The WAVE Awards are a celebration of excellence in travel products, services and destinations.

TravelAge West, the leading travel industry trade publication in the western United States, has announced its Editor’s Picks as part of the magazine’s 2009 WAVE Awards.

Now in its fourth year, the goal of TravelAge West’s WAVE (Western Agents’ Voice of Excellence) Awards is to give travel agents in the western U.S. the opportunity to recognize the outstanding qualities and services of their travel-supplier partners. And this year, Riviera Maya was chosen best destination for beach vacation in Mexico.

The Editor’s Picks were chosen by Editor-in-Chief Ken Shapiro and the entire editorial team of TravelAge West. Review methods included product analysis, on-site visits, a survey of a select group of travel agents and online research.

“Because we put our stamp of approval on these Editor’s Picks, my staff and I spend a lot of time researching and debating the choices,” said Shapiro. “As a result, I think all of the Editor’s Picks winners should be very proud of this acknowledgement.”

In addition to this distinction, Editor’s Pick honorees are also in the running for a WAVE Award, to be determined by a TravelAge West readers’ choice poll conducted during the month of April. The voting is open to readers of the publication, as well as to all visitors to the magazine’s Web site, TravelAgeWest.com.

Editor’s Pick recipients will be celebrated at the WAVE Awards gala dinner on June 4 at the Four Seasons Los Angeles in Beverly Hills, Calif., where the readers’ choice winners will be announced as well. TravelAge West will produce a special WAVE Awards Spotlight Issue due out in August 2009, highlighting each nominated company.

XPLOR PARK

¡New coolest park in the Riviera Maya!

The brand new 50-hectare complex is located two kilometers away from Xcaret Park and has a daily capacity for 1200 visitors. Xplor Park features an underground river with stalactites, water caves and cenotes for rafting, and also has the longest zip-line in Mexico with an extension of more than 500 meters, as journeys with amphibian vehicle through the jungle.