Vancouver advisors discover what awaits clients in Mazatlan
Big city amenities and beach resort attractions are a hard-to-find combination of qualities in one destination. But Mazatlan, Mexico offers this double-punch of characteristics for vacationers who are seeking sun and sand, but also want easy access to city services like shopping and fine dining.
This two-shot of attractions was described during a recent destination dinner presented by Mazatlan supplier reps to Vancouver-region travel advisors. Helmed by Veronica Rivas, the Vancouver-based destination rep for Mazatlan, the travel trade evening was held at the heritage Hart House dinner club in Burnaby, just east of Vancouver. It kicked off a rapid road show through western Canada, with events in Kelowna, Calgary and Edmonton in quick succession after Burnaby.
Rivas described how Mazatlan features an historic colonial city centre – the Centro Historica – that can trace its colonial founding to the year 1531. The city is rimmed by an ocean beachfront that runs for 19 km. A walk from the cruise ship terminal to the city centre takes about 15 minutes, using a convenient blue-marked trail, she said.
Advisors heard that Mazatlan has seen remarkable growth in the past five years, especially in terms of hotel and resort developments. For example, in 2024, there are 15,150 hotel and resort rooms in the city, as compared to 9,921 in 2019 – a 49% increase in the number of rooms. There are currently about 1,450 hotel rooms under construction proceeding into 2025.
These are being built at the Fiesta Americana Zona Dorado, the AVID, Esplendor by Wyndham, Wyndham Marina, Holiday Inn Express and Suites, IWA, Agua Marina Talisman, Novotel Living, Hyde by Accor, Hampton Inn by Hilton.
WestJet was also in attendance at the event, to review their flight services from western Canada to Mazatlan. These include three flights per week from Vancouver, five flights per week from Calgary, one per week from Kelowna and two per week from Edmonton. Sunwing was also represented at the Mazatlan evening, and they described services to the destination that includes flights on Fridays from Vancouver as well as Friday flights from Kelowna. Sunwing uses Nexus Tours for local excursions, as does WestJet. These programs are commissionable.
From January to September, passengers from routes across the USA and Canada totalled 133,472, said Rivas. During that time 140,942 seats were available for booking, for an impressive 95% seat occupancy.
New attractions in Mazatlan include the Grand Aquarium of the Sea of Cortez (Gran Acuario Mazatlán) and the National Whale Museum (MUNMBA) at the 1873 Observatory. The Gran Acuario Mazatlán is the largest such attraction in Mexico – a landmark aquarium dedicated to the Sea of Cortez. Focused on education, research and knowledge dissemination, it strives to be a benchmark for aquariums across the world.
MUNMBA will feature the most extensive collection of marine osteology from the Sea of Cortez in Latin America. The exhibition will showcase specimens such as gray whales, different types of dolphins and turtles, amongst other species. Also new in Mazatlan is the Shekinah Beach Club – the first holistic resort of its kind in the city. With 8,000 sq. metres of beachfront, it is designed to deliver a transformative experience of relaxation and wellness. It features an infinity pool, relaxation cabins, a spa and holistic activities.
Coming soon to Mazatlan will be the new Faro Lesa Zip Line attraction. It will stretch about 1,265 metres, starting from the top of the El Faro lighthouse on Creston hill and descending at speeds reaching 120 km/h. In doing so, it will cross ocean waters before reaching the 1873 Observatory.
