Secretary of Tourism of Mexico meets with hoteliers

When meeting with the Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico, Miguel Torruco Marqués, the president of the National Association of Hotel Chains (ANCH) and CEO of City Express Hotels, Luis Barrios Sánchez, recognized that the policies implemented by the Government of Mexico during the pandemic they were successful, by allowing a rapid reactivation of the sector, mainly in the arrival of international tourists.

Accompanied by the presidents and general managers of the main hotel groups that are part of this association, Barrios Sánchez pointed out that the decision not to close the borders contributed to a rapid recovery, and reiterated the willingness of the ANCH partners to continue in this road.

The head of the Tourism Secretariat (Sectur), for his part, highlighted the important role played by the hotel sector, by participating, together with the Tourism and Health Secretariats, in the design and application of biosanitary protocols, with Mexico being the first country in Latin America to implement them.

He emphasized that this policy implemented by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, together with the non-restriction of international travel and the National Vaccination Plan, favored a drop in tourism in our country of only 46%, when the world average was 73%, and the great powers will register from 84% to 92%.

Torruco Marqués held an important dialogue with the representatives of the ANCH, where different issues were addressed, where the close collaboration between the public sector and the private initiative is essential to contribute to the strengthening of tourism activity, and thus achieve, as This is indicated by expectations, that this year the levels recorded prior to the pandemic will be recovered. 

He indicated that with the purpose of deconcentrating the tourist activity in only six destinations, and diversifying it towards the 235 places of tourist vocation, work is being done on strategic projects such as the Mayan Train, which will connect the states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo, and in whose route there will be 190 tourist attractions.

In addition, 'anchor' products and high-impact events are developed, such as the Hotel Museum in Orizaba, Veracruz; the Mazatlán aquarium, in Sinaloa; the Moctezuma Fish Race; Down Hill in Taxco, Guerrero; to name a few.

The Secretary of Tourism also referred to the strengthening of air connectivity, through the Metropolitan Airport System (SAM) with the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), the deconcentration of operations of the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) and the reactivation from Toluca International Airport.

He added that with the aim of facilitating the entry and exit of international tourists from the country, on April 30 the reform to Article 35 of the Migration Law came into force, which will allow the use of automated technological tools for the surveillance of entries. and exits to the national territory; after the Secretaries of the Interior; of the Public Function; Of Foreign Affairs; Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation; and Tourism, worked hand in hand until it was approved unanimously in the Congress of the Union.

The leaders of the country's main hotel chains thanked Secretary Torruco Marqués for his willingness to strengthen cooperation ties, and agreed to strengthen current issues such as tourism promotion, among others.

During the meeting, the valuable participation of the Undersecretary of Tourism, Humberto Hernández Haddad; Braulio Arsuaga Losada, president of the National Tourism Business Council (CNET) and CEO of Grupo Presidente; Juan Vela Ruíz, Vice President of Velas Resorts; Olga Patricia Gutiérrez Navárez, corporate legal director of Grupo Posadas; Miguel Ángel Guardado Preciado, CEO of Barceló Hotel Group Mexico; Givette Pérez Orea, general director of the ANCH; Leandro G. Trejo Escudero, CEO of Camino Real Hotels; Jesús Almaguer Salazar, president of the Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres Hotel Association (AHCPM&IM) and commercial director for Oasis Hotels & Resorts; Francisco Medina Elizalde, CEO of Grupo Hotelero Santa Fe; Lilzi Orcí Fregoso, Executive President of the Los Cabos Hotel Association; Jorge Paoli Díaz, CEO of Grupo Diestra; Alberto Carlos Albarrán Leyva, executive director of the Hotel Association of Mexico City; and Alfonso Jarquín Sánchez, director of Playa Hotels & Resorts.