postmodernista

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Mexico, world potential in tourism

Mexico is a country full of colors, flavors, sounds, traditions and history unique in the world. His hospitality has earned him recognition as a host country par excellence, where the warmth of his people, his joy, his professionalism and his dedication make each visit to Mexico unique and unforgettable.

Only in its architecture, the national and international tourist contemplate an abundant variety of pre-Hispanic, colonial, colonial and contemporary buildings that zealously guard a piece of history of this beautiful country.

Its cuisine is one of the richest, most varied and sophisticated in the world, while its musical scale ranges from the subtle simplicity of the sound ripped to the shell of a sea snail, to the most imaginative and sweet chords of a guitar. With an area of ​​2 million square kilometers, it constitutes an inexhaustible sample of sun, beaches, culture, nature, magic, textures, adventures, fun and luxury.

 AMONG THE BEST AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL

As Mexico is a member of one of the most dynamic economic regions in the world and a bridge that joins the North, Central and South Americas, its geographical location is privileged: in addition, let's not forget that it shares 3 thousand kilometers of border (Tamaulipas, Nuevo León , Chihuahua, Sonora and Baja California) with the United States (California, New Mexico, Texas and Arizona), one of the most important University town markets and economies in the world.

According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Mexico recovers tourism positions by occupying the 10th place in terms of foreign tourists received during 2011.

In its May edition, the UNWTO 2012 Barometer shows that Mexico recovered two places compared to the previous publication by registering 23 million 403,236 tourists during 2011. In its previous edition, the Barometer had reported 22 million 677,386 travelers.

UNWTO placed France first, with 79.5 million visitors, which is crowned as the favorite destination of international tourists. The United States and China follow, with 62.3 and 57.6 million tourists, respectively.

Mexico regains positions, in 2011 it ranked 10th in foreign tourists received (OMT).

Regarding spending during the trip, the UNWTO reports that in 2010 our northern neighbor took second place, while Canada ranked sixth.

This is important for us, since 73% of the tourists who visited Mexico in the same year were of American origin, 18% Canadian, 4% United Kingdom, 3% Spanish and 2% Argentina.

Within Latin America, in 2010 Mexico ranked first in international tourist arrivals and, if we compare it with the rest of the world, it was ranked number 10 with 22.4 million visitors (mdv). France was the country with more tourist arrivals worldwide (76 mdv), followed by the United States (59.7 mdv), China (55 mdv), Spain (52 mdv), Italy (43.6 mdv), United Kingdom (28.1 mdv) , Turkey (27 mdv), Germany (26.9 mdv) and Malaysia (24.6 mdv).

According to the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) and the Bank of Mexico (Banxico), in the same area during 2011 the national territory registered a total of 22.6 million international tourists, an increase of 1.2% compared to 2010.

But if we include border, non-border and cruise visitors in our sampling, the total number of international tourists who arrived in the country last year is 73 million 958 thousand, which according to Banxico figures was 7.3% lower than the Registered in 2010.

Consequently, the total annual flow of foreign currency that entered the country in 2011, thanks to the international tourist, registered a decrease of 0.8% and stood at 11.663 million dollars (mdd).  

However, if we count both the number of international and domestic travelers, the total number reaches almost 190 million tourists in Mexico in that year, 3.7% higher than that registered in 2010.

 THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM IN THE ECONOMY

With a population of more than 112 million people, it is not surprising that 73% of tourism in our country is Mexican.

During 2010, the flow of national tourism was 61.2 million passengers, which represented an increase of 7.1% compared to 2009, which stood at 57.2 million passengers.

The strength and sustainability of national tourism, according to Fonatur, are due to the fact that the national market has increased its purchasing power, that tourism has been a stable source of demand in recent years, that it has a higher level of mobility , has the participation of low-cost airlines, has increased investment in infrastructure and has also seen an increase in the national tourism offer.

Whether national or international, the importance of tourism activity is decisive for the Mexican economy; not for nothing it represents 9% of the national GDP, generates 2.5 million direct jobs and is the second largest generator of foreign exchange in the country.

In the last year we have seen an increase in private investment in the tourism industry, which, according to Sectur, demonstrates the confidence that investors have in the destinations offered by Mexico.

While in 2009 the national private investment had a 75.4% stake, that is $ 2.230.01 million, the investment by foreigners was 24.6%, $ 727.57 million, to make a total of $ 2,957.58 million.

For 2010, the participation of national investors increased to 82.9% with 2,921.61 million dollars, while foreigners only reached 17.1%, with 604.60 million dollars, to add 3.526.21 million dollars.

Last year, in Mexico tourism investment was 80% national and 20% foreign. That same year, Spain remained the number one in foreign real estate tourism investment, followed by the United States; the third place was held by China and in the fourth place was England. 

TIME OF OPPORTUNITIES

According to Pablo Azcárraga Andrade, president of the National Tourism Business Council (CNET), this is the right moment for all entrepreneurs, since tourism can be made a national priority.

“It is a cyclical industry, it has always been that way and will continue to be, which creates opportunities. Today we are in the wave of growth, where the greatest opportunity we have as a country from the point of view of tourism is: What do we have to do to reach the potential that our country offers?

He added that tourism represents one of the main activities of the country with sustained growth. It is not an industry that tends to be displaced by a product or market, it is something natural of Mexico, it is an industry that has everything to grow.

During the Real Estate Show 2012 event, organized by the Association of Real Estate Developers (ADI), Azcárraga said that "as entrepreneurs we must start thinking about where our main markets are."

For example, each year the United States generates 60 million international travelers, of which Mexico has a market share of 14%, the Caribbean has 16% and Europe 20%, so it is not very difficult for our country to establish the programs and mechanisms so that the proportion grows from 14 to 20%, which should be immediate.

