Mexico's Secretary of Tourism, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, and the Governor of Quintana Roo, Mara Lezama Espinoza, inaugurated the 36th edition of the Cancún Travel Mart, where the investment of 700 million dollars by Grupo Xcaret in its hotel facilities, as well as in its ecotourism amusement parks, was announced, which in turn will generate 1,600 direct jobs in the first stage.
Also accompanied by the Secretary of Tourism of the entity, Bernardo Cueto Riestra, the head of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) expressed the importance of this event in the promotion and development of tourism in the area, in addition to contributing to the expansion and strengthening of the tourism industry in Mexico.
He said that with the presence of more than 23 countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, participants will have the opportunity to establish contacts, close trade agreements, as well as promote tourist destinations and services in the region and the Mexican Caribbean.
Rodríguez Zamora added that, in addition to the above, the Cancún Travel Mart expects sales of approximately 4.9 billion dollars, which will materialize in 2025, including all seasons.
He noted that this event is a business platform that brings together representatives of the tourism industry, such as hotels, travel agencies, airlines, and other tourism service providers, with national and international buyers, including tour operators and travel agents.
“Tourism, in addition to being an activity that has the benefit of generating jobs, foreign exchange, investments and bringing people and nations together, is a powerful tool that, if we know how to use it intelligently and responsibly, contributes to achieving a balance between economic development and the conservation and protection of biodiversity,” he said.
Highlighting the joint work to promote tourism in Mexico by the president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, the governor, Mara Lezama Espinoza, the municipal president, Ana Patricia Peralta de la Peña, and the Ministry of Tourism that she is honored to lead, she recalled the words of the first leader to praise the work of women: “We have come to lead the destiny of our beautiful nation. And I say we have come, because I am not the only one, we all have come.”
He also highlighted the importance of community tourism for the current administration, with the aim of ensuring that the benefits of tourism activity permeate all resident communities and indigenous peoples, and shared that four priority axes have been established: Sustainable Development, Destination Production, Strengthening of Magical Towns, Social Inclusion and Regional Development.
The Secretary of Tourism reminded attendees that, as part of the great strategy to promote Mexico abroad, Mexico will have a major participation in international fairs, among which, she highlighted, the International Tourism Fair (Fitur) 2025.
He commented that it will be a great opportunity to promote the cultural, heritage and gastronomic wealth of the 32 entities in Spain, with whom there is a great commercial, cultural, but above all, tourist relationship, and where the participation of 8,500 companies from more than 131 countries and more than 6,000 specialized media is expected, with approximately 222,000 visitors, of which more than 50% are professionals in the sector.
He explained that in line with the celebration of the 2026 World Cup, Mexico is currently in the organizational stage with the Madrid Trade Fair Institution (IFEMA), since Mexico will be the Partner Country of FITUR 2026, where the states will have activation spaces from February 2025 to January 2026.
In her turn, the governor of Quintana Roo, Mara Lezama Espinoza, expressed that in recent days, Quintana Roo has already added a private investment in the tourism sector for 1.7 billion dollars, which adds up to the announcement made.
In this regard, the Secretary of Tourism, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, emphasized the importance of increasing investment amounts and improving sustainability practices, since they increase the arrival of tourists, are a source of job creation and increase the receipt of foreign currency from tourism, which directly benefits the sector in the area and the communities.
During the inauguration of the Cancun Travel Mart, the following were present: Veronica Lezama Espinosa, Honorary President of the State DIF; Ana Patricia Peralta, Municipal President of Benito Juarez; Blanca Merari Tziu Muñoz, Municipal President of Puerto Morelos; Atenea Gomez Ricalde, Municipal President of Isla Mujeres; Jesus Almaguer Salazar, President of the Association of Hotels of Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres; Miguel Angel Fong Gonzalez, President of the Mexican Association of Hotels and Motels; Luis Barrios Sanchez, President of the National Association of Hotel Chains; Raul Andrade Angulo, President of the Association of Hotels of the Center and South .
Source: SECTUR.