Cancun News - Travel Agent Academy

Cancun News
200 VISITORS CELEBRATE HANAL
PIXAN AT LOCAL MAYAN VILLAGE
CANCUN’S KUKULKAN AVE.
GETS A MAKEOVER
This past October 31, families from five Mayan communities celebrated Hanal Pixan, Mayan for “Food for Souls,” at the Tres Reyes
Mayan community along with more than 200 tourists and visitors
from Quintana Roo that arrived with tour operator, Alltournative.
In a festive atmosphere full of colors, flavors and aromas, visitors
interacted with the locals to decorate altars and learn about the
meaning and symbolism of Hanal Pixan.
Once the sun set, visitors and the Mayan communities visited the
“Cenote de la Vida” where they witnessed a mystical and traditional
Mayan ceremony, illuminated by candle light, scented by incense
and guided by the voices of shamans.
An essential element of Hanal Pixan is its gastronomy, and this year
visitors were delighted with typical dishes found during this celebration, including relleno negro, tamales, pollo en escabeche, cassava
soup, atole de maíz nuevo, and sweet potato with coconut.
Eight artists from the World Art Destinations (WAD) gathered in
Cancun to paint 170 feet of wall along the bicycle and pedestrian
track of Kukulkan Boulevard, which runs throughout the famed
Hotel Zone. This project, entitled “Identity Cancun: A Positive
Image for 2020,” was inaugurated on November 3 in order to
showcase art in Cancun.
The murals will be available for viewing on Kukulkan Boulevard
through mid-December. They will then be transferred to a new
Art Pavilion in Puerto Cancun. Once the murals are removed
from the main boulevard, permanent landscaping will be incorporated throughout the track.
WAD is an organization that was created in response to the
growing need for new niches in the development of the art industry. WAD’s mission is to integrate initiatives to attract investment
for destinations in the art industry and thereby increase the demand of art tourism.
CANCUN WELCOMES TWO NEW AMRESORTS PROPERTIES
Dreams Sands Cancun Resort & Spa officially
opened its doors on September 1st. The 23rd
AMResorts property in Mexico, this hotel was
formerly the Grand Oasis Viva until it went
through an extensive renovation to meet Unlimited-Luxury® standards for the Dreams Resorts
& Spas brand. Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf &
Spa Resort will open on November 15 and will
be situated on the white-sand beaches of Playa
Mujeres, boasting stunning suites and views of
the Caribbean.
The new Dreams property is located in the
heart of Cancun’s Hotel Zone along a 650-foot
private stretch of white sand beach and shallow
waters. Dreams Sands Cancun Resort & Spa
is ideal for couples and couples with children.
In addition to offering breathtaking views of the
Caribbean Sea and Isla Mujeres in a modern
and chic ambiance, the resort’s 438 elegant
rooms and suites feature 24-hour room service,
daily refreshed mini-bars and all the benefits of
the brand’s Unlimited-Luxury® experience.
The adults-only Secrets Playa Mujeres is only
35 minutes from the Cancun International Airport and is situated just 10 minutes from Downtown Cancun and five minutes from the 18-hold
signature Greg Norman golf course. Secrets
Playa Mujeres is in close proximity to the best
attractions, shopping centers, beachfront restaurants and nightlife in the area.
The AMResorts brand has grown 20% in the
last year. With these new hotels, the company
now boasts a total of 33 properties. AMResorts
plans to continue its rapid expansion with more
property reveals in the near future.
5
CANCUN’S CULTURE AND ART
SCENE ON THE RISE
Through the region’s efforts to showcase a rich and diverse cultural life, Cancun is pleased to announce the
inauguration of JOYÀ by Cirque du Soleil, and the fourth
annual Caribbean Culture Festival.
Opened November 8, Cirque du Soleil’s JOYÀ was produced specifically for Cancun and the Riviera Maya as a
reflection of the history and heritage of Mexico. This show
will retell the journey of an alchemist and his granddaughter as they discover the secrets of life. This 70 minute
visual narrative will showcase the culture and nature of
Mexico and its pre-Hispanic past.
The fourth annual Caribbean Culture Festival will be held
November 12 - 18 and will feature local artists and international presence from Colombia, Brazil, Cuba, Honduras,
Belize, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Venezuela, Costa Rica,
El Salvador, Jamaica and Panama.
The festival includes culinary tastings, craft shows and
more. The Quintana Roo Orchestra along with renowned
director Alondra de la Parra will hold a concert celebrating
the 40th anniversary of Q. Roo and the legacy of Mayan
culture.
RITZ-CARLTON CANCUN NAMED BEST HOTEL IN THE AMERICAS BY
THE RITZ-CARLTON HOTEL COMPANY
The Ritz Carlton Cancun was named the Hotel of the Year in the Americas by the RitzCarlton Hotel Company for 2013. The hotel
was bestowed this great honor due to their
incredible achievements in quality and business.
Presented annually to top performing hotels of
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, the beachfront retreat was selected from the Americas
region for its outstanding achievement overall
in a variety of business and quality categories,
including customer satisfaction, customer
engagement and employee engagement.
To complement this stellar achievement, the
resort’s General Manager, Hugo Lecanda
earned the General Manager of the Year
award for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company’s
November 2014
Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America region for his passion, integrity and quest for
excellence while leading the extraordinary
resort.
In addition to beautiful white-sand beaches
and azure waters, The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun features 363 ocean view rooms with
private balconies, Kayantá Spa, the Culinary Center and delectable cuisine from
award winning restaurants, Fantino and
The Club Grill.
Guests are invited to enjoy these remarkable experiences with Comfort You, which
includes a daily $100 USD resort credit and
daily breakfast for two starting at $299
USD per night now through December 19,
2014.