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13 12
MILESTONES
AMDETUR
TURNS 30
When the Asociación Mexicana de
Desarrolladores Turísticos (AMDETUR)
was established on July 13, 1987, the idea was
to promote the development and growth of
tourism property in Mexico with a sustainable
and competitive approach. Fast-forward three
decades and AMDETUR has accomplished
just that — and more.
“One of the main objectives was to always protect the nature of the
industry,” says Carlos Trujillo, executive president of AMDETUR. “And
we have been protecting the interest of developers since its conception
in 1987.”
While 2017 marks AMDETUR’s 30th anniversary, its roots date back
to 1986, when the association began as a convention. “This year is
our 31st convention, but it’s our 30th anniversary,” explains Trujillo.
A Game Changer
AMDETUR represents 90 percent of resort developers and investors in
Mexico, and consists of a membership base of more than 250. While
the association focuses on different aspects of the timeshare and resort
development industry, legislation and regulation are at its core.
“Our first office was in Mexico City,” recalls Francisco Aranda, trea-
surer of AMDETUR and general director of Real Club Resorts. “It was
a very small office. It was a way of developers to defend themselves
against the local government, which was implementing laws,” many of
which did not support industry growth. “AMDETUR has brought good
relations between the government and the industry.”
Among those good relations, AMDETUR pushed toward adopting
applicable criteria for the commercialization and rendering of time-
share services with Mexico’s Federal Law of Consumer Protection. And
just last year, when a new ruling called for the rescission period to be
pushed from five days to 30 days, AMDETUR fought against it, keeping
the period at five days, a feat Trujillo calls “fantastic for all of us.”
Beyond Legislation
As a member of Mexico’s Tourism Advisory Council and National
Business Tourism Council, and a trustee of the Mexico Tourism Board,
AMDETUR has played, and continues to play, an important role in
decision-making — not just in the timeshare industry, but in the
tourism sector as well.
“Now the timeshare industry is very involved— not only in the huge
occupancy of hotels in Mexico, but in the revenue it brings to tourism,”
says Aranda.
AMDETUR has also concentrated on “professionalizing the indus-
try,” Trujillo explains, through education and seminar offerings, such as
the master course in marketing. “More than a crash course in time-
share, we’re providing [industry professionals] tools to do a better job.”
Celebrating Decades of Success
In honor of its pearl anniversary, AMDETUR spiced things up at its
annual convention, held this year at the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort
and Convention Center in Puerto Vallarta, with the first-ever Premios
Palmera de Oro gala. Recognition was given to top executives who
have supported AMDETUR from day one, “as well as developers and
industry entrepreneurs who [have] invested money to have the industry
we have,” Trujillo says.
Awards aside, two agreements were signed during the June confer-
ence — one with the Medical Tourism Industry, which will help expand
and diversify the Mexican timeshare market with a focus on health; and
the other with the Better Business Bureau, further legitimizing the field.
A Collaborative Effort
Though reaching such a milestone isn’t always a smooth journey —
obstacles are a guarantee in almost every field— “AMDETUR has been
successful in keeping the industry [in Mexico] together,” says Trujillo.
And of course, he attributes that success to AMDETUR’s bread and
butter: the developers. “The real success is because of the developers.
Everything that we promise, we accomplish … and, as a consequence,
AMDETUR has been very successful.”
BY LAURIE CHARLES