VALLARTA LIFESTYLES BEGINS RESTAURANT WEEK 2014 PREPARATIONS

While Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit restaurants are eagerly organizing special Christmas and New Year’s events, the team behind the annual Vallarta Lifestyles’ Restaurant Week is already hard at work preparing for the next event, to take place May 15 - 31 , 2014. 

“This will be a landmark event for us, as we are celebrating the tenth anniversary of Restaurant Week in Puerto Vallarta,” commented Paco Ojeda, who oversees the event for Vallarta Lifestyles. Inspired by similar events taking place in important destinations around the world, Vallarta Lifestyles’ Restaurant Week (RWPV14) began as an attempt to help local restaurants prosper during May, a month that used to be not quite as appealing to region visitors. “Ten years ago, restaurants used to wonder why we scheduled the event to take place during the second half of May and not during ‘busier’ times of the year,” Ojeda added. “As organizers, programming the event during what used to be a transitional month seemed like uncharted territory at the time. But we were certain that, in the long run, Restaurant Week would help foster the local economy as Puerto Vallarta prepares for the slower pace of the summer months.”

The decision has paid off. Today, many local restaurants take advantage of fixed-price promotional menus (the standard format of the event) during most of the summer months, a practice seldom used locally prior to Restaurant Week. In addition, other cultural events, such as the Bougainvillea Festival, are scheduled during the month of May, making Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit increasingly appealing for visitors looking to explore the destination during the early part of Summer.

Those not familiar with the event's format and features can find detailed information about RWPV14 online at  virtualvallarta.com/restaurantweek . Here are some highlights of what you can expect in the Tenth Anniversary Edition of the event: 

Menu Price Changes 

Reaching consensus on menu prices was essential and the first task undertaken. Keeping the prices accessible to the general public while acknowledging participating restaurants’ increasing costs is challenging. To that effect, RWPV14 relied on the expertise of the local chapter of CANIRAC, Mexico’s Restaurant Chamber along with an online poll conducted through Vallarta Lifestyles Weekly Newsletter. The outcome: RWPV14 will feature two menu prices as in past years, $199 pesos (a $10 peso increase) and $299 pesos (same as last year), drinks and gratuity excluded. “Keeping menu prices affordable opens the door to many CANIRAC restaurant members looking to showcase their offerings to a broader client base,” commented CANIRAC President, Eva Sánchez. “CANIRAC is very happy to collaborate with Vallarta Lifestyles in producing the best possible Restaurant Week event in 2014.”

Increased Number of Participating Restaurants 

“We want RWPV14 to be huge,” commented Juan Pablo Hernández, who helps coordinate the event. “So, we are working closely with CANIRAC this year, to reach as many potential restaurants as possible. We will be offering incentive packages to all participating restaurants, along with special discount for CANIRAC members,” he added.

Increased Promotion Prior to the Event 

In order to raise awareness of RWPV14, the organizers are partnering with both Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta tourism bureaus to disseminate as much information as possible through official destination websites and the companies responsible for marketing the destinations nationally and internationally. In addition, the organizers have created a Social Media Alliance, comprised of some of the region’s most influential Facebook and Twitter users, to promote the event. “By relying on their commitment to broadcast RWPV14-related information to their followers, we will be able to disseminate news about the event, along with individual participating restaurant menus to an unprecedented audience,” explained Ojeda.

Over the past ten years, Vallarta Lifestyles’ Restaurant Week has positioned itself as one of our destination’s preeminent culinary events, encouraging national and international residents and visitors to sample some of the region’s best restaurants at surprisingly affordable prices. As in years past, the event will take place May 15-31.