Highlights of 2023 Tianguis Turistico

The 47th edition of the Tianguis Turistico, held in Mexico City, exceeded the sales volume registered in last year's edition in Acapulco by 87 percent. By the close of the event, sales of almost $70 million had been recorded.

Tianguis Turistico 2023 nearly doubled sales concerning the previous year.

The head of the Ministry of Tourism (SECTUR), Miguel Torruco, announced that 88,432 business appointments were made, 36 percent more than in the 46th edition, and more than half (53 percent) resulted in sales. The number of buyers also increased, by 34 percent annually, to close the event with 2,338.

With these figures, the head of SECTUR reaffirmed that the Tianguis Turistico de la Ciudad de Mexico broke all records in the event's history. There were 90 participating countries, two more than the highest number previously recorded in Acapulco in 2017.

The six most offered products were cultural, nature, adventure, sun and beach, gastronomic, and meetings tourism which returned to the top spots after disappearing because of the pandemic.

"The benefits of this Tianguis Turistico will be reflected by the end of 2023, especially in foreign exchange and per capita spending, as we expect a historical figure of more than $31 billion," concluded the official.

Among the most requested products are cultural tourism, with 51 percent; nature tourism, with 42 percent; adventure tourism, with 35 percent; sun and beach tourism, with 35 percent; gastronomic tourism, with 32 percent and business tourism, with 31 percent.

Tianguis Turistico 2023 received an investment of almost $4 million dollars, $500,000 more than the amount allocated to the 46th edition held last year in Acapulco, Guerrero. The head of SECTUR added that Mexico City's pavilion was the most extensive destination in the event's history.

Thus, Mexico City demonstrates that it should always have been considered the venue for Tianguis Turistico, as the significant tourism powers did, which was sought between 2012 and 2013.

"This 47th edition will be remembered forever and will mark a milestone in the history of national tourism, ratifying our country as a world tourism power and a destination full of success and exponential growth," Torruco said.

He added that for this year it is estimated that the country will capture $31.2 billion in foreign exchange from tourism activity, a figure 26.8 percent higher than that recorded in 2019, prior to the pandemic.

The federal official recalled that a nation's tourism potential is not measured by the number of tourists received but by the foreign currency captured, an area in which Mexico advanced from 17th to ninth position in the global ranking of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

He emphasized that thanks to the federal policy of not closing the country to international tourism, Mexico made significant progress in attracting foreign travelers, spending, and investment. Foreign direct tourism investment (FDIT) amounted to $3.45 billion last year, a historical figure that exceeded 2019 by 216 percent.

The person in charge of national tourism pointed out that the measures taken during the health crisis were successful and prevented the tourism sector, whose economy supports more than 10 million jobs, from suffering significant damage, unlike what happened in the international arena.

At the event, Torruco celebrated, highlighted, and cheered the decision of the sector's businesspeople to continue investing in the country. Among other people in business was the president of the Business Coordinating Council (CCE), Francisco Cervantes; the head of the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco), Hector Tejeda; and the representative of the National Tourism Business Council (CNET), Braulio Arsuaga.

Through the halls of the Tianguis Huatulco had a separate stand.

The sun and beach destination has everything to stand out as a vacation spot. Huatulco receives family tourism, quiet and respectful of the environment. Foreigners are mainly Canadians who have arrived and spent long periods in the destination. They participate in community life and are very adaptable and involved.

Yucatan continues to bet on tourism in its traditional localities. Espita, a town in the state, has a 99% chance of being declared one of the new Magical Towns of Yucatan, according to information revealed by the municipal authorities, according to the progress they have been informed of. If Espita is declared one of the new Pueblos Magicos of Yucatan, it would be the fifth town to obtain the title. It would join Valladolid, Izamal, Mani, and the port of Sisal, a precinct of Hunucma.

Morelia is a city with a great tourist offer, and it is easily connected to several of the most relevant attractions in the Central Zone of Mexico. The city is considered a World Heritage Site due to the beauty and cultural heritage of the colonial architecture of its buildings and monuments; the Cathedral, Aqueduct, the Portales, and many other points of the Historic Center are enough incentives to visit the city, but also a cultural legacy for the people of Morelia.

Avis Mexico, the car rental company, introduced a new free service called QuickPass, where thanks to the use of biometrics, now the face of each person becomes the key to your car.

More agile, faster, and safer are the attributes of Avis Mexico's new service: Avis QuickPass, a free service that, using biometrics, offers a unique experience that will transform the way to rent a car in Mexico and where now, the face of each person becomes the key to your vehicle.

Twenty "brands," including companies, foundations, associations, and institutions that promote the inclusion of people with disabilities, participated in the 47th edition of the Tianguis Turistico at the "Tourism for All" stand.

Deverdun, Kalimori, El espacio de Michelle, World Meeting Forum, Cambiando Miradas, Icaro Movilidad Integral, Consultoria en TIC y discapacidad, Aprendiendo a Vivir sin Ti and Viendotentiendo were represented at the largest tourism fair in Latin America.

Those interested received advice from a specialist from the Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion, which has a representative in each of the 16 municipalities of Mexico City and where priority groups, including people with disabilities, are linked with companies to find work.

"I have already worked quite a bit here at different events, either in the registration area, giving information or scanning tickets," says Karla Velez, a wheelchair user, "but I like to find out now about places especially for us, such as beaches and hotels."

These are some of the outstanding numbers of the meeting in CDMX:

-88,432 business appointments registered (historical record), 36 percent more than in 2022

-53 percent of these appointments resulted in sales

-2,338 buyers, 34 percent more than in 2022

-1,383 companies registered, 32 percent more than the previous year

-90 nations participated in the fair (historical record)

-5,111 delegates from 1,429 companies (a record)

-34,000 square meters of exhibition space, with 802 booths (38 percent more than in 2022)

-Preliminary sales volume reported voluntarily by 23 percent of participating companies amounted to almost $70 million, 87 percent more than the previous year

The most popular destinations for buyers were:

1. Cancun

2. CDMX

3. Mayan Riviera

4. Los Cabos

5. Puerto Vallarta

6. Merida

7. Nayarit Riviera

8. Guadalajara

9. Oaxaca

10. Pueblos Magicos

The hotel occupancy rate in the CDMX was almost 70 percent with the arrival of more than 150,000 tourists in the previous five days and the generation of almost $95 million in revenue.

Congratulations to the winners of the First Edition of the "Magical Towns for Excellence" Awards:

Cultural Category: Mexcaltitan, Nayarit

Enology Category: Tequisquiapan, Queretaro

Gastronomy Category: Tlaquepaque, Jalisco

Nature Category: Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo

Paleontology Category: Melchor Muzquiz, Coahuila

Heritage Category: Valladolid, Yucatan

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.