Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - The best beach volleyball on the planet will be played in Mexico's most friendly destination next month. From October 6-11th, 224 professional volleyball players from 14 countries will be gathering in our city to compete in the 2015 edition of the Puerto Vallarta Open.

At a recent press conference held in Mexico City, organizing committee member Laura Almaral said that with only a few days to go before this global sporting event commences, Puerto Vallarta is busy preparing the beach volleyball stadium on the state pension land located next to the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort, which hosted last year's tournament.

According to the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau Director, Miguel Andrés Hernández Arteaga, it took some serious negotiating with event organizers and promoters to bring the games, which are part of a FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, to Puerto Vallarta, which is the eighteenth stop on the circuit.

"This circuit is endorsed by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA), and the Mexican Volleyball Federation (FMDV), and counts towards qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, so the tournament will also bring extensive sports media coverage to Puerto Vallarta," the tourism official pointed out.

"In addition to being aired by cable providers throughout Mexico, the Puerto Vallarta Open will be broadcast all around the world, reaching over 650 million households in 116 countries. The telecasts, together with the world wide webcast, will put us in the international spotlight right before our Winter tourism season begins," he explained.

"Along with the brand positioning that will result from the national and international sports coverage of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, travel agencies will be marketing travel to our destination and those affiliated with the tournament will be promoting Puerto Vallarta via social media networks," Hernández Arteaga added.

More than 20,000 people are expected to come watch the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Open games at Puerto Vallarta's stadium, where 32 mens' and 32 women's teams will play on three game courts and practice on two warm-up courts.

Among the professional players on the mens' volleyball teams are the winners of the 2014 edition of the Puerto Vallarta Open, Jenis Smedins and Aleksandrs Samoilovs of Latvia; and runners-up, Matteo and Paolo Ingrosso of Italy; as well as the Pan American Championships's third place winners, Mexico's Juan Virgen and Lombardo Ontiveros. In the women's category, Bibiana Candelas and Martha Revuelta will compete for Mexico.

BN editor's note: Puerto Vallarta's volleyball stadium has a capacity of only 3000 spectators, and entrance is free, so get there early to ensure you get a seat. Click HERE to see the game schedule.