Young Malaysian Pilot Inspires Others

A few days a go I had the chance to work on a very special project for a client of mine. My client, a public relations agency, represents Tourism Malaysia here in Vancouver. I was brought in to promote the visit and press conference of Captain James Anthony Tan, a 21 year old Malaysian pilot, who stopped in Vancouver this weekend to share his dream with others.

James Tan is on his way to becoming the youngest person to fly solo around the world. He's doing it using a single engine Cessna aircraft he calls "Spirit of Malaysia". His goal is to fly 22,000 nautical miles and visit 20 countries on 4 different continents.

His main motivation is to inspire young people around the world to pursue their dreams and to show that anything can be achieved if you put your heart into it. Tan's achievement is even more impressive when we consider that he has dyslexia. Contrary to what many of us might think, he calls it a gift.

Attending aviation school was a challenge and he acknowledges that he has to study over and over, really focus on everything he does and check and double check everything. This training comes handy when reading instruments in mid flight.

His inspiration to do this incredible journey is a young boy with down syndrome he saw on the streets. James said he looked into his eyes and they were empty. He then realized he had to do something to inspire those who face challenges and disabilities "and the only way I know how to do it is flying."

James is a genuine, charismatic, and driven young man. In addition to earning his wings he has already established other flying Malaysian records. He's an entrepreneur who also currently runs two businesses.

During the press conference he was greeted by the Nisgaa Vancouver Community of Tsamiks to wish him a safe journey. A very special ceremony was conducted by Travis Angus, William Alex Watts and Terry Azak who embraced and praised him.

Before the conference I had the chance to talk to Sandra Ngoh-Fonseka from the Tourism Board of Malaysia about her impression of Tan. When she met him at the airport upon his arrival to Vancouver she said "I was taken away by his humble personality and the way he is respectful towards others. I can see how young people in Malaysia are proud of him".

James worked the press by being approachable, respectful, spontaneous, and direct. When someone asked him how he was embracing the culture of the places and people he met on his journey and how he was going to incorporate this knowledge in his life, he simply said it was a complex question and he would need time to think about it.

Some of the fun and interesting things Tan mentioned at the conference were:
Why are you doing this trip?
JT: I want to inspire people to dream and the only way I know how to do it is flying. The gift of dyslexia made me better.

Aren't you scared?
JT: Yes but I trust my education and abilities.

What have you learned from your trip so far?
JT: Another lesson I learned is to trust women around me.

How have you been received in other countries?
JT: In Taiwan they named me the "Second Tom Cruise"

What do your parents think about it?
JT: My parents fully support me they believe in my abilities.

Why did you choose Vancouver?
JT: Because is a beautiful city

I truly enjoyed assisting Tourism Malaysia. They are welcoming, warm, and respectful people. Tan is without a doubt a first class ambassador for his country that will make them proud and positively promote the country's own achievements.

Thank you Tan for your visit and Bon voyage!

New Column “Ask a Mexican” Debuts in GSA Travel Magazine

A few months back I was contacted by Vickie Sam Paget, editor of GSA Travel Magazine. She invited me to write for their weekly newsletter Travellinx. I was both excited and honoured to be considered especially because I have worked many times as public relations representative with GSA promoting my clients.

After much thought I decided to write a column called “Ask a Mexican”. Not only will I be writing about tourism but also explaining cultural or social facts about the country. The idea is also to answer questions from readers, any kind of questions. Vickie loved the idea and the column was moved from Travellinx to the main GSA Magazine.

You see, I find that despite Mexico being such a popular tourism destination for Canadians, there are many, trust me on this, many misconceptions or myths about the country and its people. For example the issue of drinking purified water and a legendary unanswered question: can I drink the ice? Or the assumption that 5th of May is Independence Day, or that people take “siestas” in the middle of the day. You see where I am going with this? In some other cases I will be happy to talk about more serious topics such as safety, passport requirements for Canadian citizens or residents, current political affairs, etcetera.

Of course I cannot take all the credit for this idea because it comes from a regular column that first appeared at the LA Times. Even in California where there is a huge Mexican community Americans make many assumptions and do not know much about Mexican culture. A Mexican-American editor took matters into his own hands and decided to help correct misconceptions and explain why Mexicans do things or act in a certain way.

