While my recent excursion to the Riviera Maya (in Mexico for those of you unfamiliar) was a well-needed vacation, I could not completely remove my marketing hat and help but to take notice of one of the most powerful marketing geniuses of the Yucatan Peninsula—Experienias Xcaret.
Experienias Xcaret is a family of 4 mega-brand tourist attractions—Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor and Xichen—that is a powerhouse mixture of captivating magic, inspiring culture and unparalleled nature.
From swimming in caves under stalactites and flying high over the jungle on zip lines to exploring Mayan ruins and watching live shows depicting ancient customs and traditions, all offer experiences unique to themselves and to the area for an experience none will soon forget.
Now that’s step one—to offer something worthwhile—check.
Step two—effective promotion—is often the step on which many businesses overlook or under-deliver—but not Experienias Xcaret.
Everywhere (and I mean everywhere) you look in Cancun and Riviera Maya there are billboards, guerilla marketing tactics and print advertisements for one or all of the adventure parks.
With a target market of essentially anyone with eyes, marketers have researched and identified a blanket advertising approach that you cannot help but notice. Beyond that, the use of vibrant colors, catchy headlines and unmistakable graphics make for an unforgettable visual footprint in your mind—all creating top-of-mind awareness and brand recall.
We visited two of the Experienias Xcaret attractions, Xplor and Xel-Ha based solely on the recommendation of a friend who had visited before.
This made me realize that the most impressive and important form of promotion that Experienias Xcaret utilizes is not through any paid means of advertising at all, rather it is through word-of-mouth. Since word-of-mouth marketing is the most effective and most powerful method of promotion available across all means and media, Experienias Xcaret has gained the position as the leader in tourist attractions in the area.
It is important to point out, however, that without step one (the worthwhile offering), there would be no word-of-mouth promotion. In other words, without something worth talking about, there will be no talking. This goes for all brands across all industries—simply claiming to be the best, or implying that you have more to offer your customer will amount to nothing unless there is something to back it up, something worthwhile.
So I say, kudos to you, Experienias Xcaret—exceptional marketing knows no geographical boundaries—viva la marketing!!
In 1984 Architect Miguel Quintana Pali purchased 12 acres in the Mayan Riviera in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo with the idea of building his dream house. However, when he began to clear the land he started uncovering ancient Mayan cenotes, sinkholes and beautiful underground rivers. Awed by this magnificent sight he felt that so much beauty should not be accessible only to a privileged few and began to formulate the idea of a park open to the public.
He soon joined forces with Constandse brothers Oscar, Marcos and Carlos, and they began transforming this park into a dream come true called Xcaret. Since its opening in December 1990, Xcaret is one of the most famous attractions in the Cancun-Riviera Maya destination, an eco-archaeological park where you can experience the natural and cultural richness of Mexico.
Grupo Xcaret recently merged in 2010 its commercial business operations with its partner parks the world’s largest natural aquarium Xel-Há and the recently inaugurated adventure park Xplor. This partnership agreement means to create one company in sustainable tourism, recreation and social responsibility, able to respond to customer needs of more than 6 million tourists that visit the Mexican Caribbean every year.
This new integration scheme features a complete selection of products which complement each other and will offer the best entertainment and unique experiences surrounded by the natural, cultural and archaeological richness of Mexico.
Xcaret is a majestic park by the sea where you can relive the history of Mexico through colourful traditions and shows, endless activities and beautiful native flora and fauna.
Xel-Há is the Natural Wonder of Mexico, and idyllic place where you can enjoy an unforgettable experience in contact with nature and snorkel next to hundreds of fish in the most spectacular inlet of the Caribbean.
Xplor is an underground world for the whole family. Exciting adventure circuits take visitors to amazing natural settings such as grottoes and Stalactite Rivers in the heart of the Mayan Riviera.
