Grupo Vidanta is a Mexican conglomerate involved in design, construction, financing, and operation and maintenance of hotels, resorts, cruises, and associated infrastructure. It also owns and operates the
Mar de Cortés International Airport
The Mar de Cortés International Airport , also known as Puerto Peñasco International Airport, is the first fully privately funded airport in Mexico. It was built by Grupo Vidanta and is located in La Jolla de Cortés, 15 minutes from the city ...
. Grupo Vidanta was founded by
Daniel Chávez Morán in 1974 and is headquartered in
Nuevo Vallarta
Nuevo Vallarta () is a planned residential-resort community located in the Municipality of Bahía de Banderas, in the Mexican state of Nayarit. By automobile, it is about fifteen minutes north of Puerto Vallarta's Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Or ...
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. The group has 25,000 employees and an estimated annual revenue of US$750 million (FY 2015).
History
Grupo Vidanta was founded by
Daniel Chávez Morán in 1974. It was registered as a company that is involved in design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of hotels, resorts, cruises, and associated infrastructure.
Businesses
In December 2010, the company launched a luxury, private destination club named
Vida Vacations.
The resort hotel brands associated with Vida Vacations' private club membership include Grand Luxxe, The Grand Bliss, The Grand Mayan, The Bliss, Mayan Palace, and Sea Garden.
In November 2014, Grupo Vidanta opened
JOYÀ, a resident show of
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil (, ; "Circus of the Sun" or "Sun Circus") is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 Ju ...
with a capacity of 600 attendees within the Vidanta Riviera Maya resort in
Riviera Maya
The Riviera Maya () is a tourism and resort district south of Cancun, Mexico. It straddles the coastal Federal Highway 307, along the Caribbean coastline of the state of Quintana Roo, located in the eastern portion of the Yucatán Peninsula. H ...
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
.
In 2015, the company invested in the
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
film
Spectre
Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to:
Religion and spirituality
* Vision (spirituality)
* Apparitional experience
* Ghost
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and writ ...
whose opening scene was filmed in Mexico.
In April 2016, Grupo Vidanta signed an exclusive partnership agreement with the
Hakkasan
Hakkasan is a Chinese restaurant first opened in Fitzrovia in London, England but has since expanded to many cities worldwide. The restaurant was founded in 2001 by Alan Yau, who was also behind the Wagamama Japanese restaurants and later the ...
Group. The deal, worth $150 million, led to the development of new concept beach clubs, nightlife venues, restaurants and a hotel at Mexico's Vidanta Resorts.
In February 2018, three such concepts opened at the Vidanta Los Cabos resort: OMNIA Dayclub, SHOREbar, and Casa Calavera.
The company is in the planning/building stages of a $1.3 billion theme park-resort in Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico, in partnership with
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil (, ; "Circus of the Sun" or "Sun Circus") is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 Ju ...
.
Along with the founder Daniel Chávez Morán, CEO Michel Beuffe and
Ivan Chavez
Ivan () is a Slavic male given name, connected with the variant of the Greek name (English: John) from Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. It is associated worldwide with Slavic countries. The earliest person known to bear the name was Bulgari ...
are the core leadership team at the company.
Ivan Chavez joined the company as executive vice president in 2007 and currently oversees the company’s resort and entertainment interests. Grupo Vidanta employs around 17,000 people across its businesses.
In July 2019, the company launched Jungala, a luxury
waterpark
A water park (or waterpark, water world) is an amusement park that features water play areas such as swimming pools, water slides, splash pads, water playgrounds, and lazy rivers, as well as areas for floating, bathing, swimming, and other baref ...
at its resort in
Riviera Maya
The Riviera Maya () is a tourism and resort district south of Cancun, Mexico. It straddles the coastal Federal Highway 307, along the Caribbean coastline of the state of Quintana Roo, located in the eastern portion of the Yucatán Peninsula. H ...
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. Among other attractions, it features the longest lazy river setting in Latin America, spanning more than 1 kilometer in length.
Mar de Cortés International Airport
The Mar de Cortés International Airport, located in La Jolla de Cortés,
Sonora
Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is d ...
, was opened on November 5, 2009.
Vidanta Golf
Grupo Vidanta owns seven golf courses under the Vidanta Golf Brand at Nuevo Vallarta, Riviera Maya, Los Cabos, Acapulco, and Puerto Peñasco.
A Jack Nicklaus Golf Academy opened in Nuevo Vallarta in July 2012, which is the fifteenth Nicklaus Academy worldwide.