Tourism is vital for the national economy: it contributes 9% of GDP, generates 7.5 million jobs and is the 5th largest generator of foreign exchange in the country.

In the opinion of Eduardo Sánchez Navarro, general director of Grupo Questro, we must realize the importance of tourism for Mexico as well as its potential, not for nothing Mexico is the number 10 country in terms of visitors and number 21 in As for foreign exchange captured from tourism. To which we would have to question why are we not in the first five places?

The speakers of the tourism panel within the event The Real Estate Show recognized that the United States market is the most important, but at the same time the most wasted by Mexico.

They recommended that if 80% of tourists arriving in Mexico are from the United States, 80% of the money in advertising and promotion to that country should be allocated. You have to focus on different markets but mainly those that spill the most, they said.

The participants agreed that it is good for tourists from other countries to come to the country, however, we must focus on where we have the greatest participation.

For his part, Enrique Carrillo, CEO of Fonatur, said that opportunities and growth are in the Integrally Planned Centers such as Loreto, where developers should seek investment opportunities.

He stressed that land prices are accessible. It is a sector that will continue to be successful in the future, since Mexico has infinite potential. "You have to look for the American tourist, whose economy is the strongest in the world, but also national tourism is very important."

STRATEGIES

We are in a good moment, said Azcárraga, with a situation that concerns more businessmen and not politicians. As tourism entrepreneurs, he mentioned, we have been very passive, we must have better proposals and action plans, better driving, vision and monitoring of results.

“The moment of Mexico's tourist growth has arrived, I think the crisis made us all more productive, efficient and imaginative. We have a very punctual tourism: the one that goes to Cancun, Los Cabos, Vallarta, Guadalajara and the Federal District. That's where more than 90% of tourism is, ”he said.

He pointed out that it is a good time to open the fan and not only focus on pleasure tourism, since there are a thousand attractive and different places to the traditional sun and beach. For example, cultural tourism, medical, adventure, groups and conventions among others, which are a great opportunity, but you have to develop work plans very oriented to these niche markets, with a very clear strategy.

Alejandro Zozaya, president of AMResorts, said that the commercial strategy should be modified and focused on the destinations, each one should be seen as a brand or product with a tangible price, and not focus on a general campaign of a complete Mexico, which is one more campaign ambiguous and ineffective in the immediate generation of tourists to the country.

Many opinions agreed that Mexico is a country with many resources and opportunities, so you have to think about regions, not just the whole country, to give your personality to the different destinations and that everyone finds their niche market.

For this a change of mentality is required, the focus has to be mainly the generation of income, with a commercial attitude, where promotion and advertising are essential for this to happen.

That has to be seen as an investment and not as an expense, so that it grows and is measured based on a return and not just on an approved budget.

Enrique Carrillo, director of fonatur, informed that it is being promoted that the Tourism Promotion Council of Mexico be autonomous and independent, since this would open the opportunity to have a council formed by politicians and businessmen that is not governed by the political changes that It crosses the country, and has transparency about where and when resources are allocated and applied.

Tourism is not an industry that tends to be displaced by a product or market, it is an industry that has everything to grow

CONTINUITY

When questioning them about what to do to have continuity?, The specialists expressed the following opinion:

The first thing is to be united. The Private Initiative must unite and is being achieved.

Then, try to get things back to their origin, with independent agencies.

The agenda and objectives must follow, regardless of the change of the actors.

They explained that politicians come and go but entrepreneurs do not, they are sustained with fixed and long-term investments, so they must act together and decidedly so that this continuity occurs.

Those who have to work, they added, are those of IP, with long-term strategies. Fonatur must return to its origins of being a development promotion fund, tourism investment, which provides facilities.

In particular, "you have to have interesting developments for investors to arrive and carry out, because in the long term tourism investment is very profitable," said Carrillo.

Finally, Zozaya said that his main competitor is ignorance, and the challenge is to make destinations and projects known to people who visit Mexico for the first time.

“People who come and know us, come back. 40% of our passengers are the first time they leave the United States; of that 40%, 95% return satisfied, so the market size is extraordinary, ”he said.

Through different forums, the businessmen of the Capital smart city have spoken for the continuity in Mexico's tourism policy and also for the permanence of the headlines of Sectur and the Tourism Promotion Council, Gloria Guevara Manzo and Rodolfo López Negrete, respectively, in the face to the new sexennium.

In particular, Pablo Azcárraga, as head of the CNET, stated that it is necessary to maintain what has borne fruit and at the same time correct what brought stumbling blocks, favoring continuity.

They said that their requests are partisan, what matters are the results in favor of a strategic sector for the economy. You should not make a blur and a new account, but give continuity to the strategies that have been successful; Something similar was done in the United States, when the current president Obama took office, leaving several members of the previous government in his cabinet.

For example, Alejandro Zozaya said: “I would love that it was the specific case of Secretary Gloria Guevara Manzo and Rodolfo López Negrete, that they stay. But if people don't stay, at least the policies, the strategies stay, regardless of the candidate or the political party. ”

For its part, Azcárraga said that we need a stronger tourism secretariat, stronger, with greater commitment, that has more resources that allow it to generate more and better information, more and better promotion and therefore, better income.

The tourism issue is strategic for the Mexican economy, so the interest of the next government will be very important, regardless of the winning party. That is why businessmen in the tourism sector have insisted the various candidates for the presidency of the Republic, in various forums, on the importance of continuing with the strategies applied in tourism by the outgoing federal administration.

Mexico is a world tourism power that should be exploited much better, attract more international tourists and better quality so that the income they leave the country are much higher than the current through higher consumption and also better quality.