One of the oldest cities in the Americas, the colorful city of Merida is the capital of the state of Yucatan and the cultural center of the Yucatan Peninsula. The city’s amusing history is visible in the downtown Historic Center (Mexico’s second largest) where many of the centuries-old colonial buildings were built with stones from the Mayan city of T’ho. Merida enjoys tropical vegetation, warm and humid weather, and a natural beauty just beyond the city limits. Beaches and some of the world´s most impressive archeological sites are just a short drive from the city.

Today, Merida is a contemporary city that has hosted international events, including the T20 Summit in 2012, the International Physics Olympiad in 2009 and the 2006 International Olympiad in Informatics. Merida’s Yucatan Convention Center "Siglo XXI" (Century XXI) has hosted many international events in its 6 event halls and 82,408 square feet space. The city alsoso has a diverse number of top-class hotels perfect for hosting events. One example is the Fiesta Americana Hotel which is a nice venue for all kinds of events, with 350 rooms and suites and 13 function rooms for 25 to 1,000 guests. Another option is the five-star Hyatt Regency Merida with 289 guestrooms and suites and can accommodate events of 500 people in their 9 flexible event spaces. As Yucatan’s cultural heart, Merida has a great number of museums and art galleries, including the Natural History Museum, the Contemporary Art Museum and the Merida Theater. Visitors can also enjoy an extraordinary selection of restaurants and nightlife. Merida is an easy drive from major archeological sites, including Chichen-Itza, Uxmal and Mayapan, as well as the state’s beautiful beaches and “cenotes”, crystalline sinkholes to the regions extraordinary underground network of rivers. Merida’s International Airport makes this destination very accessible with direct flights to Houston, Miami, Mexico City, Cancun, Monterrey and Guadalajara.