In 2011, it organized an annual Uniting Nations Cup golf tournament in Puerto Peñasco.
In 2014, Mexican golfer Carlos Ortiz became the brand ambassador for Vidanta Golf.
In May 2015, the company opened a new golf course, designed by
Greg Norman
Gregory John Norman AO (born 10 February 1955) is an Australian entrepreneur and retired professional golfer who spent 331 weeks as world number one in the 1980s and 1990s. He won 89 professional tournaments, including 20 PGA Tour tournament ...
, in Riviera Nayarit in Mexico.
The course can only be accessed by the longest golf cart suspension bridge in the world.
In 2016 and 2017, Grupo Vidanta held the Vidanta Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament. In October 2017, the company opened The Lakes Course, a 10-hole course, at Nuevo Vallarta.
In late 2021, the PGA TOUR announced today that Vidanta Vallarta in Vallarta, México will host the 2022 Mexico Open, previously listed on the 2021-22 PGA TOUR Schedule as the Mexico Championship.
Vidanta Cruises
In 2017, Grupo Vidanta acquired and rebuilt a cruise ship. The renovations include a new engine, new technology, and custom redesign of the ship's interior and exterior. Renamed as Vidanta Elegant, the vessel has a passenger capacity of 298 and is currently set to debut April 14th, 2022.
VidantaWorld
VidantaWorld
VidantaWorld (formerly known as Cirque du Soleil Theme Park Resort) is an announced theme park coming to Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.
Development
On November 12, 2014, Cirque du Soleil, Grupo Vidanta and Legacy Entertainment announced a plan for a ...
is an entertainment and
theme park
An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...
of 2,500 acres currently under construction in
Vallarta, consisting of three "dream parks" along with accommodations. Among many of its themes will be a "realm" dedicated to
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil (, ; "Circus of the Sun" or "Sun Circus") is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 Ju ...
and the SkyDream Parks Gondola which will provide transportation between the parks and the hotels on a loop of 4 miles and 150 feet in height. The park is scheduled to open in 2023.
Initiatives
Vidanta Foundation
Vidanta Foundation is a
not-for-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
that falls under Grupo Vidanta and was formed in 2005 by Daniel Chávez Morán. Its mission statement is “to promote the social sciences and democratic values in Latin America.".
Foro Vidanta
Foro Vidanta is an international symposium organized by Grupo Vidanta. It exists with an aim to initiate a dialogue between industry leaders and experts from around the world in order to establish recommendations on how to responsibly use tourism as an engine of positive change.
The forum is supported by the
College of Mexico
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering v ...
, the
National Autonomous University of Mexico
The National Autonomous University of Mexico ( es, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM) is a public research university in Mexico. It is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in Latin America, where it's also the bigges ...
(UNAM), and the Center for Research and Teaching in Economics.
Foro Vidanta's inaugural event was held in May 2018 in
Nuevo Vallarta
Nuevo Vallarta () is a planned residential-resort community located in the Municipality of Bahía de Banderas, in the Mexican state of Nayarit. By automobile, it is about fifteen minutes north of Puerto Vallarta's Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Or ...
. Some of the presenters and speakers at the event included Mexico's Commissioner of Protected Areas
Alejandro del Mazo Maza,
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is a travel guide book publisher. Founded in Australia in 1973, the company has printed over 150 million books.
History Early years
Lonely Planet was founded by married couple Maureen and Tony Wheeler. In 1972, they embarked ...
CEO Daniel Houghton, Cirque du Soleil President and CEO
Daniel Lamarre
Daniel Lamarre (born 1953) is a Canadian former journalist and former president and chief executive officer of the Canadian entertainment company Cirque du Soleil.
Born in Grand-Mère, Quebec, he graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Ba ...
, and Hollywood actresses and philanthropists
Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and model. She was initially a child model and gained critical acclaim at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby'' (1978). She continued to model into ...
and
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Kate Paltrow (; born ) is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Paltrow gained notice for her early work in films ...
.
Mexico Open
Grupo Vidanta partnered with
Grupo Salinas
Grupo Salinas is a corporate conglomerate formed in 2001 by several Mexican companies. The group consists of:
* TV Azteca - television and radio network
* Grupo Elektra - products include finance, home appliances, consumer electronics, furnitur ...
to host the Mexico Open at Vidanta. The
2021–22 PGA Tour
The 2021–22 PGA Tour is the 107th season of the PGA Tour, and the 55th since separating from the PGA of America. The season began on September 13, 2021. The 2022 FedEx Cup Playoffs will begin on August 8, and conclude on August 28, 2022.
