gr
oCo
lPu
eCh
is nl
Cam
pCo
ah yuc
dF
sin Jal
BCn
acio
nal
nay
BCs
Qr
Foreign guests average (35.4%)
Comments: [email protected] and [email protected]
3 Source: BBVA Research with data from UnWTO, Tourism Highlights 2010, and WEF, The travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report, 20094SeeSituaciónInmobiliariaMéxico,September2007,whichdiscussesthis tremendous potential in US retirees, for example for the real-estate industry.
Comments: [email protected] and [email protected]
AMDETUR
NOTITUR18 NOTITUR18
INVEsTMENT IN sUsTAINABLE TOURIsM
investment in sustainable tourism:
1919
in the past two years, international tourism has faced many challenges. the
global economic crisis fostered rising unemployment and raised the cost of
credit, while the h1n1 flu virus pandemic depressed worldwide tourism activ-
ity, leading even the u.n. World tourism Organization (unWtO) to declare
2010 one of the worst years in two decades.
mexico was deeply affected by the crisis, and is still suffering noticeable
consequences, aggravated by the perceived problems of crime and violence in
much of the country, some of it in popular tourist zones like acapulco.
Primavera
Mexico's Alternative
POR JUAN BREMER
BY JUAN BREMER
NOTITUR20
INVEsTMENT IN sUsTAINABLE TOURIsM
Juan Bremer is Founding Partner and CEO of rld, and has more than seven years of managerial
and directorial experience. he has a solid track record as director of real estate projects, a busi-
ness he started out in by remodeling homes in mexico City. in 2001 he founded Zen arquitectura,
and after that he took part in the project that gave rise to rld, called "Cabezas", developed in
Jalisco.
he studied marketing and Communication in the Wesdeutsche academy for Communication in
Cologne, Germany, and the company he heads today develops sustainable tourism projects in the
states of Jalisco, nayarit and Baja California sur.
The adverse effects of these circumstances on the Mexican tourism industry found a tai-lor-made solution in the recent signing of the national Agreement for Tourism, promoted and organized by Mexican president Felipe Calderon and fully supported by the national Tourist Business Council and all of its affiliated organizations. This measure, which may seem to be an emergency response to a lingering crisis, is actually a decision long awaited and applauded by the tourist industry and all the economic sectors it affects, because its intent is to revitalize what is still one of Mexico's big-gest strengths, and perhaps one that is used less than its full potential: tourism.
We in the business world are optimistic about this endeavor, which focuses on reviving and advertising to the world one of the most com-plete tourist inventories in the plant. This was described in a recent Ministry of Tourism Bulletin as one of vast human and geographic wealth: more than three thousand years of history, home to fascinating archaeological treasures, more than 30,000 sites, 40 "Magic Villages," ten circuits that connect the entire country, a wide choice of colonial cities, one of the most bio-diverse geographies in the world, many of its best beaches, more spas than any other country, and ranking second in luxury tourism (Sectur Bulletin 042, 16 March 2011).
sUsTAINABILITY: AN INVEsTMENT IN THE fUTURE
Under current conditions, with invalu-able wealth available to domestic and inter-national travelers, and with tourism raised to levels of state policy through the recently-signed national Agreement for Tourism, it is inevitable to think that the doors are more open than ever for investment to flow into the industry. But this opening must impose conditions on both parties: the government and investors.
On the part of government, new regula-tions and laws are needed to simplify admin-istration, eliminate unnecessary red tape and create incentives for local and foreign invest-ment. A priority must also be placed on com-bating on all fronts necessary the image of crime and violence, because it hurts not only the tourist industry but all the productive sec-tors of the economy and society itself.
As for the tourist industry, it is clear that new rules are needed on social cooperation and environmental care. It is time to return to the basic thesis of the U.n. World Commission on Environment and Development, when in 1983, alarmed by the consequences of human activity on the environment, defined sustain-able tourism as "that which seeks to improve the quality of human life without exceeding the carrying capacity of the ecosystems that sustain it."
