Merida is the capital of the state of Yucatan and the largest city on the Peninsula. It is the gateway to the Mayan culture and is surrounded by impressive natural and astonishing archaeological sites. This historical city is renowned for its location, weather, safety, gastronomy, music, art and culture, making it an unforgettable space for academic and social interactions, and ideal for hosting the 2019 ICOM 10 meeting.

Merida’s privileged location allows for a wide variety of exciting field trips. The archaeological sites of Chichen Itzá (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the seven wonders of the modern world: xichen.com.mx/tour/chichen-itza) and Uxmal, the Caribbean coast and flamingo bird tour in Celestún, the old colonial Haciendas, the beautiful town of Izamal, and the nearby Caribbean beaches all provide attractive options for the participants. For those not taking the tours, the Mayan World Museum, Merida’s historic downtown buildings, markets, and restaurants can easily fill a fantastic day spent enjoying the city. The inimitable flavors of the Yucatan’s cuisine are a unique and sophisticated fusion of Mayan and colonial dishes. Beach tours for those who wish to relax and enjoy the Caribbean are another affordable option.

The government of the state of Yucatan is opening a new venue called the International Convention Center (CIC) in March 2018, with a capacity for ten thousand people and which will have everything needed for hosting different events simultaneously. The Convention Center is just two blocks away from hotels, like the Holiday Inn and Fiesta Americana. Both are located in the modern part of Merida, close to Paseo Montejo, the emblematic and charismatic main avenue of the city, surrounded by hotels, restaurants, and shopping centers.

Many information about the Yucatan Peninsula, travel, Mayan culture, shopping, food and history can be founded (in English and Spanish) in:

http://yucatantoday.com/eventos/

Many hotels—Fiesta Americana, Presidente Intercontinental, Villa Mercedes, Hyatt Regency Mérida and Holiday Inn (five stars)—are located within a few hundred meters of the venue. There are cheaper hotels downtown, 20 min away by car: Colonial, Los Aluxes and Maya Yucatan (three stars). The Casa Armita, Español, Doralba Inn, Reforma. Ambassador, Colón, Santa Anna, Flamingo, Nómadas, Hacienda Inn, Montejo, Ma. del Carmen, Las Dalias Inn y and Santa María hotels are very affordable alternatives (one star, under 30 USD day). Merida has more than 200 hotels (trivago.com.mx/Hoteles/Merida) offering a wide range of accommodation options for different budgets. The cost of public transport from downtown Merida to the Convention Center is 0.40 USD.

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The strategic location of Merida allows for the arrival of thousands of visitors by three routes: air, land and sea. This city has an international airport with seven direct domestic flights and six international connections: Houston, Havana, Miami, Milan, Belize and Toronto.

There is another international airport in Cancun, three hours away from Merida by bus. This is one of the biggest airports in Mexico with international connections to Quebec, Chicago, Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires, Brasilia, London, Paris, Lima, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Madrid, Frankfurt, L.A., etc. The transfers between airports depart every half hour with a round-trip cost of 44 dollars.

This information is available on the webpage of the National Migration Institute of the Mexican government (inm.gob.mx).