Since Puerto Vallarta is such a multifacted destination, meeting planners require the services of top DMCs to truly give their attendees a taste of all P.V. has to offer.
Following are three DMCs that deliver a full range of experiences and services for groups small and large:
Vallarta Adventures
www.vallarta-adventures.com
Vallarta Adventures, as its name suggests, is dedicated to events on the adventurous side, focusing on sharing the region’s culture, wildlife, biodiversity, and natural beauty. A leader in eco-tourism programs, Vallarta Adventures can arrange zip-lining, trekking and team-building outings in the rainforest; encounters with local sea life, including the ever-popular swimming with dolphins experience; and competitive team-building sailing programs.
Perhaps the most all-encompassing offering from Vallarta Adventures is its private Las Caletas island, where large groups can immerse themselves in various beach activities and enjoy buffet dinner programs featuring a torch-lit pre-Hispanic cultural performance under a pyramid.
Tukari Puerto Vallarta
www.tukari.com
Billing itself as a “unique” destination management company, Tukari specializes in highly customized programs for an upscale clientele, as evidenced by its status as a preferred DMC for the new Four Seasons and St. Regis in nearby Punta Mita. Tukari can arrange programs that take in P.V.’s standing as one of the Mexican capitals of gastronomy, and can also secure villas for off-site events or a CSR (corporate social responsibility) event in which participants help build and furnish classrooms for rural school children.
One interesting villa option is offered by award-winning local architect Jorge Rubio at his Terra Noble Boutique Villas & Spa (www.terranoble.com), perched high on a breezy hillside overlooking Vallarta.
“I was looking for a project for life,” Rubio says. “It wasn’t like me to build a home and close the doors.”
Besides his existing home, which has been featured in Architectural Digest, Rubio is busy constructing a Mid-Century Modern-style villa that looks straight out of the early 1960s. Rubio currently can host groups of up to 50 people, and can arrange for outside catering
IVI Destination Management
www.mexicoquest.com
The sheer heft IVI brings to the table due to its size and contacts means that groups will get soup-to-nuts treatment, including transfers, sightseeing programs, pre and post tour options, and team-building programs. Sample activities include water sports and fishing; whale watching; a canopy adventure and expeditions into the Sierra Madre Mountains; mountain horseback riding and off-road excursions; golf; and tours to local villages.
