350 Tourism Events Planned for Mazatlán in 2012

At a press conference yesterday, Sinaloa Secretary of Tourism Oralia Rice told reporters that 350 tourism events are planned for Mazatlán representing an eighteen percent increase over the previous year.


Included in that number are 13 national congresses and programs which have already been confirmed to take place in the Convention Center and which will bring 10,000 participants to the city.

Taking into account all planned tourism events, the municipality is expected to see approximately 48,000 tourists in 2012, not including sports events such as the Marathon, Triathlon and Motorcycle Week, and Carnaval.

Among those events, Rice told media the city will host los Premios Oye! on February 9, a national awards ceremony similar to the American Grammy awards. As well the Latin American and Caribbean Lions Club will hold their annual meeting here on January 18. Congresses for doctors of gynecology, trauma medicine and urology have also booked the Convention Center for different months during the year.

Present at the press conference was Carlos Berdegué Sacristán of Mazatlán´s Association of Hotels and Tourist Businesses who said the lack of direct air connections to the city is a hindrance for convention planners. A priority, he said, is to ensure flights from Mexico City to Mazatlán as Mexico City is a connection point for national and international airlines. They are continuing to meet with major airlines, he added.

One of the major goals for the coming year is to ensure cruise ships return to Mazatlán´s port. Jorge González, tourism subsecretary, said with this in mind the State government has committed 83 million pesos for projects to improve the image of Centro Historico.

Mazatlán will recover the 200 cruise ship arrivals, he went on to say. As of now Holland America has reserved docking space in the port once in November, twice in December and 11 times in 2013. Given that one cruise ship line is returning to Mazatlán, they are talking to other lines to invite them to return as well.

(from Noroeste)