The World Centre of Excellence for Destinations (CED) announced yesterday the presentation of the official System of Measures for Excellence in Destinations (SMED) report to the Riviera Maya, Mexico.
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OFFICIAL SMED REPORT PRESENTED TO THE RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO
This event was held in Playa del Carmen, in the presence of Mr. Javier Aranda Pedrero, Director General of the Trust for the promotion of tourism in the Riviera Maya, and Mr. César Castañeda Vázquez del Mercado, Director of Operations of the CED.
“The Riviera Maya is the first destination in the Caribbean and the eighth destination in the world to recognize the value of a measurement system like the SMED and sign a partnership agreement with the CED. The Mexican authorities will set up a working group whose objective will be to implement the recommendations made in the official SMED report”, said Dr. Castañeda.
"For a young, rapidly growing tourist destination such as the Riviera Maya, it is very important to receive a diagnosis like that of the SMED. We realize that to continue on the path of success and maintain excellence, the SMED allows us to identify the areas to be monitored in order to benefit the community and improve the distribution of wealth. I pledge to lead the working group to ensure that the implementation of the recommendations is completed in accordance with the overall vision of the CED, in concert with the private sector and the municipal authorities," added Mr. Aranda.
The SMED is an evaluation tool developed by the CED which aims to identify the different levels of performance of a tourist destination, propose recommendations for improvement and increased competitiveness, and facilitate the integration of the destination in an international network of tourist destinations of excellence.
With its headquarters located in Montréal, the CED began operations in February 2007. The CED has signed partnership agreements with Canada Economic Development for the Quebec regions, the Ministère du Tourisme du Québec and the Ministère des Affaires Municipales et des Régions du Québec.
About the CED
The CED is a non-profit organization dedicated to the research and creation of tools to support the development of sustainable tourism for destinations around the world. In performing its mission, the CED contributes to and furthers the work program of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). It does so by adding value and expertise to the policies and innovative practices concerning tourist destination management. The UNWTO is a specialized agency of the United Nations with 153 member states and some 300 associate members from the tourism industry.
About the Riviera Maya
Easily accessible from many cities throughout the U.S., the Riviera Maya (www.rivieramaya.com) is situated in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, on the Caribbean side of the country’s Yucatan Peninsula. Beginning in Puerto Morelos, 11 miles south of Cancun International Airport, the Riviera Maya extends 81 miles to Tulum, one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mayan World. The area offers 357 hotels with a total of 36,995 rooms. The region features uncrowded beaches, a vast network of underground rivers and wells (cenotes), pre-Hispanic ruins, ecoparks, golf courses, spas, shopping, gourmet dining and a range of accommodations to suit every lifestyle and budget. The Riviera Maya has received many travel recognitions, among them the Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Award for Top Destination in Mexico for five consecutive years (2004 to 2009), Apple Vacations’ Crystal Apple Award for Best Destination 2008 and 2009, Orbitz International’s One of the Hottest Beach Destinations 2008, the TravelAge West WAVE Award for Best Destination for a Beach Vacation, Mexico 2008, the World Travel Awards for Best Beach Destination in Mexico and Central America 2009 (Tulum) and Recommend Magazine’s Most Sexy Beach Destination 2008.
- 30 -
Source: World Centre of Excellence for Destinations (CED)
Information: Dr. César Castañeda Vázquez del Mercado, Director of Operations – CED
Media: Nathalie Laberinto, World Centre of Excellence for Destinations (CED)
(+1) 514-871-1115 Ext. 226
.jpg){kind=logo}
