posted by colin on Aug 27

The Comeback Kid

Acapulco has had its ups and downs, but it keeps reinventing itself. Its er­ratic evolution-from glittering “celebrity central” in the ’50s and ’60s to a faded C ­list town in later decades-ended in the late 1990s, when its rebirth began. Accord­ing to Radilla Calderon, the development of other tourism destinations in Mexico­ and indeed, around the world-required that Acapulco remain “cutting-edge.”

As a result, there have been record-break­ing investments in the tourism infrastructure over the last few years, boasting the re­modeling and renovation of existing hotels in Acapulco, new condominium develop­ments, hotel and spa openings, and more. Acapulco has also become the selected site for a multitude of international conventions, movie festivals and sport tournaments.

“The city’s continued growth and transformation is high­lighted in Acapulco’s Diaman­te area as well as in projects in locations throughout. First off is Mundo Imperial, an ambi­tious development comprised of the Casa Imperial hotel, which will feature 800 de­luxe guestrooms and suites; 501 Imperial, a spa focused on traditional Chinese wellness therapies; Foro Imperial, a 4,OOO-seat theater; a meetings and conven­tion center named Expo Imperial, which will have the largest ballroom in all of Mexico; and the Paseo Imperial cultural corridor. “Set to open in the spring of 2008, this mega­complex will establish an unprecedented level of luxury and excellence in business, hospitality and entertainment in Acapulco” explains Radilla Calderon.

Goodman Hospitality Investments recent­ly acquired two of Acapulco’s most famous properties, The Fairmont Acapulco Prin­cess and The Fairmont Pierre Marques, though Fairmont Hotels & Resorts will still manage them. Goodman is set to invest $50 million in a renovation of guestrooms, ex­pansion of the Willow Stream Spa and addi­tion of a multi-functional conference center, as well as the redevelopment of its two golf courses and the construction of a golf and beach club.

As for the future, Radilla Calderon is cer­tain that the ongoing improvements to tour­ism infrastructure and highways will allow Acapulco to continue to be “Mexico’s most revered resort destination for many years to come. The Mexican government remains committed to building upon Acapulco’s iconic appeal and it is expected that within the next two years, development will begin of a new ‘Tourism Corridor’ that will traverse the coastal region between the important resort destinations of Acapulco and Ixtapa ­Zihuatanejo, further enhancing our appeal and accessibility.”