Mexican President Trumpets Megabuck Investment in Tourism

Mexican President Vicente Fox announced $6 billion worth of investment in infrastructure, with special emphasis on the building and remodeling of roads, seaports and airports, three elements that can contribute dramatically to the development of the country’s leisure industry.

Mr. Fox made the announcement at the closing ceremony of the 29th Travel Marketplace, Mexico’s largest tourist sector that recently came to a successful close in Acapulco.

In his remarks, the Mexican president pointed out tourism has regained ground in the first two months of the year with a 15 percent increase in the number of foreign visitors from 2003. Mr. Fox also said his country expects to cater to nearly 20 million sunbathers and amass $10 billion in revenues during the course of 2004.

Railroad transport authorities –President Fox added- are planning to implement a fast train service (bullet) that will make traveling between the nation’s capital and Guadalajara a 120-minute ride instead of a five-hour trip.

The investment package will also zero in on the country’s tourist circuits, including those in the Pacific and Atlantic coasts mentioned above, stretching out from the Tampico seaport to both the north and south of the country.

Money for those works –Mr. Fox went on to say- will mostly come from private and foreign funds.

Mexico’s Travel Marketplace gathered over 3,500 attendants, broken down in tour operators, wholesalers, travel agents and congress planners.

The tradeshow featured a massive turnout from some twenty countries, including such Asian newcomers as China, Korea, Japan and Singapore.

The Acapulco International Center deployed 15,310 square yards of exhibition space for the event and rented 429 business suites for a significant number of trade deals conducted by 700 Mexican travel companies.

The Mexico Travel Marketplace started out in 1975 when the country counted on insufficient infrastructure to assimilate massive numbers of tourists. However, the Aztec nation now ranks eighth among the world’s top tourist receivers after welcoming 18 million sunbathers in 2003.