Mexico Kicks Off Operation “Toca Puertas” in Vancouver
The Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico, Miguel Torruco Marqués, began a working tour of Vancouver, Canada, as part of the Operation “Toca Puertas” (Knock on Doors), where he met with leaders of the sector in this outbound tourist market.
During the first day of activities, and accompanied by the Consul General of Mexico in Vancouver, Berenice Diaz Ceballos, the head of the Ministry of Tourism (SECTUR) met with the Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport of British Columbia, Melanie Mark, with whom he exchanged information to increase tourism between the two countries.
Mark thanked the Secretary of Tourism for his visit and interest in Vancouver, and invited him to strengthen this exchange with Canada as a whole. He acknowledged that there is important work to be done to reactivate tourism in Canada, and pointed out that Mexico is an example for its policies that allowed it to recover quickly.
As part of the actions of the Operation Knock on Doors program in Vancouver, the head of SECTUR, together with authorities and representatives of tourism associations in our country, carried out a series of actions to reactivate and expand tourism exchanges between the two countries, in addition to promoting Mexico's destinations to government agencies and the private sector.
He emphasized that Canada is the second largest international tourist market and Mexico is the fifth largest inbound market for Canada, which represents a strong movement of visitors that generate millions of dollars in tourism spending.
During Operation Knock on Doors, the Secretary of Tourism held a meeting with Keith Henry, President and CEO of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada, with the purpose of undertaking indigenous nature tourism projects in Mexico.
At this meeting, they agreed on the importance of dignifying and strengthening indigenous communities, which are of great value to the cultures and a fundamental part of our roots, and will analyze different projects to undertake ethnic and nature tourism in Mexico.
Torruco Marqués also spoke with Marsha Walden, president and CEO of Destination Canada, about the trends in the bilateral relationship between the two countries and the collaboration agreements that will boost tourism activity.
In this meeting, representatives of Mexican destinations presented their attractions and tourism products.
The Undersecretary of Tourism of Baja California, José de Jesús Quiñonez Ramírez, presented the wine route in the state, and made an invitation to the 43rd World Congress of Vine and Wine to be held in Ensenada from October 21 to November 3, 2022.
Lucero Guerrero Brambila, Director of Promotion, Sales and Marketing of the Tourism Promotion Trust of the State of Nayarit, said: "Something important is happening in Nayarit", as the state is currently ranked first in investment.
The Undersecretary of Sustainable Tourism of the Nuevo León Ministry of Tourism, Sara Riojas de la Peña, spoke of the air connectivity and the international events programmed that encourage the arrival of visitors.
Meanwhile, the Project Development Manager of the Los Cabos Tourism Trust, Paulina Aguilar, detailed the offer for meeting and health tourism, as well as sustainability and air connectivity.
On behalf of SECTUR, Humberto Hernández-Haddad, Undersecretary of Tourism; Emmanuel Rey, General Director of Promotion and International Affairs; and Enrique Avilés, Director of Social Communication, attended the tour.
Representing the private sector are the president of Concanaco Servytur, Héctor Tejada Shaar, as well as the presidents of the Hotel Association of Cancún, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres, Jesús Almaguer Salazar; and of the Mexican Association of Travel Agents, Eduardo Paniagua.
