Nayarit, Mexico - The traditional charming Mexican beach town of Puerto Vallarta in the state of Jalisco, is already a popular LGBT destination, with its second annual Vallarta Pride festival recently having taken place May 22th-26th.

The week-long celebration saw beach parties, parades, fashions shows, live music, and even mass commitment ceremonies taking place – last October, civil unions were approved in the state of Jalisco for same-sex couples.

Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone offers gay beaches, cruises, bars and clubs, including the luxurious adults-only, LGBT-friendly Mantamar Beach Club, Bar and Grill, which hosted the opening party for Pride.

The destination also has more than a dozen gay-friendly hotels, including boutique property Casa Cupula, the newly-renovated Villa Mercedes, Olas Altas Suites, and the 43-room Blue Chairs Resort by the Sea - the first in the city dedicated to gay and lesbian travellers located on the beachfront.

A long-standing member of the IGLTA (International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association,) Puerto Vallarta hosted Latin America's fourth LGBT Business Expo June 12th-14th with neighboring resort Riviera Nayarit.

The featured workshops, seminars, and conferences were aimed at forecasting and shaping the future of LGBT travel within the region. Companies that took part included Google, American Airlines, and American Express, while the latest research from Out Now Global's LGBT global research initiative LGBT2020 was also released.

The event was held at the Marriott Casa Magna Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa in partnership with Riviera Nayarit – a thriving hotspot for LGBT travel, located along the coast just north of Vallarta.

Riviera Nayarit is keen to follow its southern neighbor, Puerto Vallarta’s lead in tapping into the "pink pound." A number of hotels in Riviera Nayarit have recently been accredited as "LGBT friendly," including the top-end Four Seasons Punta Mita and the all-inclusive Hard Rock hotel.

Riviera Nayarit is less touristy and more refined than its glitzy friend to the south, but is an equally fabulous holiday paradise with a visible, relaxed gay community. There are numerous beachside towns to explore by car, waves to surf, and tantalizing food to eat.

Gay-owned establishments include Billy Bob's bar in the historic port of San Alas, whose surroundings are the prime bird watching spot of the northern hemisphere, and the Xaltemba restaurant gallery in the town of La Peñita. The "hippy chic" town of Sayulita with its eclectic mix of cultures and surfing attracts the LGBT market year round.

Ultimately it's the area's pristine beaches and wide-ranging activities – from whale watching to spa experiences – with its luxury properties and diverse coastal towns, which are the biggest draw. It’s an ideal place for anyone looking to be close enough to the LGBT action without actually being in the thick of it, as Puerto Vallarta’s main LGBT scene is between a 30 to 45 minute drive away.