After the killing of a major drug-cartel leader by Mexican army soldiers in western Mexico on February 22, the popular incentive-group destination of Puerto Vallarta saw cartel members lash out violently in the streets, setting fire to stores, cars and buses and blocking local streets as well as routes to Puerto Vallarta International (PVR) Airport, the seventh-busiest airport in Mexico.
This caused federal and municipal authorities and the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico to issue shelter-in-place advisories not only in Puerto Vallarta but also in nearby Punta Mita and Riviera Nayarit, where other luxury hotels reside.
Many of the resorts across this area of western Mexico routinely host U.S.-based meeting and incentive groups, and have security gates at their entrances as well as fences or walls around the perimeter of their properties.
Additionally, the U.S. State Department issued a shelter-in-place advisory for other resort destinations in Mexico: Baja California state, which includes Cabo San Lucas, and the state of Quintana Roo, which includes Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
On February 24, the security alert no longer included the states of Baja California and Quintana Roo but remained in force in Guadalajara, which includes Puerto Vallarta.
United Airlines began to resume its flights between Puerto Vallarta and Chicago, Denver, Houston, and San Francisco on the evening of February 23.
Alaska Airlines resumed flights to and from Los Angeles and Seattle on February 24.
Delta resumed flights to and from Minneapolis, Detroit, and Atlanta on Tuesday on February 24, and Southwest resumed flights to and from Denver on February 24.
The Effect on Incentive Groups
In a February 23 email to Meetings Today, Kate Patay, VP of global engagement for Terramar DMC, which has a presence in several popular meeting and incentive destinations in Mexico, noted that “we do have a couple of groups in that area [Puerto Vallarta] and all are safe at their resorts… Emergency preparedness plans were activated early Sunday morning.” She added that her office maintains ongoing communication not only with the firm’s personnel at host properties but also with local authorities.