Unfortunately, the work of this Commission has not yet translated into substantial practi-cal advances, although it did provide the definition later adopted by the World Tourism Organization: "Sustainable Tourism is Tourism that meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future." It is conceived as a path for managing all resources in a way that meets economic, social and aesthetic needs while respecting cultural integrity, essential environmental processes, biological diversity, and the systems that sustain life. (For more information, go to http://unwto.org.)
Based on these rules set by the WTO, which enable us to view sustainable tourism as a new alternative for restoring and respecting the environment, combined with the integration of host communities into the economic and social development of tourist projects, inves-tors can be sure that the return on their invest-ment has the added value of working now for future generations.
sTATIsTIcs
NOTITUR22
TOURIsT REsORTs wITH GOLf cOURsEsTypically, a golf course requires an area of at least 75 hectares, which when com-
bined with other components like residential lots and sometimes hotels and other amenities lead to resorts that can cover an average of 300 hectares. They have the dual appeal of being social clubs as well as sports facilities, in which sports and health activi-ties can be carried out; they may include spas and beauty clinics, substantially enhanc-ing the services supplied in the tourist resort. As for costs, the typical "green fee" for a weekend is around $150 US dollars; an average share in a golf club costs $30,000 US dollars; and the monthly maintenance fee is about 20,000 Mexican pesos.
In this price range, golf courses normally offer the following amenities and services:• Clubhouse• Restaurants,coffeeshopsandbars• Spaandfitnesscenter• Kids'club• Golf,swimming,tennisandpaddleclasses;gymandhorsebackriding• Somehaveamarina• Golfproshop• Conventionfacilities• Gameroom• LockerroomswithsaunaandTurkishbath• Conveniencestore• Chapel• Security
Today, it is nearly impossible for a golf course to be created in isolation, since the concept has evolved to one of perfect symbiosis with real-estate and/or hotel proper-ties. It is also clear that urbanized lots and homes within a golf club have greater value--the price per square meter is between 20 and 50 percent higher than for those without one.
In conclusion, residential tourist developments have a huge market niche open to them in golf resorts, particularly if they develop concepts less oriented toward status symbols and more toward sports, and are conceived more as integrally-planned com-munities than elite social clubs. This is because there is a whole new segment of fami-lies in the AB and C+ brackets that are taking steps to attain this level of real-estate product, and may be served with golf courses designed in accordance with their tastes and preferences.
The table showing on page 24 lists some of the golf courses in Mexico that are most widely recognized for their services and modern amenities, located in some of the country's most popular beach destinations. The listing includes the year they were founded; those highlighted in color are the most recent, or those that are in the process of being built.
Golf resorts in mexico:
a Booming segment of the tourist industry
BY OMAR cHáRRAGA
Omar Chárraga is director of residential tourist homes
for softec. he has an undergraduate degree in Business
administration from the Faculty of accounting and
administration of universidad nacional autónoma
de méxico, and a master's degree in marketing from
the instituto tecnológico de Estudios superiores de
monterrey. he has been marketing manager of KPmG
and Promotion supervisor for Procter & Gamble. he has
served as project leader in 300 consultancy projects,
spoken at exhibitions, and been instructor and trainer for
20 construction firms throughout mexico.
among other activities, in his current position he has
analyzed residential tourist real-estate, urban housing,
shopping centers, offices and industrial bay projects. he
has also authored various articles published in newspa-
pers like reforma, Excelsior and El Economista, and in
journals such as Expansión, mundo Ejecutivo, real Estate
and metros Cúbicos. he is also the author of the dimE of
publication series on Vallarta, los Cabos, la Paz, Puerto
Peñasco, san Carlos and huatulco.
Contact: [email protected]
tel. (55) 5063 8828
mexico has around 200 golf courses, and
comparing this to the 20,000 courses that
exist in the united states--with due regard to
the different proportions between the two
in terms of territory size--we can clearly see
that we are faced with a huge opportunity for
urban and tourist development based on this
popular type of attraction.
