Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The Federal Tourism Secretary recently met with Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit tourism boards and industry representatives to discuss the 2013-2014 Vallarta-Nayarit joint campaign's success, and endorse its validity for 2014-2015.

Also present at the event were Rodolfo López Negrete, head of the Mexico Tourism Board (MTB); the governors of the states of Jalisco and Nayarit, Aristóteles Sandoval and Roberto Sandoval, respectively; the tourism secretaries for both states as well as representatives from the three levels of government, business owners and the promotion directors from both destinations.

During the meeting, MTB Director Rodolfo López Negrete announced the figures and percentages that prove the Vallarta-Nayarit joint campaign was a success in 2013-2014. He cited the recovery of approximately 130 thousand of the over 400 thousand seats lost during the world economic crisis of 2008, and the 18.9 percent upturn in the number of international arrivals to Vallarta-Nayarit during the first semester of 2014, as proof that the joint campaign is not only working, but working well.

López Negrete assured those present that the joining of these two destinations was right on the mark and expressed gratitude for the multilateral collaboration that took place in order to obtain said results. He also urged everyone involved to "continue with this program, which was born of a long term vision that must be maintained through investing the necessary resources for years to come."

Both governors confirmed their commitment to invest $1.6 million dollars per state to extend the joint promotion of the two destinations. They also agreed to maintain their collaboration to ensure the safety of all citizens and visitors.

Upon hearing the official numbers, Federal Tourism Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu endorsed the validity of the Vallarta-Nayarit joint campaign, saying that this comprehensive international promotion has become a model for other destinations to follow, and that the $11-million-dollar joint budget will once again be made available.

She also announced that due to the collaboration between the states and its results, Nayarit and Jalisco are to be included for the first time into the travel industry's National Infrastructure Program with multi-million dollar budgets. This will cover projects such as the new cruise port, the rehabilitation and construction of highways connecting to the coast and the investment in more infrastructures.

"We will continue to invest in the promotion of our destinations," assured Ruiz Massieu. "For 2014 we have anticipated investing $80 million pesos for Nayarit and $100 million pesos for Jalisco." The VP of Grupo Velas, Juan Vela, who represented the regions' hotel owners, acknowledged this long-term investment would attract even more investors, which equals more and better jobs for its citizens.