Mexican Resorts: A Blueprint with an Expiration date

Abstract

Since 1960 five ambitious coastal projects have expanded Mexico's vacation destinations. Conceived as integrated resorts and master-planned to grow in phases, they are overseen by the government. Master-planned resorts benefit from synergy, critical mass, and control that the developer can exercise over land use. While marketing of individual destinations and properties remains essential, the expanding networks of a region's destinations and hotel companies' properties provide excellent opportunities for cooperative selling and for influencing tourists' pre-decision processes, post-purchase evaluations, and future decision making once they're already on site. Hotels would be wise to promote nearby affiliated hotels to guests as a way of promoting longer stays and gaining repeat business.