Tianguis Turistico Remains on Schedule in Acapulco

coro

06 January 2019 4:07am

Despite the uncertainty surrounding new Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and his impact on the tourism industry, the 2019 edition of Tianguis Turistico is still planned for April. The annual trade showcase will take place in Acapulco between April 7-10.

There were questions about the Tianguis Turistico event this year due to the new administration taking office on December 1, but travel industry professionals received notification this week that the trade show would continue in 2019.

Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism Miguel Torruco also spoke at a press conference Wednesday to announce a new model for tourism promotion in the country. The most significant change will be the disbanding of the Tourism Council of Mexico.

The funds saved by shuttering the Tourism Council, its Mexico City headquarters and all of its overseas offices will be used on infrastructure projects, including the controversial Maya Train Project.

The Secretariat of Tourism (SECTUR) will be full in charge of the industry promotion in Mexico, which will focus on the tour operators, airlines, adding new business partners and participation in international fairs.

Instead of using public tax money, though, tourism officials will look to secure funding from sponsors and alliances. SECTUR is also looking to work on the diversification of markets due to the current dependence on the United States and Canada.

Torruco said while Mexico ranked sixth in the World Tourism Organization’s rankings for 2017 with 39.3 million visitors, the nation only ranked 15th in money spent by travelers. SECTUR estimates Mexico will reach almost 45 million international tourists in 2019, a 5.8 percent increase over last year.