Only a few days after the first publication I was happy to receive an inquiry from a travel agent in Edmonton about restaurant options in Puerto Vallarta. Since Vallarta is my home town, I was excited to be able to answer her question with suggestions tested and approved by me, my friends, and family.

In case you are also interested in hearing about good restaurant options in PV I will be sharing the link to this publication once the issue is published.

For more information about GSA and their latest issue visit www.gsapublishing.com
Follow Vickie's tweets @GSATravelMag

Gala Vallarta Newsletter

A recent article I wrote for Mexi-Go! was distributed through their newsletter about my recent trip to Puerto Vallarta hosted by the destination's marketing office:

Mexi-Go! was recently invited to cover the 27th edition of Gala Vallarta 2013, an international trade show for wholesalers, DMCs, airlines, and hotels. Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta invited the most important players in the industry to generate more business for both destinations. Primary Canadian tour operators and wholesalers were among the attendants this year, such as iTravel2000, Westjet Vacations, Sunwing Vacations, Transat Tours Canada, and Thomas Cook North America.

Canada remains a key market for both destinations which are looking to diversify their travel products in order to reach a wider audience. Leading Puerto Vallarta’s OCV we found a familiar face, Guillermo Ohem. Guillermo was once Regional Director for the Mexico Tourism Board in Canada. Since he moved from Toronto to Puerto Vallarta, Guillermo has worked on a marketing and promotional plan for Puerto Vallarta’s diverse products. Since Puerto Vallarta started getting ready for Tianguis Turistico 2012 until today, there have been major improvements in infrastructure and openings of resort properties. Some of the highlights Guillermo shared with us:

• Puerto Vallarta added 890 hotel rooms in 2012 for a total of 23,000


• Hotel options available in Puerto Vallarta range from special category, all-inclusive,boutique hotels to budget


• Puerto Vallarta's seawall or Malecon underwent a major redesign project making it a pedestrian oceanfront corridor featuring restaurants, night clubs, shopping, bars and galleries


• It is one of a few destinations in the world where the Convention Centre is 5 minutes away from the airport and 5 minutes away from an array of hotel options


• Puerto Vallarta has been promoted actively among the MTI industry


• There’s a brand new Playa Los Muertos Pier that has become the new must-visit attraction
 

Vallarta's new pier

 

It was great to hear Guillermo excited about Canadian tourism. Western Canada is the fastest growing Canadian market, and Alberta is leading the way followed by British Columbia. Through the years, Puerto Vallarta progressively became a leader among Mexican destinations for its Medical Tourism.

 Madeline Milne from Mexi-Go! with Rodrigo Esponda from Mexico Tourism Board

Guillermo Ohem

When it comes to medical tourism according to Guillermo, Vallarta has some key competitive advantages over other destinations such as new state-of-the-art hospitals, bilingual personnel, high standards in customer service, connectivity, and competitive prices. For many years travellers from the US have gone to Puerto Vallarta for medical treatments; Canadians are now catching up with cosmetic and dental procedures.

Vallarta has a Secret
While attending Gala Vallarta we were invited to stay at Secrets Vallarta Bay Resorts & Spas from AM Resorts. This property was opened in March last year just in time for Tianguis. Although I had the opportunity to visit other AM properties in Cancun and Riviera Maya, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of service, the amenities and the fact that this property did not feel like a factory-run hotel. I thought service was personalized and efficient, public areas were never crowded, and the quality of the food was outstanding. Secrets is an adults only resort that shares its facilities with Now Amber Puerto Vallarta, where families are welcomed. Altogether they offer 668 rooms, 10 bars, 12 restaurants, and 3 pools. Unlimited luxury includes 5 a la carte restaurant options, 24 hour room service, numerous beach and pool activities, free local phone calls, Wi-Fi, an Apple and Android App to make free phone calls to Canada and the US, gratuities, theme nights, nature tours, and much more. Although room service menu is somewhat limited, restaurant options include Japanese, Mexican, seafood, grill, Italian, and French cuisine. Suites are decorated and furnished in modern style; they are oceanfront and roomy. Secrets and Now have an inviting and laid-back shared terrace with spectacular sunset views that turns into a rather mellow place-to-be for social nights. Unlimited drinks and live music set the tone. Secrets and Now are located 5 to 10 minutes away from downtown and 10 minutes from the airport. Guests have plenty of shopping, entertainment and dining options nearby, within walking distance. Secrets and Now work with all major Canadian TOs including Sunwing Vacations, Westjet Vacations, Air Canada Vacations, and Transat Holidays.

