Riviera Maya
May 10 – 14, 2025
Part of the Hyatt family, AGL Vacations is an award-winning tour operator celebrated for delivering unforgettable leisure travel experiences worldwide. Serving 2.6 million passengers annually, ALG Vacations encompasses a portfolio of trusted and growing brands, including Apple Vacations®, Funjet Vacations®, Travel Impressions®, Southwest Vacations®, Blue Sky Tours®, and United Vacations®. In addition to offering comprehensive vacation packages with scheduled flights on leading air carriers like United Airlines® and American Airlines®, ALG Vacations also charters thousands of Exclusive Nonstop Vacation Flights on Alaska Airlines®, Frontier Airlines®, Sun Country Airlines®, and more to Mexico, Costa Rica, and the Caribbean. Beyond crafting unforgettable getaways, ALG Vacations is committed to empowering travel advisors through comprehensive certification, education, and career development programs, lucrative commissions and rewards, and innovative sales and marketing resources, supporting over 100,000 travel professionals each year.
Conference Questions
Contact Mary Bergin
mary@roadstraveled.com
2025 MTJA Spring Conference
ALG Vacations is proud to host the Midwest Travel Journalists Association for its Spring 2025 Conference from May 10-14, 2025. Join us in the stunning Playa del Carmen, located in the heart of Mexico’s Riviera Maya, for an unforgettable getaway. Known for its crystal-clear waters, white sandy beaches, and vibrant culture, Playa del Carmen offers the perfect backdrop for networking and inspiration.
MTJA Professional Development Sessions on Mexico
- Discover the wonders of the Yucatan with MTJA Active Theresa Russell
- Recording here. The recording is in a Dropbox link. If you are unable to view the recording, please contact Wendy Pramik at wpramik@columbus.rr.com.
- Travel Safely to Mexico: Tips for Travelers and Travel Writers on February 17th
Conference Registration
- January 16th, 2025, at 9:00 AM CST – Registration Opens for Steps 1 & 2
- MTJA members step 1 & 2 at the bottom of the page are open for registration. Step 3 – Now Open
- February 9, 2025 – Registration Closes
Conference Costs
Note: daily lodging rates include tax, gratuities and/or other fees.
Active MTJA Members
- $150 MTJA Spring Conference Registration Fee
- Guestroom Accommodations
- Active Members enjoy complimentary accommodations from May 10-14, 2025. For those who wish to extend their stay, a preferred nightly rate of $318 pp/pn (based on double occupancy) or $607 pp/pn (based on single occupancy) is available.
Associate and Alternate Associate MTJA Members
- $200 MTJA Spring Conference Registration Fee
- Guestroom Accommodations
- Associate Members enjoy a preferred nightly accommodation rate of $275 pp/pn (based on single occupancy) from May 10-14, 2025. For those who wish to extend their stay, a preferred nightly rate of $318 pp/pn (based on double occupancy) or $607 pp/pn (based on single occupancy) is available.
Guests of MTJA Members
- $250 MTJA Spring Conference Registration Fee
- Guestroom Accommodations
- A preferred nightly rate of $359 is available to guests who share a room with an MTJA member.
MTJA Board Members
- Enjoy complimentary accommodations from May 9-14, 2025. For those who wish to extend their stay, a preferred nightly rate of $318 pp/pn (based on double occupancy) or $607 per person (based on single occupancy) is available.
Conference Airfare Option
- ALG Vacations is offering a special rate of $249 for qualifying roundtrip flights during the core conference dates of May 10-14, 2025, on ALG Vacation’s Exclusive Vacation Flights from Chicago (ORD), St. Louis (STL) or Cleveland (CLE).
- For those extending their stay before or after the conference, a special rate of $299 on qualifying roundtrip Exclusive Nonstop Vacation Flights is available for travel over the following dates:
- May 7-14, May 8-14, May 9-14, May 9-15, May 9-16, May 9-17, May 10-15, May 10-16, May 10-17
Note: MTJA Members are not required to book through ALG Vacations for their airfare.
