Puerto Vallarta Region Continues to Grow with New Resort Development at Litibu

Mexico's first Cancún-style resort development in 20 years is scheduled to open its first phase by December on the Pacific coast, 30 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta, said John McCarthy, director of Fonatur, the government's tourism development agency.

The first stage of the new development in the coastal state of Nayarit, to be called Litibu, will include an 18-hole Greg Norman golf course, upscale residences, shopping and beach clubs. Fonatur will make improvements in the adjacent old village, McCarthy said, while preserving its quaint colonial character.

"People want the colors and smells you get only in the villages," said McCarthy. He said Fonatur, which also is implementing master plans in other regions that don't have government-funded mega-resorts, is taking Mexican travelers into consideration.

The aim is to provide for budget as well as upscale travelers while accommodating an influx of visitors expected to double by 2025 from 20 million to 40 million.