Old and New
During our visit we also had the opportunity to tour Velas Vallarta, Casa Velas Vallarta, and GarzaBlanca Preserve Resort & Spa; properties particularly popular among Mexican travelers. Velas Vallarta is located by Marina Vallarta. It is an all-inclusive property that has been around for over 20 years. The Hotel is well-kept but it certainly shows an older design and architectural style. This property is popular for weddings, meetings and conventions as it offers event space for up to 1,250 people. Casa Velas is located just minutes away from Velas Vallarta. It is a hacienda style property with only 80 luxury suites overlooking Marina Vallarta Golf Club. This property offers its guests exclusive access to a private Ocean Club. This is a luxury property popular among Mexican business and relaxed travellers. Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa, on the other hand, is located by Mismaloya beach south of Puerto Vallarta. Its location makes it a more secluded property with private beach. This resort is listed in a Special Category and offers both all-inclusive and European plans. Suites include apartment-living amenities such as a full kitchen, dining room, and in-suite laundry. Lobby, suites, swimming pool and restaurants have a breathtaking view of Los Arcos islands. This is a perfect honeymoon and wedding option for a relaxed and secluded vacation. It is remarkable that in only two years they have hosted over 40 weddings.

Although most of their guests are from Mexico and the US they have plans to promote themselves in Canada.

What makes Puerto Vallarta special?
Puerto Vallarta has been able to keep its Mexican, town-like atmosphere through the years despite its popularity among international travellers. It is located in the state of Jalisco, on the footsteps of the Sierra Madre overlooking Banderas Bay, which is the biggest bay in Mexico and the second largest in the world. The Spaniards first made contact with native inhabitants in 1525 but it wasn’t until 1851 that the city was founded by Mexico's independent government with the name of Las Penas. Vallarta has welcomed visitors since the 60s. I think two key factors that make Puerto Vallarta special are the hospitality of its people with generations of experience in welcoming tourism, and some of the most magnificent sunsets in the world.

Vallarta by no means is a new destination but it has been able to reinvent itself without losing its personality and vitality as a livable city and tourist destination. We can’t wait to report what other news Puerto Vallarta will be announcing soon for you and your clients.

Rediscovering Puerto Vallarta (reviewed article)

It has been quite some time since I last took a familiarization (also know as "fam") trip. One year to be exact. This time I was invited by Puerto Vallarta Marketing Office to their annual 27th Gala Vallarta industry trade show. This trade event brings buyers from all over North America to meet with properties, DMCs, tour operators, airlines, destinations, and others to make business and increase the arrival of visitors.

I am pleased to say that from day 1 the organization has been outstanding. Gustavo Rivas from Latitude International, Puerto Vallarta's agency, has been helpful, diligent, understanding and supportive of our needs. He's a pro that has been traveling with media for quite a few years now.

I consider Puerto vallarta to be my home town, although I have also lived in Riviera Nayarit, just 20 minutes apart. This is a rare opportunity to come as a tourist and tour some of the newest or recently renovated locations including hotels. I will be writing more in depth about what I have learned it's new in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit later on. I'm planning to start a weekly column at TravekLinx, a trade newsletter distributed in Western Canada. So stay tuned!

For the Gala Opening Cocktail on February 6th, we had a great time enjoying original seafood canapés from different hotels, a parade of to-die-for margaritas, and fantastic sunset view from the bran new pier at Playa Los Muertos. It is true what they say: Vallarta has the most beautiful sunsets in the world!

As expected, we have toured a couple of hotels: Velas Vallarta, Casa Vallarta and Secrets. They are high-end and two of them are also all-inclusive properties.

We are all staying at Secrets Vallarta Bay Resorts & Spas, one of Puerto Vallarta's newest hotels. In their own words this is an "unlimited luxury" resort. I can say they are right! Everything is included, from tips to 8 different a la carte restaurant options to amenities such as WiFi and long distance to the US and Canada.

I was surprise to hear that 60% of their clientele are Canadians. Seems like all major tour operators sell this property: Transat, Sunwing, Westjet Vacations, etc. today I will be spending my first night here, so I am really looking forward to enjoy my suite.

