Skål International
Skål Puerto Vallarta–Riviera Nayarit Strengthens Its International Leadership and Contributes to a Strategic Roadmap for the Destination
Skål Puerto Vallarta–Riviera Nayarit Strengthens Its International Leadership and Contributes to a Strategic Roadmap for the Destination
Puerto Vallarta is strengthening its international profile through a strategic roadmap designed to transform its connectivity, investment opportunities, tourism assets, and global relationships into a coordinated long-term development strategy.
Recently, Alejandra Cornejo, Skålleague and Director of Economic Development and Tourism, together with Dr. Javier Ruiz Hermoso, President of Skål Puerto Vallarta–Riviera Nayarit and a specialized consultant, proposed and developed the destination's Internationalization Plan. The initiative is conceived from multiple perspectives: as a promotional tool, a vision for the future, and a management instrument capable of bringing together government, academia, the private sector, and civil society around shared objectives.
As President of Skål Puerto Vallarta–Riviera Nayarit, Javier Ruiz Hermoso has played an active role in the development and promotion of this vision, emphasizing that the city already possesses a strong international dimension. Puerto Vallarta welcomes international flights and cruise ships, attracts foreign investment, hosts a growing international resident community, and regularly participates in major tourism forums worldwide. The challenge, he notes, is to organize these existing strengths, establish strategic priorities, and translate them into measurable outcomes.
The strategy encompasses key areas such as international positioning and tourism diplomacy, connectivity, investment and event attraction, sustainable tourism, and development cooperation. Among its objectives is transforming city twinning agreements into meaningful partnerships with source markets, universities, businesses, and international organizations. It also seeks to leverage student mobility programs to strengthen Puerto Vallarta's global narrative and international reputation.
Another essential component is the identification and management of international funding opportunities, technical cooperation programs, technology transfer initiatives, and capacity-building projects. Having a formal internationalization strategy enhances the destination's ability, as well as that of its institutions, to participate in calls for proposals and projects promoted by multilateral organizations.
From a Skål perspective, Ruiz Hermoso believes that internationalization must also translate into concrete actions. One such initiative is the possibility of bidding for Puerto Vallarta to host the Skål North America Congress, which brings together representatives from Canada, the United States, and Mexico, further strengthening the destination's presence within one of the world's most important professional tourism networks.
According to the President of Skål Puerto Vallarta–Riviera Nayarit, the true value of the Internationalization Plan lies in its continuity, evaluation mechanisms, and collaborative governance model. Performance indicators, periodic reports, and shared commitments will enable the strategy to transcend political administrations and consolidate a common agenda for the destination.
Puerto Vallarta is already connected to the world. The next step is to strategically manage that position and transform it into opportunities for development, cooperation, and international tourism leadership. Throughout this process, Skål serves as a bridge between local stakeholders and international networks, contributing expertise, dialogue, and global convening power.