Conference Hotel – Secrets Moxché:
Activities/Amenities Included:
- Unlimited access to gourmet à la carte dining options without reservations required
- Unlimited international and domestic top-shelf spirits
- Unlimited natural fruit juices and soft drinks
- 24-hour room and concierge services
- Pool and beach wait service
- Daily refreshed mini-bar with soft drinks, juice, bottled water and beer
- Daily maid service
- Daytime activities and live nightly entertainment
- Theme parties, oceanfront bars and entertainment venues
- No wristbands required
- All taxes and gratuities
- Free Wi-Fi in all areas of the resort
Conference Policies
- MTJA Spring Conference Registration Fees Refund Policy
- Members and spouses/guests who cancel their paid registration no later than 30 days before the starting date of the core conference (excluding pre-conference tours), shall receive a full refund of their MTJA Spring Conference Registration Fee. (April 10, 2025)
- Those who cancel their registrations from 15 to 29 days before the core conference begins, shall receive a 50 percent refund of their MTJA Spring Conference Registration Fee. (April 11 – 25, 2025)
- Those who cancel from 8 to 14 days before the core conference begins, shall receive a 25 percent refund of their MTJA Spring Conference Registration Fee. (April 26 – May 2, 2025)
- Those who cancel less than 7 days before the core conference begins shall receive no refund of their MTJA Spring Conference Registration Fee. A refund exception because of illness. (May 3, 2025)
- ENVF airfare booked through ALGV Flight Cancellation Terms:
- 45+ days from departure – $50 per person penalty
- 44 – 31 days from departure – $125 per person penalty
- 30 – 0 days from departure – 100% non-refundable
- Note: Anyone not taking an ENVF, booked through ALGV, is subject to their respective airline’s cancellation fees.
- Lodging Cancellation Policy:
- Up to 66 days before the arrival date – no penalty
- For lodging canceled 65 days or less before the arrival date, the charge is 100 percent of the reservation (even if one of a room’s two occupants attends).
Tentative Conference Agenda
- Conference Agenda is subject to change.
- Notes:
- Airport-resort shuttles are included for all conference attendees.
- There will not be formal pre or post tours offered.
Friday, May 9, 2025
6:30 PM Board Member Dinner
Saturday, May 10, 2025
9:00 AM Board Member Meeting
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Site Visit of Secrets Moxché
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Site Visit of Secrets Moxché
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Optional afternoon activities offered
6:00 PM Welcome Reception & Dinner
Sunday, May 11, 2025
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM ALG Vacations +
HIC hosted breakfast
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM Media Marketplace
11:45 AM – 1:30 PM Professional Development: Erick Huicochea, Food Photography
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM Lunch
2:15 PM – 3:45 PM MTJA Business Meeting
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Professional Development: Jim Benning, AAA Explorer editor-in-chief
6:00 PM – Dine Around
7:00 PM – 12:00 AM Evening Entertainment
Monday, May 12, 2025
7:00 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast at Leisure
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Free Time for Property
Activities & Amenities
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Vice President’s Hours for
Actives and Associates
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM Professional Development: Social Media presented by ALG Vacation’s Social Media Manager
Time TBD Transfer to dinner off-site, with presentation by Andre Martinez Reynoso, Director of Quintana Roo Tourism
9:00 PM – 12:00 AM Evening Entertainment
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
7:00 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast at Leisure
Throughout the day: Three optional Amstar Excursions. Limited seats available: You must sign up during registration. These are public excursions, but offered in private groupings for MTJA, so linked descriptions may vary slightly from what MTJA experiences. On the conference registration form you will select your tour preference order.
- Option Amstar Excursion: Luxury Sailing Puerto Aventuras
- 7:40 AM – 1:00 PM
- Option Amstar Excursion: Tulum Archeological Ruins
- 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM
- Option Amstar Excursion: Cenotes and Paradise Lagoon
- 12:00 PM – 4:30 PM
- Option of On My Own, not participating in a tour
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Farewell Reception & Dinner
9:00 PM – 12:00 AM Evening Entertainment
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
7:00 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast at Leisure
Throughout the Day Conference Attendee Departures
2025 MTJA Spring Conference Registration Opens January 16th at 9:00 AM CST
MTJA members steps 1 and 2 are available for registration as of 9:00 AM CST on January 16, 2025. Step 3 is now available.
Step 1:
Fill out the 2025 MTJA Spring Conference Registration Form.
Note: your registration will not be confirmed until payment is received.
Step 2:
Pay your 2025 MTJA Spring Conference Registration Fee.
Step 3: Now available
Book Your Lodging and Optional Airfare through ALG Vacations.
Note: MTJA members bringing a guest book accommodations/flights at the same time.
Note About ENVF Flight Costs
ALG Vacations is proud to offer exclusive, highly competitive rates on qualifying roundtrip flights to Cancun (CUN) for MTJA’s Spring Conference. Please note that some flight itineraries may display higher prices due to automatically applied taxes and fees under certain scenarios up to $401. However, ALG Vacations will waive these additional costs for eligible bookings as outlined below:
- Active Members: Booking a single-occupancy, 4-night stay, arriving May 10.
- Board Members: Booking a single-occupancy, 5-night stay, arriving May 9, OR a single-occupancy, 4-night stay, arriving May 10.
How to Apply for the Cost Adjustment
- Complete your booking as instructed. You will not be charged upon booking.
- Email your booking number to Caitlin.Gonser@algvacations.
com with the subject line: MTJA Flight Cost Adjustment. - ALG Vacations will adjust your flight cost and send an updated payment link to use for submitting your final payment.
For additional booking support or questions, please direct all inquiries to mary@roadstraveled.com or admin@mtja.us.