Mexico to benefit from ITB

Tuesday, 18 March 2014 00:10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

thenews.com.mx

THE NEWS

The 2014 ITB Berlin International Tourism Fair — where Mexico was featured as this year’s partner country — brought together a record number of 10,147 exhibitors from 189 countries.

According to Tourism Secretariat (Sectur) sources, Mexico’s performance as the ITB Berlin partner country for this year was “stunning,” thanks to a program of entertainment and multimedia spectacles that it said allowed Mexico to show off its cultural treasures.

The Mexico Pavilion included music and dance spectacles, as well as traditional Mexican dishes that showed off the country’s culinary heritage.

Sectur sources said that visitors “could go to Mexico and take their experiences home with them” through a virtual visit, adding that the colorful handicrafts from around the country that were on display provoked interest among many visitors to visit Mexico.

“Mexico shares its happiness and satisfaction regarding the results of the ITB 2014, and the fair represented a great opportunity to show off our country and its destinations,” Tourism Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu said in an official statement. “We were able to show a sophisticated, modern and diverse Mexico to the world, boasting of our numerous cultural and natural attractions and a wealth of food and handicrafts.”

Mexico starred at tourism fair

Monday, 10 March 2014

THE NEWS

Mexico’s time in the global tourism spotlight came to an end on Sunday with the closing of the International Tourism Fair (ITB) in Berlin.

Upon the closing of the event, organizers said that $9 billion worth of business deals were made at the fair, a record for the tourism promotion event.

The ITB’s success was largely a product of the large number of exhibitors. Some 10,000 tourism industry companies from 189 countries gave their proposals to more than 114,000 industry professionals and 60,000 members of the general public during the five-day event — a higher turnout than expected.

“The exhibitors and visitors at the ITB in Berlin this year take home with them the spirit of euphoria that was felt during these last five days,” said ITB Director Christian Göke, adding that this year’s fair was centered around issues such as sustainable growth and making reservations via wireless devices.

In recent years, German citizens have had more vacation money due to a stable job market, a rise in collective agreements to regulate salary levels and positive economic growth forecasts. This is one of the reasons that this year’s fair was so important for Mexico, which is trying to diversify its tourist market from its heavy independence on U.S. visitors.

U.S. tourists made up 55 percent of all international visitors to Mexico in 2012, a number which has been steadily rising in recent years. German tourists represented 1.6 percent, a number that Mexican officials and industry professionals are trying to increase.

Mexico’s Ambassador to Germany, Patricia Espinosa Castellanos, said that the fair was an overall success, adding that there is mutual interest from both countries to continue strengthening their relations.

She mentioned that President Enrique Peña Nieto has already held several meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and that there are conversations being held in preparation for Peña Nieto’s first official visit to Germany.