Cancun News - Travel Agent Academy

Cancun News
USHER LIVE IN CANCUN
LGBT EXPO
Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort Hosts Usher in Concert
Out Now Releases Latest Research Findings
During the 2nd International Expo & Business LGBT event that took
place this year between September 6 to 9, market research firm Out
Now released the latest findings from the world's largest research study
on Mexico’s population in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
(LGBT) community.
Usher will hit the stage at Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun
on December 29, 2012. Following live performances by international
artists Shakira, Jon Secada, Enrique Iglesias and the Broadway hit,
Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, Palace Resorts will welcome American R&B recording artist Usher, who has been ranked by the RIAA as
one of the best-selling artists in American music history.
The singer, songwriter, dancer and actor rose to fame in the late
1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned
his first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit, "Nice & Slow.” The concert
at Moon Palace will feature songs from Usher’s latest studio album,
LOOKING 4 MYSELF, including popular singles: "Climax,” "Scream,"
and "Lemme See," featuring rapper Rick Ross. “Climax” has received
exceptional critical acclaim. LOOKING 4 MYSELF is the follow-up to
Usher's Grammy Award-winning album Raymond v. Raymond.
In his keynote address during the Cancun expo, Out Now CEO Ian
Johnson released the results, noting tourism as one of the key markets.
The LGBT2020 study, which spans 24 countries and 12 languages,
showed that between 2012 and 2013, Mexico’s LGBT population will
account for a total of $9.2 billion dollars spent on travel, accommodations and holiday spending each year. In 2011, this figure was $7.8 billion dollars. Research also concluded that Mexico is home to 4.9 million
gay and lesbian adults earning $76 billion annually, which is an increase
of $9 billion over the previous year.
The 2nd International Expo & Business LGBT, which took place at the
Hard Rock Hotel Cancun, is Latin America's leading LGBT marketing
event and is produced by LGBT Confex, the top conference and exhibitions company for the LGBT community. For additional details on the
LGBT2020 study, visit www.outnowconsulting.com/lgbt2020.
Guests booking five nights or more now until December 28, 2012 at
any Palace Resorts property in Cancun and Playa del Carmen will
receive two tickets as part of the all-inclusive concept. For additional
information on ticketing, visit www.PalaceResorts.com.
DAY OF THE DEAD
Celebrate the End of an Era with Traditional Mayan Events in Cancun
Dozens of special, and unique events and activities are taking place from now until December 21
that invite visitors to explore Cancun’s culture and
heritage while celebrating the destination’s rebirth
in the year 2012, which closes out the traditional
Mayan calendar and welcomes a new era.
Perhaps the most brilliant display of Mayan traditions will take place at Xcaret, Cancun’s ecoarcheological park, on the Day of the Dead, also
known as “El Dia de los Muertos.” Known as
“Hanal Pixán,” this pre-Hispanic holiday brings
family and friends together to celebrate and honor
loved ones who have passed away. According to
the tradition, the holiday is celebrated on November 1 and 2, and honors the souls of the dearly
departed who roam the earth to enjoy the pleasures they had during their lives. In its seventh year,
Xcaret will be hosting events that honor the dead
and celebrate this vibrant holiday with feature
presentations of traditional “Life and Death celebrations,” altars, theater, music, dance, folk art and
gastronomy.
In upcoming months, several other Mayan-themed
events will take place throughout the destination
for friends and families to explore Mayan culture in
a fun, interactive way. Cancun invites locals and
guests to think and behave differently as the Mayan calendar comes to a close by exploring the
evolution of humanity, and redefining our experiences in the land of the Mayans. Guests visiting
Cancun will share in the destination’s renewal,
offering more than just sun and beaches, but also
culture, gastronomy, adventure and self-renewal.
For a list of events, visit www.cancun.travel.
CANCUN SUNBELT TOUR
Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort Hosts Golf Tournament
The Cancun Sunbelt Senior Tour is returning to Moon Palace
this October to stage their tour championship, which concludes
the 2012 season. The tournament culminates a yearlong
schedule where senior professional golfers competed to earn a
spot in the Cancun tour championship. The top ten players on
the list and many of the players in the field this week are past
PGA Tour and Champions Tour players.
Originally known as the Sunbelt Senior Tour, in 2011 the Cancun Convention & Visitors Bureau stepped up to sponsor the
tour, positioning Cancun and Mexico as a premiere golf destination. The Cancun CVB had a great vision of promoting the
destination to golfers all across the east coast, and it worked,
as golfers have been looking forward to returning to Cancun
this year. The Cancun Sunbelt Senior Tour has been very
successful at grooming professionals to reach great success
on the Champions Tour or European Senior Tour.
The champion of the Cancun Sunbelt Senior Tour will take
home $12,000 and a complimentary weeklong vacation at
Palace Resorts, which also plays a big role in this event,
providing a world-class golf course and resort for golfers.
Those interested in participating, can email Tournament Director Tom Eubank at [email protected].
Cancun Goes Social
Hotels, Restaurants and Tour Operators Use iStrid to Capture Facebook Photo Testimonials of Visitors
Cancun experiences are going social as hotels,
restaurants and tour operators sign up for iStridCancun, a global social media campaign that
captures live video testimonials of tourists as
they enjoy the destination. The iStrid software - a
“live cam” of sorts - instantly uploads photos to
Facebook so visitors can tag themselves, sharing them with friends and family.
The goal of iStrid is to record testimony from
tourists in as many sites as possible across the
globe, from the United States and Canada to
Brazil, Russia and Europe. The best testimonials
will also be featured on the Facebook pages of
major tour operators such as Sunwing Vacations, Apple Vacations, and Travel Impressions,
which are partners with Cancun, Mexico. Participants can also win prizes sponsored by tour
operators and visitor attractions.
The Cancun Convention & Visitors Bureau anticipates the campaign will promote the destination
October 2012
and increase tourism to Cancun. Participants
report having obtained great benefits from the
application, greatly increasing their brand’s
positioning almost immediately. Some of the
companies and resorts currently participating
in iStrid include: Hard Rock Hotel, Barceló,
Coco Bongo, Sea Adventure, Flamingo Cancun Resort, Dady´O, Grill, Marina Punta del
Este, Blue Ray Marina, Olympus Tours, Marina Barracuda, Aquafun, and Mocambo.
All tourism-related companies are welcome to
participate. All the company has to do is buy
the application and sign up for the campaign.
While the campaign registration is free, the
application costs roughly $380 a month.
For more information on the software or to join
"iStrid Cancun,” visit http://www.mcbravos.mx/
istrid-cancun or email campaign coordinator,
Marco Bravo at [email protected].