Mexico Signals ‘Rebirth of Tourism’ With Trade Fair Extravaganza

Mexico is making a bold statement by restarting its largest tourism fair in an event that is expected to draw thousands, sending the message that the country and its economy have put the pandemic in the rear-view window.

The Latin American nation is preparing for Tianguis Turistico, an annual trade show that skipped 2020 and this year will take place in the Yucatan capital of Merida in mid-November. Tianguis Turistico is on track to attract 10,000-plus people across exhibitors, buyers, and attendees amid pent-up demand. The event could contribute $115 million to the regional economy, according to estimates.

Last year, Mexico was forced to put the annual money-maker on hold due to the pandemic. Now the country is using the event as its calling card to signal to the world that its economy is open for tourism. This year marks the 45th edition of Tianguis Turistico, but it will take on a new meaning from here on in.

Rebirth of Tourism

Officials from Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism and the state of Yucatan have dubbed this year’s fair as a “rebirth of tourism” to kickstart the regional and national economies. It will take place at the Yucatán Siglo XXI Convention and Exhibition Center, which will host buyers plus exhibitors and attendees from across Mexico and dozens of other countries. If expectations are met, it will be Mexico’s single largest event since the pandemic reared its head.

The Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico, Miguel Torruco Marqués, tweeted about the trade fair, saying that so far, Tianguis Turistico has registered the following statistics: 1,252 buyers across 814 companies and 41 countries including Mexico; Exhibitors represent 562 companies and 2,088 people.

Source: Twitter

Mexico will ramp up safety protocols at the fair to ensure that it does not turn into a super spreader event. For example, to enter, participants will be required to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 tests taken no more than two days prior.

Yucatan in the Spotlight

Yucatan is thought to offer the best of both worlds for the maiden live Tianguis Turistico trade show in nearly two years. While it is not one of the most common tourist destinations, the state still has the capacity and infrastructure in place to handle the thousands of people who will be attending the event.

Yucatan has been preparing for its cameo for the past two years when it was first revealed that it would host an upcoming fair. State officials have set the wheels in motion to receive the influx of tourists so that local businesses and infrastructure are not overwhelmed when the time comes. They plan not only to showcase all that Merida has to offer but the Yucatan peninsula, which in addition to its beaches is known for its ancient ruins, parks, and more.

Yucatan is also strategically located next to the Cancun airport, where travel has been bustling. The trip from the Cancun airport to Merida is 308 km, and local officials are preparing shuttles to take travelers between the cities. If this is effective, the shuttle approach will be used as a model for future events. In addition, Yucatan is adding a stop in Merida on the train route from Cancun.

As of September 2021, the Cancun airport had recovered to pre-pandemic levels in terms of the number of passengers handled. The company behind the airport saw nearly 1.7 million passengers come through Cancun, up more than 4% vs. September 2019 levels. At the current rate, travel activity in Cancun for the full year of 2021 could surpass 2019 levels. The milestone is especially noteworthy considering that during the pandemic year of 2020, fewer than 900,000 passengers traveled through the Cancun airport in a comparable month.

Travelers have flocked to the Caribbean for its less stringent approach to handling the pandemic vs. other jurisdictions. Tourists are not required to wear masks in hotels or resorts, but the state of Quintana Roo suffered a spike in COVID-19 cases earlier this year, a trend that has since abated.

Meanwhile, the United States is poised to reopen its land borders with its neighbors to the south and north, Mexico and Canada, in early November. The U.S. land borders will be reopened to fully vaccinated travelers for non-essential travel including tourism. Tourists will now be able to enter the United States by ferry or by land, a route that has been closed off due to the pandemic since March 2020.

Then & Now

The Tianguis Turistico fair may be happening in Merida this year but that is not where the famous trade show got its start. The event dates back to 1975 and took place surrounding the tropical beaches and turquoise waters of Acapulco, where it was held consecutively for the first 36 years of its history. Mexico is not lacking in tourist hotspots, and the event has since taken advantage of them, including Puerta Vallarta, Puebla, and Cancun, for example. Next year, Tianguis Turistico will return to its roots to be held in Acapulco in March, while the 2023 edition is slated to take place in Mexico City.

Source: Twitter

Tourism and the Economy

Mexico is the world’s No. 7 tourist destination based on popularity, and it shows in the economy. Tens of millions of international travelers contributed $25 billion to Mexico’s economy in 2019, the year that’s used as a barometer since COVID. During the pandemic year, tourism’s contribution was slashed more than in half, and now Mexico is eager to put the crisis behind it, as is the rest of the world.

From a wider lens, the tourism sector represents 17% of Mexico’s GDP, which is deemed high for an emerging economy. Even as travel begins to crawl back, it is going to be a while before Mexico’s economy, which was mired in recession even before the pandemic hit, will recover. Mexico’s economy, which is the second biggest in the Latin American region, is expected to expand 6.2% in 2021 on the heels of an 8.5% contraction in 2020. The growth trajectory is forecast to continue into 2022 when GDP growth is pegged at 3%.

Relaunching the Tianguis Turistico is a major step in getting the tourism industry back on track, one whose psychological importance is as significant as the economic one.

By: Gerelyn Terzo of Sharemoney