Meagan Drillinger
The 46th edition of Tianguis Turistico wrapped last week in Acapulco, Mexico. The largest travel industry trade show in the country brought 1,450 buyers from 872 companies, including tour operators and travel agencies from 45 countries, to hold business meetings with 1,850 exhibitors. The event came just six months after the rescheduled 45th Tianguis Turistico was held in Merida, Yucatan. Still, with so much development in Mexico throughout the pandemic, there was plenty of news to share.
From coast to coast, including Mexico's dramatic interior, the country is poised to spotlight new destinations, welcome new flights and open a slew of luxury hotels.
'Anchor projects' spread the wealth
As part of the opening ceremony, tourism and government officials highlighted some of the projects that they will be focusing on in the coming year and beyond. In 2018, 92.5 percent of international tourism concentrated in only six tourist destinations in the country. Mexico's tourism success over the course of the pandemic has allowed the country to put its efforts into rising destinations in order to appeal to the rising number of different travelers who have started to tap into Mexico.
These are called "anchor projects" that the government is working to promote to travelers so that they can get to know the unexplored areas of Mexico. The anchor projects include a hacienda and pulque route through the state of Hidalgo; a "sea to sea" race in Baja California Sur between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez; the Gran Carrera del Desierto de Altar, an ultramarathon held in the Sonoran Desert; skydiving over Nayarit; BASE jumping in Nuevo Leon; and wine routes in Baja California.
These anchor projects will cover five states and 17 municipalities and will include four Unesco World Heritage Sites, two archaeological sites, five natural regions and three former haciendas. As part of these new concentrated efforts and promotions, the mainstream tourism bubble in Mexico will continue to expand.
Nayarit's Tepic Airport going international
The airport in Tepic, the capital of the state of Nayarit, is expanding to become an international airport thanks to a large investment. The expansion of the airport, in addition to the completion of a new interstate highway, will bring more tourism to the northern coast of Nayarit, particularly the town of San Blas. San Blas is the jumping-off point for one of Mexico's newest attractions, Islas Marias.
Currently, Tepic welcomes a Volaris flight from Tijuana, but the minister of tourism for the state of Nayarit is also talking with Volaris about opening up a route from Los Angeles. Richard Zarkin, director of public relationships for Riviera Nayarit, told Travel Weekly that there is also potential for American Airlines and United, which have commuter planes that could service the state.
Islas Marias, a former prison now turned preserved natural habitat, will be welcoming ferries from San Blas starting in the fall. These four islands, a practically untouched Unesco Biosphere Preserve, are perfect for nature lovers, divers, and surfers.
Grupo Xcaret expands into sailing with Xailing
On the heels of opening Casa de la Playa, the latest in the empire of luxury all-inclusive hotels under the Xcaret umbrella, the group is already in the midst of further growth.
Related: Xcaret's newest hotel improves on perfection
The group will debut a new line of business -- sailing -- to bring travelers to the third-most visited activity in Cancun: Isla Mujeres. The new branch, Xailing, will launch in July with a catamaran tour that takes travelers from Cancun to Isla Mujeres. An additional experience will include a sailing activity with an open bar and an onboard lunch. Once on Isla Mujeres, guests can relax at the group's beach club partner, which is yet to be announced. Later this year, catamarans will be stationed at the resorts so that guests can have sailing experiences directly from the properties.
On the hotels side, the company is preparing for the expansion of Hotel Xcaret Mexico. The work will take place over the next two and a half years and will include another set of 10 restaurants and an additional 900 rooms.
Posadas to open new Cancun hotels
Posadas has announced two new developments in Quintana Roo: Live Aqua Beach Resort Riviera Cancun and Grand Fiesta Americana Riviera Cancun, which will join the nine hotels from the company in the region.
The Live Aqua Beach Resort Riviera Cancun, an adults-only resort, will have 452 rooms, 19 restaurants, a spa and the Aqua Club. The Grand Fiesta Americana Riviera Cancun will be a family-friendly resort with 600 rooms, 19 restaurants, spa, theater, a waterpark and a wedding events space. The two resorts will share a convention center with a capacity of more than 2,000 people.
La Paz rebrands for luxury
The capital of Baja California Sur, La Paz, has been a rising destination for international tourists for quite some time. But recent infrastructure developments and investments are repositioning the destination as a sophisticated, evolving city on the sea. Known for its boutique hotels, high-end activities like yachting and natural experiences like trips to Balandra Beach and Espiritu Santu, La Paz is a Sea of Cortez treasure trove waiting to be tapped.
La Paz is accessed via routes from Phoenix that fly year-round. The Cross Border Xpress from San Diego links passengers to the Tijuana airport, where they can take flights with Volaris or Calafia to La Paz. The other option is to fly into San Jose del Cabo and drive an hour and 45 minutes to La Paz.
Among the new projects coming to the city will be the Chable Sea of Cortez, as well as the Fairmont La Paz Puerta Cortes Resort and Residences, scheduled to open in 2023.