COPA AIRLINES STRENGTHENS CONNECTIVITY WITH DIRECT FLIGHTS TO PUERTO VALLARTA-RIVIERA NAYARIT, MEXIC← Back
July 5, 2018
“Copa Airlines continues to reaffirm its confidence in Mexico and support the development of its commercial and tourism sectors by inaugurating a fifth local destination. This region of the Mexican Pacific will benefit from Copa’s connectivity throughout the continent, with its extensive network of destinations that joins 79 cities in 32 countries,” announced Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines. “We are pleased to announce this new route to Puerto Vallarta, an amazing destination that up until now did not have a direct connection with the rest of the Americas,” he added.
The Copa Airlines flight will initially operate twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays, departing at 9:48 a.m. from Panama and arriving at 1:40 p.m. (local time) at the Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport. The return flight will also depart Thursdays and Sundays from Puerto Vallarta at 2:43 p.m., arriving in Panama at 8:07 p.m. (local time). The route will be operated by a Boeing 737-700 aircraft with capacity to transport 12 passengers in Business Class and 112 in the main cabin.
“I am pleased to announce that after five years of hard work through multiple advertising and promotion campaigns in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Peru, as well as various negotiations with Copa Airlines, the Panama - Puerto Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit route is now a reality. With this new flight, multiple connections will be avoided, reducing time, distance and cost for Latin American tourists. The route will also ensure greater interest in the destination from South American wholesale travel agencies,” said Marc Murphy, general director of the Tourism Authority of Riviera Nayarit.
Puerto Vallarta, surrounded by the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range in the state of Jalisco on the western coast of Mexico, is known for its buildings´ red roofs and golden sunsets. Visitors can enjoy a variety of options including strolling through its art galleries and gazing on the calm waters of Banderas Bay, as well as enjoying its diverse nightlife and world-class golf tournaments. The city has more than 10,000 hotel rooms and 40 kilometres of beaches, which make it a diving and fishing paradise. This wonderful destination is located on the Pacific coast, west of the state of Jalisco, just over 300 kilometers from the city of Guadalajara and has the Nayarit border to the north.
“After several years of joint promotional work in Central and South America by Puerto Vallarta-Riviera Nayarit to generate a greater knowledge of the Banderas Bay area and its various attractions and world-class tourism services, the region has finally been rewarded with this direct flight from Panama to the Puerto Vallarta airport. This success is a result of the collaboration of a trusted commercial partner, Copa Airlines,” said Javier Aranda, general manager of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust.
The Riviera Nayarit coast extends through the municipalities of Banderas Bay, Compostela, San Blas, Santiago and Tecuala that boast extraordinary world-class resorts and charming bungalows and villas. Visitors can enjoy countless activities, such as bird watching, zip-lining, swimming with dolphins, watching humpback whales and participating in turtle release programs, as well as different water activities. It is also known as the only destination in the Pacific that has a polo field and a venue for major international events.