A masked stilt walker trotted past us, followed by a small parade of festive floats, each adorned with a Carnival dancer who played to the crowd. An impressive light show and sound system helped set the stage at the newly opened Santuario Bar & Lounge, a stunning, 75,000-square-foot entertainment pavilion at Vidanta Nuevo Nayarit-Vallarta. Clad in colorful beads and masks of our own, we took in the sights and sounds of the welcome party at the 29th annual Gala Puerto Vallarta – Riviera Nayarit tourism conference.
Over several days in February, some 180 tourism professionals gathered for meetings, hotel and destination site visits and networking — and there was much to celebrate.
In 2023, Puerto Vallarta welcomed nearly 4 million international arrivals, a 10.6% uptick from the previous year. And, according to statistical reports from information and monitoring unit DataTur, occupancy rates in both Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit neared pre-pandemic levels this past year, with an average of 71.9% and 73.5% occupancy, respectively.
Business has come roaring back — and, to keep up with demand, substantial infrastructure improvements and new luxury products are set to roll out in Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit region this year and next.
Click here to read the complete original article by SKYE MAYRING in Travel Age West
Source.- Travel Age West
