Protecting Mexican tourism
The weather outside is frightful, unless of course, you head south of the border. Sun and beautiful beaches are in abundance on Mexico’s coasts, and that is the message the Mexican Tourism Board, the city of Puerto Vallarta and Frontier Airlines want to spread in Kansas City. On Dec. 1, a glass display mounted on top of a trailer was open for viewing at the Westin Crown Center. The “Promobus” is a display filled with palm trees, sand and actual beach-goers in an effort to encourage tourism to Mexico. Frontier Airlines unveiled its new direct flight from Kansas City to Puerto Vallarta at the event.
The Promobuses are traveling to 18 locations throughout the United States and Canada. This is the second year for the buses, which reached more than 2.2 million people last year. The Mexican Tourism Board was awarded several advertising awards for the campaign.
The promotions come at a time when Mexican tourism is down in the wake of Hurricane Wilma in October. The storm destroyed of many of the Caribbean resort centers, including Cancun and much of Cozumel. This is concerning officials because tourism is a major industry for Mexico. It currently ranks third in foreign exchange earnings behind oil and remittances. In 2004, tourism figures reached record highs, according to the Mexican Secretary of Tourism. It is an important source of wealth, employment and stability for the nation. Approximately 1.9 million direct jobs and nearly 8 million indirect jobs are created from tourism. The government and tourism boards are working hard to protect this vital industry.
Eduardo Chaillo, regional director of the board of directors for the department of tourism of Mexico, spoke with Dos Mundos from his office in Chicago. Chaillo is responsible for promotional efforts in 12 states throughout the Midwest. He also supervises Mexican Tourism Board activities in seven other marketing offices of North America. The offices are located in Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Montreal and New York. He came to Kansas City during the Promobus promotion.
“We have come in order to show through an innovative strategy, the warmth and pleasantness that various places in Mexico can offer for the tourists,” Chaillo said.
Mexican tourism officials are saying it’s safe again to travel to many parts of the Caribbean coasts, but problems such as cutbacks in air service by U.S. airlines may make the trip more expensive and troublesome. American Airlines won’t begin normal service again until February. United, Delta and Continental have reduced their service until the middle of December.
Restoration is underway. Visitors to the Caribbean coast should expect construction and beach erosion. However, this month a $20 million beach restoration project was begun in Cancun.
The message of Chaillo and others at the Mexican Tourism Board is that a majority of Mexico’s tourist destinations are intact. “Our message is that Mexico is more than Cancun and the places that were destroyed by the hurricane. We have in the Pacific places as beautiful as they are; Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos; Mazatlan, Ixtapa and Acapulco,” he said. “The Mayan Riviera after the hurricane is already 80 percent restored; Cancun is 50 percent, and we hope that in February we will be able to say we’re at 100 percent.” He also said the governor of Quintana Roo, the state on the eastern side of the Yucatan peninsula, is making a tour of the United States. He will inform people about the real situation so those wanting to travel will know it’s safe and that there are many other lovely beaches.
Promotions like the direct flight from Kansas City to Puerto Vallarta may undo some of Wilma’s damage to tourism. The flights will begin in February and start at $769 for six days and five nights.
