International tourism numbers in Mexico are up, hitting record numbers in some regions. Mexico is the world’s 15th most popular countries in international tourist arrivals. Here’s a quick look at what’s going on in a few of Mexico’s 32 states.
Sinaloa: The port city of Mazatlan is a beach and cruise destination but it’s also a colonial city with much to offer in cultural and heritage tourism. The historic district has had many upgrades recently and the malecon (the boardwalk) has had a $2m US makeover. The airport has recently been renovated and a new time-saving turnpike has been built. And the money being spent on infrastructure is paying off: this year, hotel occupancy was up 17% and air arrivals up 18% over three years ago. MICE events are up a whopping 63% since 2012. Cruise arrivals are way up too: from 35 arrivals in 2014 to 110 planned for 2016. Mazatlan will also be featured in the Mexico Tourism Board’s 2015/2016 advertising campaigns.
Quintanoo Roo is enjoying record visitation as well. In the first quarter of 2015, they received almost 4 million tourists, 1.6% above last year and their highest numbers ever. Four new towns have been designated Pueblos Magicos, Lázaro Cárdenas (where Holbox Island is located), Isla Mujeres, Tulum, and Port Felipe Carrillo. A new tourism campaign will help promote tourism in the southern part of the state while still emphasizing the strengths of better-known destinations such as Cancun.
www.visitmexico.com/en/cancun
Jalisco: Capital city (and Mexico’s second largest city) Guadalajara has been named host of the 2016 Tianguis Turistico and as such will enjoy a lot of attention in the next year. Budget airline Volaris will offer direct flights to New York City beginning in July. In Puerto Vallarta, there’s a new advertising push aimed at the US LGBT market as well as several new hotels and a few hotel makeovers. Recently, Puerto Vallarta won FITUR’s 2014 Excellence in Tourism award.
In Chiapas, there’s a new ecocamp opening in May 2015, Teoticamp in Teotihuacan. Besides camping, it will feature a hotel and restaurant and will offer such activities as hiking, biking, horses, ballooning, and even a mock archeological dig where kids can learn about both archeology and the history of the region. It’s a softer adventure option in a land of many more rigorous activities.
Guerrero, see full article here:
Visit Mexico, www.visitmexico.com