Chan ...
tournament took place at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta between April 28 and May 1, 2022. During the tour, the company hosted 144 professional players at the Vidanta Vallarta Golf Course to compete for an accumulated purse of $7.3 million and 500
FedEx Cup
The FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007. Rory McIlroy is the 2022 champion. Th ...
points.
Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta will be the home venue for the
Mexico Open at Vidanta for 2023 (April 27 to 30) and 2024.
Delia Morán-Vidanta Foundation
Delia Morán-Vidanta Foundation is a CSR initiative started by the company in 2013 to contribute to the preparation and development of underprivileged children in Mexico. As of 2017, more than 500 children have benefited from its programs in the state of Nayarit.
Financial performance
In 2015, the company recorded an annual revenue of $750 million.
Sustainability
In 2004, Grupo Vidanta partnered with
EarthCheck
EarthCheck (previously known as EC3 Global), an international tourism advisory group. It is headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland and was developed by the Sustainable Tourism CRC, a research centre specialising in sustainable tourism and research ...
to promote
sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism is a concept that covers the complete tourism experience, including concern for economic, social and environmental issues as well as attention to improving tourists' experiences and addressing the needs of host communities. Su ...
in Mexico. Together, they ensure the preservation and protection of flora and fauna in and around the company's resorts. Over the years, most Vidanta resorts have been recognized and certified by EarthCheck for their efforts in water and energy conservation, waste management and recycling, and food sustainability. In 2016, the Mayan Palace
Puerto Peñasco
Puerto Peñasco ( ood, Geʼe Ṣuidagĭ) is a small city located in Puerto Peñasco Municipality in the northwest of the Mexican state of Sonora, from the border with the U.S. state of Arizona. According to the 2020 census, it has a population o ...
received a gold certification from EarthCheck for its long-term commitment to sustainable tourism in Mexico.
In December 2016, Grupo Vidanta opened an EPA-regulated farm called 'Almaverde' on the grounds of its Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta resort. It was developed as a way to engage in sustainable farming to supply fresh produce to its own restaurants while preventing food wastage. Almaverde is spread out across seven hectares of land near the Ameca River in Mexico and annually produces around 67 varieties of fruits and vegetables.
In February 2019, the company was recognized by the Mexican Center for Philanthropy (CEMEFI) for its "socially responsible management and continuous improvement as part of its culture and business strategy." The same year, Vidanta Riviera Maya received EarthCheck Master Certification for meeting the watchdog body’s environmental benchmarks.
Awards and recognition
Obras awarded its 2015 ‘Building Project of the Year’ award to a theater owned by Grupo Vidanta in which a
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil (, ; "Circus of the Sun" or "Sun Circus") is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 Ju ...
performance and dinner venue, JOYÀ, is housed.
In 2016, ''
Travel+Leisure
''Travel + Leisure'' is a travel magazine based in New York City, New York. Published 12 times a year, it has 4.8 million readers, according to its corporate media kit. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC, with trademark rig ...
'' magazine's México Hotel Awards recognized Vidanta's Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya in two categories: The award for Best Design/Décor; and the Reader's Choice Award for best overall experience, noting the hotel as the Best Hotel in
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
.
At the 2018 awards ceremony, it recognized Vidanta Los Cabos for Best Party and Vidanta Riviera Maya for Experiencia Gourmet.
In 2017, Grupo Vidanta was ranked 2nd in the Hospitality Sector as one of Mexico's Great Places to Work. It has been consistently ranked in the top 10 for eight years.
Grand Luxxe in Riviera Maya, Mexico received AAA Five Diamond in 2017.
Grand Luxxe in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico received the AAA's Five Diamond rating for a third year in a row in 2018.
In 2019, Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta was named one of the Top 100 hotels in the world in ''Travel + Leisure'' magazine’s ‘World’s Best’ award series. It also featured in the list of the Top 10 hotels in Mexico. Vidanta Riviera Maya was recognised as one of the Top 5 hotels in Eastern Mexico in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards.
In 2019, Grupo Vidata was named one of the 500 Most Important Companies in Mexico by ''
Grupo Expansión'' magazine.
References
External links
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*
{{coord missing, Jalisco
Hospitality companies of Mexico
Hospitality companies
Construction and civil engineering companies of Mexico
Construction and civil engineering companies established in 1974
Hospitality companies established in 1974
Mexican companies established in 1974