Mexico—a country that is both modern and culturally
rich—has something to offer every type of event. Here are some
tips to start off your Mexico event planning on the right foot.
1. Consult a map. Many planners, concerned about security,
wrongly assume that the entire country of Mexico is off their list of potential
destinations. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mexico, like
the United States, is both large and diverse; the place you're considering for
your meeting may very well be thousands of miles away from any trouble spots.
Break out the atlas (or Google Maps) to put Mexico's expansive geography in
perspective.
2. Get in touch with local and national tourism officials.
Mexico has a
dynamic
network of federal, state and local tourism officials ready to help you
organize your event. These professionals can suggest "wow-factor" activities for
your attendees.
3.Hire a local Destination Management Company.
A good DMC knows the destination inside and out and can mean the
difference between failure and success, stress and smooth sailing.
Multispot
DMC is a good option for Central Mexico, Destination Mexico in the Cancun
area.
4. Make sure you're on top of customs requirements. If
you're an exhibitor, filling out the proper paperwork needs to be done well in
advance of your event, sometimes as much as 6 to 8 months, depending on the type
of materials being imported. Your DMC or the local Convention Bureau will be
able to guide you through this process and recommend custom agents, but again:
start this process
as soon as possible to avoid glitches as
the event draws near.
5. Ask
your hotel about tax-free meetings. One of
Mexico's great selling points for international meetings is exemption from the
country's 16% Value Added Tax (VAT, or IVA as it's known in Spanish). Make sure
to ask your hotel about taking advantage of this excellent benefit.
For updated Mexico Meetings News, visit Mexico Meetings Network or
follow Multispot DMC @MultispotDMC