Next activity on the list: Closing Cocktail dinner at SandZibar at La Manzanilla in Riviera Nayarit. Gourmet seafood dinner by the beach, there's nothing wrong with that!

Mexi-Go! Marketing Strategies and their Expo success

Mexi-Go! Travel and Trade Expo in Vancouver was a success with over 2,200 visitors. Inter-Active provided public relations, event magement and media buying support that resulted in the first Mexico trade show with close to 40 exhibitors including Tourism Boards of Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit, Los Cabos, San Miguel de Allende, Sonora, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, and Mexico; Scotiabank, First Majestic, Transat/Nolitours and ProMexico, among many others.

The Expo also featured educational seminars and special performances fromthe Ixtapa-Ziuatanejo International Guitar Festival. ProMexico hosted the Business Centre where it promoted Mexican products and investment opportunities.
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Final stats to come including the amount of money collected on behalf of Lorena Ochoa Foundation that will be donated to support the education of low-income children in Guadalajara, Jalisco.
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Before the event Inter-Active coordinated two exciting promotions with The Vancouver Sun and The Province. Two lucky travelled to Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit on us!



Exhibitors talk to journalists about their real estate developments



Mexi-Go! team Joel Hansen, Madeline Milne and Veronica Rivas



Mexi-Go! Travel and Trade Expo at Vancouver's Convention Centre

About Mexi-Go!

Vancouverite Madeline Milne decided to create a magazine about two things she's passionate about to travel and Mexico. Mexi-Go! is the only Canadian magazine focused only on Mexico. Madeline is a successful young entrepreneur who has followed her passion and is now residing in Mexico.

Is a media crisis also an opportunity?

Throughout the years I have seen my fair share of media crises, particularly in the tourism industry.

In 2009 I was in charge of Canadian media for the Mexico Tourism Board at Tianguis, an international tourist trade show in Acapulco. Mexico was already dealing with reports of violence, plus the tour operator Conquest had just ceased operations, stranding thousands of tourists in destination.

Tianguis started on Sunday and then the unthinkable happened: an earthquake hit on Monday. The situation became the “perfect storm” of a media crisis on Tuesday when the H1N1 flu developed in Mexico City. I have never experienced another situation dealing with four different crises at once, and I hope I never will again. The experience taught me to put challenging situations in context and develop a calm mindset for those extremely stressful times.

Remarkably, a valuable opportunity presented itself to the Mexico Tourism Board. The massive hype provided direct access to international travel media on-site. The appropriate response would have been to deliver immediate, properly positioned messages through the appropriate spokesperson. Unfortunately, the opposite happened. No direct response from the tourism officials also created a lack of communication with key commercial partners directly affected, such as airlines and tour operators. A valuable opportunity was lost because of lack of damage control.

 

On a positive note, leadership was taken by Mexico’s federal government. Their response to the health crisis was fast, direct, and effective. The pandemic measures put in place were praised by the World Health Organization and set the bar for the rest of world when dealing with a health crisis.

A crisis comes in all shapes from a hurricane destroying a beach paradise, a tourist being harmed in destination, confidential memos leaked to the press, a virus outbreak at a meat packing facility, sex scandals, a damaging video going viral or international diplomatic issues.

Consider that not all crises, especially isolated incidents, have an immediate economical impact on your client’s business. A media crisis, just like hard times in our personal life, can certainly help build a company’s character. This might be an opportunity to strengthen crucial relationships.

Preparing a crisis management plan is as important as proactively pitching positive stories to the media. We all know that crises are inevitable. The best you can do is to be prepared.

A media crisis allows the well prepared professional to shine as a respected leader in their field:

1. Stay in contact with key partners. Perhaps they are also affected by the same crisis.
2. Deliver as much information as possible in a confidential manner. This demonstrates you care about their business.
3. Take control of the situation. It’s always better to hear the facts straight from the horse’s mouth. Use this same approach for internal communications and be proactive with your team.

Yes, a crisis can also be an opportunity as long as you are willing to learn. Document, analyze and be better prepared for the next time. This is one of those “If not now, when?” moments.

About Entry:
I contributed with this article to my friend's Laura Tetzfal site a while a go but I thought it was worth sharing it.