Puerto Vallarta is one of Mexico’s favorite tourist destinations for the LGBTI community, thanks to all the options they offer, the hospitality of its inhabitants, the different certifications of the tourism sector, and above all, the unique experiences.
“LGBTI tourism is very important for the entire destination – located in the Pacific Ocean – as we have a gayborhood (gay neighborhood) for the entire community,” Sujey Cárdenas, the public relations director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust, told EFE during the recently concluded Tianguis Turístico de Acapulco, which took place from April 10 to 12.
“In Vallarta, you find hotels for all budgets, restaurants, barbershops, beach clubs, and more, just for this segment, and it was recently confirmed that a new hotel is about to open in the romantic zone, which has a capacity for 65 suites, so all this confirms that we are an inclusive destination, with open arms,” she commented.
Cárdenas considered that LGBTI tourism has been evolving, and with it, the destination. She recognizes that it has been easy for all the inhabitants due to the hospitality and service that comes naturally, which has helped hotels, restaurants, and other businesses report better numbers and continue to increase.
“We were on one of the most important digital platforms for the LGBTI community, which is Misterb&b, and they voted for Puerto Vallarta among the ‘top 10’ favorite destinations in the world preferred by the community and the second beach destination, alongside San Diego. I think part of the success is that Puerto Vallarta is very hospitable,” she affirmed.
In 2023, Puerto Vallarta won four awards at the LGBTQ+ Travel Awards Mexico 2023, including Beach Destination of the Year, which established it as the favorite beach place for LGBTI people in Mexico and the world.
A vocation of many years
She pointed out that the resort, about 300 kilometers from the city of Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, “is a destination that over time has become more open and more inclusive, and this has been for many years, it is not something that has been developing in the strategy lately.”
Cárdenas mentioned that in Puerto Vallarta, the issue of security is very important, so they have police officers trained in dealing with members of the LGBTI community, as well as pink patrols, information kiosks for them, among other services.
She said that for Puerto Vallarta, certification is important, which is why the entire tourism sector has all areas covered, from hotels, restaurants, tourist servers, and other workers in the industry.
According to the representative, the LGBTI community seeks to visit ‘gourmet’ restaurants, as well as those on the beachfront, in the central area of the destination or the romantic zone, but also the hotels, the experience in the beach clubs.
They also seek culture, to tour galleries, visit celebrities’ houses, get on boats exclusive for them, exclusive beaches, or sometimes take a tour with all these activities.
Source: Forbes
