Recommend December 2013 - (Page 61)

destinations in the world-yes, the world-she is sure to bring you an interesting account of her time spent there.) In our online Q&A with Miguel Torruco, Mexico City's Minister of Tourism, he said, "Mexico City has many special charms. It has 175 museums, which makes it second to London as the city with most museums in the world. It's also recognized for its gastronomy; according to Forbes, it is the fourth best city in the world for gastronomy experiences.... The city actually showcases the works and tradition of three cultures-the Aztec Empire, the colonial era and the modern, cosmopolitan city it is today." There is something new to report on the museum front: In November, the city welcomed another museum to its portfolio, the Jumex Museum in the Polanco neighborhood. This 5-level building, designed by British architect David Chipperfield, will be the largest private and contemporary art space in Latin America housing works from international artists. Let's skip over to Acapulco, which back in the 1950s and 60s was Mexico's original beach destination for classic Hollywood icons like Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Now only 20 percent of travelers to Acapulco come from the U.S. and Canada, while 80 percent is local tourism. Javier Aluni, secretary of tourism for the State of Guerrero, hopes the area's Diamond Zone, which includes two of the destination's most upscale properties-Banyan Tree Cabo Marques (banyantree.com) and Hotel Encanto (hotelencanto.com)-will continue to draw tourists. The Diamond Zone of "Acapulco has seen constant development over the past few years as it is home to a number of luxury investments including Mundo Imperial, a destination all its own offering a variety PAL-17645-6 PRO Print Ad of high-end boutiques, restaurants, nightclubs and convention centers," he says. Back in June we visited Zihuatanejo, a town that "radiates the warmth and simplicity of a true fishing village," according to Pedro Castelan, executive director of the Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo Convention & Visitors Bureau, and gave you an onsite review of La Casa Que Canta (lacasaquecanta.com), a Small Luxury Hotels of the World property with only 25 rooms, private plunge pools in 11 suites, and made with natural elements such as adobe, palapas and woods. Overall, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo has seen an influx of visitors from top North American gateways like Houston, Phoenix, Montreal and Vancouver. Another Pacific coast hotspot, Los Cabos, currently welcomes flights from 24 cities in the U.S. and Canada; San Jose del Cabo International Airport welcomed approximately 1.2 million national and international visitors from January to August 2013 from major gateways like Los Angeles, Dallas, Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver. "Our biggest destinations in Mexico this past year have been Cancun and Cabo San Lucas, but we also saw good numbers to Cozumel and Ixtapa," says director of operations, Michelle Weller, a Travel Leaders franchise in Houston, TX. "I really am impressed with how Los Cabos and Cancun have become complete 'resort cities' with big offerings for activities like shopping, golfing (the Fairmont Mayakoba, for example; fairmont.com-[we wrote about this resort's great golf offerings in the May 2013 issue]), dolphin experiences, diving, ziplining, and deep-sea fishing expeditions that are high-class operations on par (or above) anything you would find in Florida or California, and at half the price." 4C Half Page L: 7.125x4.875, T: 8.125x5.375, B: 8.375x5.5 Recommend Magazine  ® CANCUN RIVIERA MAYA ISLA MUJERES COZUMEL AWE-INCLUSIVE™ BECOME A PALACE RESORTS PRO. WATCH THE BENEFITS ROLL IN. Get specialized training that sharpens your competitive edge. Sales and marketing support from a brand totally committed to exceptional service. All while earning great benefits like free rooms and instant cash, just for booking. That's what being a Palace PRO is all about. 1.877.782.5018 PalaceResortsAgents.com december 2013 61 http://www.lacasaquecanta.com http://www.banyantree.com http://www.PalaceResortsAgents.com http://www.PalaceResortsAgents.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend December 2013

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Canyon Ranch
Tour Talk: Insight Vacations
17th Annual Recommend Readers' Choice Awards Winners
Cruising 2013
Discovering North America
Caribbean Trends
Anguilla Travel Agent Specialist Program
Asia & The South Pacific in the Rearview Mirror
Mexico 2013
Latin America in 2013 and Beyond
Africa + The Middle East Continue to Make Stides
Nostalgic for Europe

Recommend December 2013