San Miguel to become a power in tourism
By Judy Newell May 2, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

The “Ruta de Independencia” (the Route of Independence) between San Miguel de Allende and Dolores Hidalgo will become a four-lane highway by the 2010 bicentennial celebrations, according to Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

The announcement was made at the closing ceremonies of the 33rd annual Tianguis Turistico in Acapulco on April 16.

The president reasserted that Mexico would be a major world tourist destination and predicted an excellent year for tourism despite the “economic turbulence” within the US economy over the past year. Mexico depends on the US for almost 80 percent for its international trade.

Calderon plans on converting Mexico into a power player in the tourism industry by investing in infrastructure, attracting more foreign investment, diversifying destination offerings, expanding Internet facilities and reinforcing security.

Infrastructure: The plans include the opening of three new airports and the amplification of 31 others. Eleven new cruise docks are planned, adding to the two already built this presidential period, plus the modernization of roads and highways that unite important cities and tourist centers. Earlier this year, Calderon created the National Infrastructure Fund to offer greater security to private sector investors.

He also noted new credit programs for medium and small tourist businesses. By the end of 2008 the credit programs will have benefited more than 2,000 small tourist businesses, which will have authorized credit accounts receivable of more than 2,000 million pesos (a little more than US$191 million). There are 2.4 million employees in the tourism sector.

Foreign Investment: He emphasized that in the first 16 months of his government, the private foreign investment in tourism was over US$5.5 billion; half the amount collected in the previous six years.

New Destinations: Calderon also explained that Mexico is actively concentrating on diversifying beyond traditional “sun and sea tourism” to highlight other products such as cultural, archeological, crafts, gastronomical and religious tourism.

“In every one of these activities there is a huge potential that the country is obligated to take advantage of,” said President Calderon.

Internet: The president also underlined the launch of the web page "Ventana Unica" that will allow any person, in any part of the world, to reserve and buy fully guaranteed airline tickets, lodging, packages and tourist services in Mexico.

Security: Regarding the necessity to guarantee the security of tourists and Mexicans, the president said that his government “has acted and will continue to act with firmness to recuperate the security of the entire national territory so that order may prevail in the tourist zones.”

The Secretary of Tourism of Mexico, Rodolfo Elizondo Torres, headed a "North American Market Trends" forum on April 15 and pointed out that “Mexico should take advantage of the new opportunities it offers its main target” in business, medical, real estate, retirement, adventure and cultural tourism.

An international panel of six specialists in North American tourist travel concurred that Mexico has made a “significant advancement” to boost market share for more tourism from the United States and Canada. The Canadian market was up 22 percent in 2007 with circa one million Canadians visiting Mexico who stayed four times longer than their American counterparts. The US market sent 67.9 percent of all international visitors to the country, with an average stay of 3.5 nights.

A newly agreed direct flight from Berlin to Guadalajara will launch in October by the German airline, Air Cosmos. Mexico is promoting this market as German tourists spend more than others on their vacations and have a longer average vacation period. Last year German tourism to Mexico increased by 12.4 percent with direct flights available only from Frankfurt.

Other announcements made include the investment of 38 million pesos for the Green Angeles, an organization that offers assistance to national and foreign tourists traveling along Mexico’s highways. Mexico is the only country in the world that offers, free of charge, assistance to travelers with vehicular problems. This will provide for a further 159 radio patrols to be incorporated into the fleet.

Mexico’s Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) announced the opening of 10 archeological sites to the public between now and 2012 to enlarge upon the history of the country’s pre-Hispanic cultures. 

Activities for the event were launched on April 13 at a ceremony at Mundo Imperial, Acapulco's newest convention center and resort development. Tianguis Turistico is considered the most important tourism promotional platform in Latin America and the seventh largest in the world.

The conference was held at the Acapulco Convention Center where businesses and buyers from 28 countries scheduled 21,000 pre-established appointments at booths representing over 500 tourist services. In addition, 32 Mexican states were represented including the International Mayan World that integrates Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Belize.

The four-day event included lunches, dinners and cocktail parties sponsored by various states and travel suppliers that were held at resorts and private villas and a banquet at the San Diego Fort that was sponsored by the Acapulco Visitor and Convention Center for over 500 guests.

Judy Newell recently attended the 2008 Tianguis Turistico in Acapulco as a member of the international press. It was Mexico’s 33rd annual convention for the worldwide travel industry. Newell is a writer and travel industry executive, heads the custom tour company Perfect Journeys. SheContact her at JudyNewell_03@msn.com. 










Travel News You Can Use
By Judy Newell

Cruise News

Queen Elizabeth II to bid farewell to Cunard's QE2

Cunard Line announced that Queen Elizabeth II will make a farewell visit to cruise ship Queen Elizabeth 2 in Southampton on June 2. The QE2 is leaving the Cunard fleet in November to become a hotel and entertainment destination in Dubai.

QE2, billed as the most famous ship in the world and for 35 years the flagship of the Cunard fleet, was launched by Her Majesty at Clydebank on Sept. 20, 1967—40 years ago last year. 

Since then QE2 has traveled over 5.6 million nautical miles, more than any ship ever; has carried over 2.5 million guests; has completed 25 world cruises; and has crossed the Atlantic 802 times.



Air Travel News

Airport security: Mood lighting and music?

USA Today has a story today about how the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is planning on testing a “kinder, gentler” screening process at Baltimore-Washington International airport. What does that mean? Mauve lighting, soothing music and smiling employees. 

If the TSA is serious about making people less stressed during the screening process, they should focus on making enforcement consistent from airport to airport. It’s not, and it’s maddening. Shoes off at this airport, not at the next. And for Pete’s sake, please don’t play mood music. I can hear the TSA screeners yelling even more loudly to take out your laptops to be heard over the sounds of Josh Groban.