Corporate Travel Destinations

The island of Aruba is part of the Dutch Antilles located in the Caribbean just north of Venezuela. Every year, tourists are drawn to its sun-soaked shores to enjoy relaxing beachside vacations filled with water sports, long walks on sandy beaches, sipping cocktails under a beach umbrella and SCUBA diving in the crystal clear waters of the nearby coral reef off of De Palm Island. A cruise terminal and international airport are located on the island, allowing corporate travel planners and event planners to include this Caribbean paradise as part of a group cruise, or as a single corporate travel destination. The Reina Beatrix Airport (AUA) is just 2.5 miles from Oranjestad, which is also the home to the main cruise port, which is located just a short five-minute walk from the city center.

The main cities on the island are San Nicolas and Oranjestad, each of which offers a variety of meeting and event venues, with two of the most popular resort hotels on the island being the Aruba Gold Coast and the Occidental Grand Aruba. Popular attractions and activities available on the island include water sports, horseback riding, biking, bird watching at the Bubali Bird Sanctuary, the weekly Bonbini Festival at the Aruba Historical Museum and an 18-hole championship golf course.

Whether you are planning a group cruise, incentive travel package or corporate event, you simply cannot go wrong with Aruba.

It is not without reason that Cancun is known worldwide as a preferred resort destination. There's something for everyone in this tropical seaside vacation spot. Located on Mexico's eastern shores in the state of Quintana Roo, Cancun is a top pick for corporate travel planners who are looking for a temperate climate, sandy beaches and an active night life. Approximately 4 million visitors come every year to enjoy the area in 24,000 hotel rooms and dine in over 380 restaurants. Corporate travelers from the colder regions to the north especially appreciate the warm winter weather with average highs of 82°F in December. There's no better way to beat the winter blahs than a visit to this tropical retreat.

Urban legend would tell us that the location for Cancun was selected by computers. The fact is that a team of researchers worked to locate and select the city's ideal location. Modern day Cancun is the final result of a 1967 feasibility study conducted by Banco de México. Failing to locate enough private investors, the Mexican Government had to finance the first nine hotels. From those humble beginnings Cancun has grown to become a world-renowned tourist resort. Along with the many resort and vacation facilities, Cancun offers excellent venues for corporate meetings and events.

Cartagena, Colombia was established in 1533 and was one of the richest ports in the New World during its heyday. Ideally situated on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, Cartagena has a diverse, rich history that includes its ongoing importance as a bustling seaport, as well as times when pirates and privateers had to be held off by the construction of the still-standing walls poised to guard the Old City.

Beautiful blue-green waters and sandy beaches have long drawn travelers to this port city, which grew into a tourist mecca with trendy clubs, fashionable hotels and enticing boutiques. This beautiful city is where the world-renowned author Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote Love in the Time of Cholera and where socialites and celebrities from around the world choose to vacation.

Of course, there was a dark period for Cartagena where tourism dropped off significantly and we began to hear stories of powerful drug cartels and a general unsavory element throughout the city. During this time, corporate meeting planners began to avoid Cartagena as a possible destination, both for safety issues and to avoid marring the image of their client companies. However, now that these days have past, Cartagena’s charm is once again drawing in travelers from around the world, where they find breathtaking emeralds, a vibrant nightlife, beautiful handmade crafts and a plethora of cultural attractions.

Colombia is growing in popularity, but remains an affordable option for companies in search of an enticing locale for their next meeting location.