NOTITUR24 NOTITUR24
Name city Year created Holes Designer
Club de Golf acapulco acapulco 1950 9 Percy Clifford
Club de Golf acapulco Princess acapulco 1971 18 ted robinson
mayan resort Golf acapulco acapulco 1993 18 Pedro Guereca
tres Vidas acapulco 1995 18 robert Von hagge
Pierre marqués Golf Club acapulco 2004 18 robert trent Jones Jr.
y Percy Clifford
Campo de Golf Pok-ta-Pok Cancún - riviera maya 1977 18 robert trent Jones Jr
Golf Puerto aventuras Cancún - riviera maya 1987 18 thomas leman
Ceasar Park Golf Club Cancún - riviera maya 1995 18 robert trent Jones Jr
Club de Golf meliá Cancún - riviera maya 1998 9 n/a
El Camaleón mayacoba Cancún - riviera maya 2004 18 Greg norman
Club de Golf Playa mujeres Cancún - riviera maya 2006 18 Greg norman
Puerto Cancún Cancún - riviera maya 2008 18 tom Weiskopf
Campo de Golf Grand Coral Cancún - riviera maya 2011 18 nick Price
Chac-ha-lal 25 Golf Club Cancún - riviera maya n/a 9 n/a
Club de Golf Playacar Cancún - riviera maya n/a 18 robert Von hagge
Club de Golf marina ixtapa ixtapa- Zihuatanejo 1994 18 robert Von hagge
Club de Golf Palma real ixtapa- Zihuatanejo n/a 18 robert trent Jones Jr
One & Only Palmilla los Cabos 1993 27 Jack nicklaus
raven Golf Club at Cabo san lucas los Cabos 1995 18 Pete dye
Cabo real meliá los Cabos 1999 18 trent Jones Jr
Club de Golf Querencia los Cabos 2000 18 tom Fazio
Cabo del sol desert los Cabos 2002 18 tom Weiskopf
Cabo del sol Ocean los Cabos 2003 18 Jack nicklaus
Punta sur mayan los Cabos los Cabos 2004 9 mario schjetnan
Club de Golf san José del Cabo (FOnatur) los Cabos 2005 18 Cary Bickler
Club Campestre san José los Cabos 2007 18 nicklaus desing
Quivira los Cabos (Cabo Pacífica) los Cabos 2009 36 Jack nicklaus
Puerto los Cabos los Cabos 2009 18 Jack nicklaus / Greg
norman
Club de Golf diamante los Cabos 2009 18 david love
Cabo riviera Golf Course los Cabos under
Construction
18 Pete dye
Chileno Bay los Cabos in Planning Phase 18 tom Fazio
Campo de Golf El dorado los Cabos n/a 18 Jack nicklaus
Flamingos nuevo Vallarta Vallarta y Bahía de Banderas 1978 18 Percy Clifford
Club de Golf marina Vallarta Vallarta y Bahía de Banderas 1988 18 Joe Finger
Four seasons resort and Golf Course Vallarta y Bahía de Banderas 1996 18 Jack nicklaus
El tigre Paradise Village Vallarta y Bahía de Banderas 2001 18 Von hagge, smeleky,
Baril
mayan Palace Vallarta Vallarta y Bahía de Banderas 2001 18 Jim lipe
Vista Vallarta nicklaus Vallarta y Bahía de Banderas 2001 18 Jack nicklaus
Vista Vallarta Weiskopf Vallarta y Bahía de Banderas 2001 18 tom Weiskopf
Club de Golf litibú Vallarta y Bahía de Banderas 2010 18 Greg norman
Club de Golf nahuí (in destiladeras) Vallarta y Bahía de Banderas under
Construction
36 rees Jones
Club de Golf El Capomo Vallarta y Bahía de Banderas in Planning Phase 18
sTATIsTIcs
Most widely recognized golf courses in Mexican major tourist beach destinations.
