Mexico roadshows aim to boost Canadian tourism in destination
A North American roadshow promoting different aspects of Mexican tourism visited Toronto recently – a development that enabled some Mexican tourism representatives to reassert themselves in the Canadian market years after the Mexican government closed all Mexico Tourism Board offices, deciding to turn tourism promotion over to its diplomatic missions.
The ongoing Meet Mexico roadshows are a private sector initiative, organized by Mexico City-based CREA Turismo, with CREA Turismo’s Rodrigo Hurtado saying he hopes the shows – one of which will be held in Montreal in November – will become an annual event.
“Canada is a great market for us,” he said of Mexico. “We have a really good opportunity to get them (Canadians) to Mexico.”
Mexican tourism secretary Josefina Rodriguez in turn told the Toronto audience by video that her country is eager to host people from this country. “We’re waiting for you.”
Reluctance by some Canadians to now visit the United States are seen as an opportunity for Mexican destinations wanting to host Canadians. The Mexican government closed Mexico Tourism Board offices in 2018, saying embassies and consulates would handle tourism promotion. But many travel agents say the move has led to a dramatically lower Mexican presence in the Canadian market.
The Toronto event saw around 120 travel agents meet with 12 exhibitors ranging from the northern state of Chihuahua to the Maya Train, which works its way through five southeastern Mexican states. Representation also included destinations on Mexico’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts and Mexico City. Hurtado said show organizers were “really happy with the results.”
Among those on hand for the event was Mexico’s Toronto consul-general Porfirio Munoz Ledo, who labelled the gathering a “significant tourism promotion” for his homeland, which he noted is the sixth most-visited country in the world, hosting 45 million foreign visitors last year. Mexico saw 1.5 million Canadian visitations in the January-April period of this year, a 6% increase over the same period last year.
Among Mexican tourism attributes cited by Munoz Ledo were a “remarkable array” of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a “diverse range of experiences.” Mexico also has 177 Magical Towns, towns recognized by the government as being particularly attractive to visitors.
The agents were also told that there will be air service from Toronto to 12 Mexican destinations this winter, among them Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Cancun, Ixtapa and Guadalajara.
Among participants in the Toronto event was Aeromexico, with the airline’s Bernardo Gonzalez reporting that it had the best on time performance of any carrier in the world last year. “When you put your customers on Aeromexico, they’re going to get to the destination on time.”
Aeromexico flights also have a “completion factor” of over 99%, Gonzalez added. The Skyteam member has service from Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto to Mexico City, with Aeromexico clients offered free two-day stopovers in the Mexican capital. “We want them to enjoy two vacations in one,” said Michele Martinson, who oversees the airline’s Canadian operation.
Gonzalez said Aeromexico passengers will experience “Mexican hospitality,” and be offered the likes of tequila on board.
Gustavo Rivas-Solis of Visit Nayarit acknowledged that “a lot of people know us because of our beaches,” with Nayarit home to the hugely popular Riviera Nayarit. But Rivas-Solis noted the inland Nayarit city of Tepic has a new airport that will see service from both Calgary and Vancouver this winter.
Nayarit now has around 811 hotels and 27,000 hotel rooms. Upcoming hotels include ones bearing the Gran Melia, Fairmont, Unico and Ritz-Carlton names. Rivas-Solis said glamping options are available as well. He said the epicurean crowd will appreciate Nayarit. “Everyone likes to eat and we definitely have a lot to eat,” he said, noting Nayarit produces the likes of mangos, avocados and pineapples, and is home to a remarkably old coffee plantation.
Nayarit has pre-Columbian archeological sites, including ones built by people whose descendants later moved to the area that became Mexico City and built Aztec structures, he continued. Rivas-Solis added Nayarit has great birdwatching.
Lizeth Rojas Ruiz, president of the Puerto Escondido Hotels Association, said that that Pacific coast destination is “more than a beach with sun,” adding that it has great surfing and hosts surfing tournaments.
Whale-watching is available in the November-March period and dolphins can be seen in local waters throughout the year.
Ivan Fernandez of tour company Three Amigos noted Chihuahua is home to the dramatic Copper Canyon, which can be seen by those taking “one of the most amazing, iconic train rides in the world.”
The Copper Canyon is the world’s largest canyon system, with its dramatic size meaning snow can be falling on top of a mountain that has a tropical climate at its base, he said. The area is also home to the world’s second-longest zipline, which can have participants reach speeds of 100 kms an hour.
Attendees were also told that Mexico City has a very green side, with its Chapultepec Park – home to a castle – twice the size of New York City’s famed Central Park. Mexico City also has Aztec archeological sites and the second most museums of any city in the world. The Mexican capital also yearly enthusiastically celebrates the Day of the Dead, a time when Mexicans pay tribute to deceased family members.
Among those on hand for the Toronto event we’re Rodrigo Hurtado of CREA Turismo; Andres Mejia of MEXITOURS; Michele Martinson of Aeromexico; M. Zepeda, who was promoting Mexico City; and Gustavo Rivas-Solis, who was updating people on Nayarit.
Meanwhile, Andres Mejia of Mexico city-based tour company Mexitours cautioned agents they and their clients might want to be careful when sampling Mexican cuisine, known for its often spicy character. If visitors are told that a dish “is a little bit spicy, don’t believe it,” he cautioned, noting locals’ high tolerance for spicy cuisine.
Gualberta Rodriguez Santos said those visiting Oaxaca can visit long-standing archeological sites and such popular coastal spots as Huatulco and Puerto Escondido, with Oaxaca having a long coast.
Oaxaca also produces mezcal and has a Mezcal Trail, linking sites where that distinctively Mexican alcohol is produced and has a strong local following
“In good moments, drink mezcal. In bad moments drink mezcal,” he counselled. Another exhibitor was the newish Maya Train, which links locations in five southeastern Mexican states, among them hugely popular Cancun.
The audience was told that the train is “the most iconic train in Mexico,” among other things enabling passengers to easily visit some of the region’s famed Maya archeological sites, including Chichen Itza, Calakmul, Tulum and Palenque. A number of cities and smaller communities are visited, among them Merida, known for its colonial architecture.
Meanwhile, show attendees were told that next year’s version of Tianguis – Mexico’s annual tourism show – will be its 50th. “It’s going to be a big party,” the gathering was told of the upcoming Acapulco event.
