Thousands of tourism pros came to Rosarito Beach this week for the 49th annual Tianguis Turístico, which means Tourism Market. The event promotes travel in Mexico.
Mariachi bands, charros, and pottery throwing were just a few of the celebrations of Mexican culture at Tianguis Turístico, hosted at the new Baja California Center in Playas de Rosarito.
This is the first time the conference has been to Baja since it debuted in Acapulco in 1976.
Miguel Aguíñiga Rodríguez, Baja California’s Secretary of Tourism, says his state is excited to host the convention.
“The 32 states of Mexico come together to promote all the beautiful things each state has to offer,” Aguíñiga said.
The conference, organized by the Mexican government, brings together more than 3,200 exhibitors from 43 countries to trade ideas on growing tourism from Tijuana to the Yucatan.
Sand and surf are still major attractions in much of Mexico, but the industry has evolved.
“Baja California is ready to be an international destination. We have a great gastronomy. We produce 70% of the Mexican wine,” Aguíñiga said.
Along with Baja, all 32 states of Mexico are leveraging cultural experiences to attract international travelers. Fernanda Gaxiola Camacho is at the convention representing the central Mexican state of Morelos.
“I think the world is changing after the pandemic. Like, all the tourism has changed a lot and now it's more based on experiences and connecting with communities,” Gaxiola said.
Aguíñiga says tourism makes up about 8% of Baja’s economy. Gaxiola says Morelos tourism industry also makes up about 8% of their economy, however, she points out that tourism spills over into other economic sectors as well.
“But if you add other categories like entertainment, like music festivals, restaurants, all this kind of stuff, we are getting almost to 18%. So it is one of the most important categories for Morelos,” Gaxiola said.
The Mexican Secretary of Tourism releases Tourism Key Indicator Data. January’s numbers are just out, showing positive movement in all categories: International tourists are up 8.5%, American resident visits are up 8.5%, and cruise ship arrivals are up 10.4%.
Gaxiola credits the growth to the leveraging of Mexico’s cultural identity, especially its indigenous traditions.
“Nowadays for all the country, community tourism is very important," Gaxiola said, comparing it to a feedback between the tourist and the community they're visiting. "The people come to the community and live with everything."
Aguíñiga agrees.
“We are the window to Mexico and that’s why we’re promoting more traditions and more Mexican vibe but with high quality,” Aguíñiga said. “So Mexico is still open to the world, and we welcome everybody to come and enjoy Mexico.”
Reflecting a spirit of cultural exchange, Aguíñiga says Mexico would like to welcome tourists from all over the world.
