Federal District Proposes Tianguis Turístico in Acapulo

(Mexico City, AN 20 June) The secretary of tourism for the Federal District in Mexico’s capital, Alejandro Rojas Díaz Durán, has released a document with 23 “considerations,” in which he proposes setting the Tianguis Turístico for Acapulco on the traditionally established dates. Simultaneously, he suggested that five differently themed promotional events for tourism be held in different regions of the country, including, naturally, the Federal District and popular destinations like Cancun.

Díaz Durán opined that it is a good idea to have an “itinerant” tourism fair, but only if it adds to the level of tourism promotion of Mexico, rather than risk diminishing it. He recalled that the Tianguis Turístico in Acapulco was, “for 36 years the only international tourism promotion event in Mexico, and it contributed, in good measure, to the development of the tourism sector nationally and promoted Mexico and its various destinations both within the country and world-wide. The majority of its annual editions were very successful.”

The 23 “considerations” of the Federal District’s Secretary of Tourism were sent to the Supreme Court in support of a rapid but thoughtful resolution of the legal dispute between Acapulco and the federal government for ownership of the event. “Mexico indeed needs more than one fair on international tourism to compete, whether it be in Acapulco, or “itinerant,” or both. It is not a question of one or the other. . . . Mexico urgently needs more investment in promotion, public relations and many more tourism events for all the country’s destinations. He noted that the government’s RFP for bids on the Tianguis required more infrastructure and services than many worthy destinations could offer. For that reason, several events, some of them with specific themes (like scuba diving, archeology or folk art) need to be planned.

The net result of the document is that Acapulco should continue with its traditional tourism fair (the “Tianguis Turístico” by name), and that five other events be programmed for other parts of the country, some of them directed at a specific market segment. These events could and should rotate, to give all destinations a chance to participate.

“Instead of receiving only 23 million international tourists per year, we should be receiving 30 million or more,” he said. He added that part of the problem is the high cost of air travel to Mexico, which is either the result of monopoly pricing or shortsighted government regulation, or both.