Mexico targets Canadian market with roadshows, new flights and more
Mexico’s secretary of tourism is citing upcoming Mexico roadshows in Toronto and Montreal as proof of the country’s commitment to the Canadian market, a market she reports is performing very well for her homeland these days.
Josefina Rodriguez says Mexico remains committed to this country years after the Mexican government closed all Mexico Tourism Board offices worldwide, including its offices in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. It announced that tourism promotion would be the responsibility of its diplomatic missions, a move that left some travel agents in this country wondering how effective Mexican tourism promotions would be.
But Rodriguez said that her country’s Ministry of Tourism is continuing to actively court Canadians, citing the upcoming roadshows in Canada’s two largest cities.
The Toronto event is slated for Aug. 20, while the Montreal one will be held on a yet unspecified date in November. The events are a combined public-private sector initiative.
Rodriguez hopes to be at both events, which will attract tourism representatives from throughout Mexico.
“We’re going to be working with the slogan, ‘Mexico is here,'” Rodriguez said. “Come and enjoy the warmth of Mexico. The idea is to make sure we’re promoting Mexico to Canadian visitors.”
Canadians appear to be responding, with Mexico seeing 1,597,000 Canadian visitations in the January-May period, an 11.6% increase over the same period last year.
Rodriguez noted there are now over 30 daily flights between Canada and Mexico, a figure that will rise with winter’s arrival.
Rodriguez is welcoming WestJet and Air Canada’s decision to begin service to the inland Nayarit city of Tepic, which she said will enable them to see more of the state, rather than just the popular Riviera Maya. WestJet will begin Calgary-Tepic service Dec. 13, while Air Canada will begin Vancouver-Tepic flights Dec. 17.
Rodriguez – formerly tourism minister in the central Mexican state of Tlaxcala – also labelled Central Mexico culturally rich..
Among Canadian roadshow attendees will be the Mayan Train, which works its way through five southeastern Mexican states, stopping at the likes of Mayan archeological sites en route, enabling people to see a side of the country that tourists generally bypass in favour of coastal stays.
“We do understand that Canadians see Mexico as a beach destination but we have so much more to offer,” said Rodriguez, citing the likes of pre-Columbian history, inland colonial cities and nature.
Mexico is also catering to the medical tourism and MICE markets, with Rodriguez saying it has the infrastructure to easily accommodate both.
Mexico has had to contend with damaging drug cartel publicity in recent years but Rodriguez insisted her country is safe for visitors, citing the millions of Canadians who choose to vacation in her homeland each year, returning home without encountering any safety issues.
Meanwhile, Mexican tourism officials are upbeat about next year’s soccer World Cup competition, which will be jointly hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States and which is expected to draw huge international interest.
The interior Mexican cities of Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey will host games that tourism officials say will focus international attention on the cities themselves and attract many visitors to the destinations and Mexico as a whole.
