Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico - The Sixth Touristic Half Marathon of Riviera Nayarit is set to take place on November 22nd at 7:00 am, and the Conventions and Visitors Bureau is not only ready to welcome the record number of participants in this year's event but also to enhance the experience for the spectators.

Since the creation of the Riviera Nayarit brand, a priority for the industry has been to attract high quality tourism through events that have a low environmental impact. This is not only a marketing issue, but a strategy to achieve essential development and the well being of the entire community.

The annual Riviera Nayarit Tourism Half Marathon & 10K helps the destination by generating income and positioning it as a sports venue on domestic and international levels. The success of the previous events is noticeable in the increased number of participating athletes, which has grown from 180 in the first race to the more than 1,200 runners from 12 Mexican states plus the US and Canada expected in the upcoming race - an increase of 600%.

Since it's inception, the formula to organize this half marathon has been the following: choose an amazing place with first-class lodging and infrastructure, impeccable streets, and exuberant beauty; secure the endorsement from the FMA and the State's Athletics Association to guarantee the support of all pertaining authorities; and obtain the AIMS certification to give the event an international scope.

The races include 8 categories in the men’s division and 7 in the women’s division, which include runners between the ages of 18 to 60+. Ninety-five percent of the participants are from Mexico, the balance from the United States and Canada. Jalisco is the state with the most participants (more than half) with the rest coming from 11 over Mexican states.

The main avenues of Nuevo Vallarta's touristic development will be closed during the sporting event to avoid accidents and give spectators plenty of room to watch the race and cheer on their favorite runner. After the races, trophies and bonus prizes will be awarded for the first three places in each branch and category.