Stanley Sue Answers Questions about the Cancun Convention

We have had a lot of questions about the WPA convention in Cancun. WPA President Stanley Sue took this opportunity to answer the most common questions we’ve received.

Why was Cancun selected as the site for WPA Convention?
The decision to hold the convention in Cancun was made several years ago. It was largely based on our growing interest in international psychology and in sociocultural issues. We have had two very successful meetings in Canada and decided to explore holding the convention in Mexico. The WPA Board felt that locating the convention in Mexico would provide a unique educational opportunity to highlight cultural issues and international psychological research as well as to encourage participation of psychologists and students from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and other local neighbors. Cancun was selected in particular because its hotels can accommodate a large convention, air travel ease is well established (it is a tourist site), the location is beautiful, and participants can visit cultural and historical sites such as Mayan ruins.

With university budget reductions and limitations on international travel, could we change the site of the convention?
It was not possible to change the site of the convention. Convention contractual agreements for any large professional associations must be established many years before the event. APA makes contractual arrangements for its conventions eight years in advance in order to commit the hotels to a sufficient number of guest rooms, meeting rooms, exhibitor sites, and other facilities and services. WPA books hotels four years in advance so it was not possible for us to anticipate the current economic downturns or the travel limitations that were imposed by some universities. If WPA were to break the agreement with the contracted hotel in Cancun, we would have to pay a very large penalty that would force us to increase fees for many years.

Are the costs for attending the Convention in Cancun excessive?
As a matter of fact, our estimates are that the average cost for participants will be very reasonable and typical of the costs for attending WPA conventions at other west coast states. For example, lowest roundtrip air fare from Los Angeles to Cancun is under $350; Sacramento under $420; Seattle about $400, as of January 7, 2010. We have negotiated very favorable hotel rates at the Fiesta Americana Condesa Resort. Therefore, the costs of attending the Convention in Cancun are quite reasonable.

There has been a lot of news about violence and crime in Mexican locations; what are the risks in Cancun?
Only one report of drug-related violence has come from Cancun in recent years. There have been no reports of violence in the hotel zone and downtown tourist areas. Trip Advisor indicates that Cancun is one of the safest places in Mexico. The U.S. State Department has not issued any travel warnings or advisories with respect to Cancun. Obviously, tourists and visitors should take usual precautions in traveling in other countries. See http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Travel-g150807-s206/Cancun:Mexico:Health.And.Safety.html

Will the Cancun location limit convention attendance?
Attendance has been somewhat lower whenever WPA is held in more distant locations such as Vancouver or Hawaii. Therefore, we expected a lower attendance in Cancun. What worried us was the impact of the recession and university budget reductions. Happily, I can report that the number of submissions for posters and papers was down by only 14 percent. There will be an exciting program that will appeal to researchers, teachers, clinicians, and students. The program includes the Terman Teaching Conference, workshops, posters, paper sessions, conversation hours, symposiums, social hours, and a film festival. Invited speakers presenting their work include Philip Zimbardo, Robert Cialdini, Diane Halpern, Gail Goodman, Mary Kite, G. Alan Marlatt and Kathleen Lustyk, Dean Simonton, James Jones, Nelly Salgado de Snyder, Terry Cronan, Joseph Campos, Ross Thompson, Patricia Greenfield, Jeff Sherman, and various regional and international presenters. The five Science Editors for the U.S. Surgeon General’s Supplement on Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity will participate in a symposium. The convention is particularly encouraging interactions between students and psychologists.

I’m looking forward to a wonderful convention.