Grupo Vidanta Launches First International Airport in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico Today

Mar de Cortes International Airport Opens New Vacation Destination To U.S.,
Canada and the World
PUERTO PEÑASCO, Mexico--(Business Wire)--
One of Mexico`s best kept secrets is about to be discovered. The first
international airport in Puerto Peñasco, and the first completely privately
built airport in Mexico, opens today for commercial service. Vacationers across
America and Canada, and the rest of the world, will, for the first time, have
quick and easy access to Sea of Cortez beaches, natural beauty, wildlife and
recreational offerings that, until now, required long drives across desert and
mountain terrain for most travelers.

Inaugural festivities are expected to be attended by Mexico`s president, Felipe
Calderon, and other high officials as well as representatives from the tourism
industry, including Grupo Vidanta, which is building the airport as well as
several resort and residential developments in the region.

"The commencement of commercial air service to Puerto Penasco represents a
milestone in the development of one of Mexico`s most exciting and now accessible
tourism destinations," said Fernando Antillon, Director of the Mar de Cortes
International Airport. "We look forward to continued partnerships with the
federal government, the State of Sonora and the private sector to develop this
beautiful region along the incomparable Sea of Cortez for generations of new
visitors."

For decades, Puerto Peñasco has been known by residents of the Southwest as
Rocky Point or even "Arizona`s Beach," because of its proximity to Phoenix and
Tucson, both three hours away by car. But inaccessibility - Los Angeles is eight
hours away by road and air service has been limited to small aircraft - has kept
the numbers of visitors low. Now, spearheaded by the Mar de Cortes (Sea of
Cortez) International Airport, all that is changing as the Mexican government
and the private sector make major investments in the region, building hotels,
resorts, recreational facilities, several golf courses, homes and
infrastructure. With the new airport, the destination will be less than an hour
by air from Phoenix; less than two hours from Los Angeles, Las Vegas and
Albuquerque.

Located 20 miles southwest of the city of Puerto Peñasco and approximately 60
miles from the U.S. border, the new airport is being built and will be operated
by Operadora Aeroportuaria Golfo de Cortes, S.E. de C.V., a Grupo Vidanta
company, which also built and operates the Mayan Palace in the destination and
has developed tourism and resorts throughout Mexico. The airport code is PPE.

Commercial service will begin in November with fully functional airport and
runway facilities and a modern, bright provisional terminal building, with
completion of the entire airport project, including new terminal facilities,
expected by 2012. Negotiations are currently underway for charter service from
gateways in Canada and the U.S. as well as regional scheduled service from
Phoenix, Arizona and Hermosillo, Mexico with such carriers as Aeromexico and US
Airways. In the near future, additional scheduled and charter service is
expected to provide access to Puerto Penasco from all over the world via major
hubs such as Houston, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

The airport`s 1.55 mile concrete runway is currently capable of handling Boeing
737`s and 757`s and similar type aircraft. After a planned extension of
approximately 1,500 feet, it will welcome Boeing 767`s or similar aircraft as
well. Two taxiways can accommodate three aircraft on the aprons. L861 lighting
on the runway, PAPI`s visual aids and wind cones ensure safe landings and
take-offs. The airport actually operated for one week in 2007 to accommodate
President Calderon`s aircraft on the occasion of the Mexico-USA Border Governors
Conference held in Puerto Peñasco. At the time Calderon`s pilot described the
new runway as "one of the best in the country."

Known as "the world`s aquarium" and designated a World Heritage Site, the Sea of
Cortez is renowned for its beaches, perfect weather, water sports, fishing and
wildlife, including migrating whales and birds. Situated along the northern
coastline, Puerto Peñasco, with its distinct character and charm, is undergoing
dramatic growth. In 1998, the destination welcomed 1.2 million visitors; in 2008
it was discovered by 2.35 million but that number is expected to swell
dramatically with the inauguration of air service and the ongoing completion of
numerous four and five star resorts. Appealing to young, active vacationers,
over 60 percent of visitors are between 31 and 50 years of age, with high income
levels. As Grupo Vidanta and other companies develop luxury vacation home
ownership opportunities in the region as well as additional resorts, the
population is expected to more than double. Visitor accommodations by 2025 are
expected to top 40,000, from the current 6,000 units.

As one of Latin America`s largest developers of luxury resorts and tourism
facilities and infrastructure, Grupo Vidanta has 30,000 acres and seven miles of
beachfront property to develop in Puerto Peñasco. The luxury vacation mega-plex
planned by Grupo Vidanta is equivalent to approximately twice the area of
Manhattan island; interconnecting 10,000 luxury vacation homes and 7,000
high-end hotel rooms from estuaries to ocean, by a system of canals to retail,
entertainment and beach club centers throughout the complex. The company`s Mayan
Palace Resort and Peninsula Golf, a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course, are
already in operation, with two additional golf courses - by Nicklaus and Greg
Norman - as well as other resorts, including The Grand Mayan, The Grand Bliss
and Ocean Breeze are under construction. All facilities are expected to be
completed in the next five years.

For more information, please visit www.grupovidanta.com.

M. Silver Associates
Carrie Hyman, 212-754-6500 ext. 225
carrie@msilver-pr.com
or
Maria Castro, 212-754-6500 ext. 245
mariac@msilver-pr.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009