MEXICO CITY, Nov. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mexico
Ministry of Tourism commenced Mexico's participation in World Travel Market
(WTM) – considered one the leading trade fairs in the global
tourism industry – today at the ExCeL London Exhibition and
Convention Center.
Until November 8, Mexico is exhibiting a pavilion dedicated to
the Mayan World, highlighting the country's principal tourist
destinations, particularly the segments of cultural, adventure, and
nature tourism, luxury, gastronomy, and sun and beach.
From January to August, Mexico
attracted over 235,000 visitors from the United Kingdom, a figure 5.6 percent higher
than the same period the prior year, according to the Integrated
System for Migration Operations (SIOM).
Mexico Secretary of Tourism
Gloria Guevara led the ribbon
cutting ceremony at the Mexico Pavilion, which is dedicated to the
riches of the Mayan World. With over 388 square meters of
exhibition space, the pavilion features participation from over 64
tourism exhibitors from throughout Mexico.
At the inauguration, Secretary Guevara was accompanied by the
Governor of Quintana Roo,
Roberto Borge Angulo; Mexican
Ambassador to the United Kingdom,
Eduardo Medina Mora; Chairman of the
Senate Committee on Tourism, Felix Gonzalez
Canto; the Senator from the state of Nayarit, Martha Elena
Garcia, a member of the Tourism Commission; the Chief
Operating Officer of the Mexico Tourism Board, Rodolfo Lopez-Negrete; as well as the
Secretaries of Tourism of Quintana
Roo, Baja California Sur
and Puebla.
The space offers visitors an exhibition of typical dress from
different regions throughout the country, as well as a tasting of
Mexican cuisine, considered Intangible Heritage of Humanity by
UNESCO.
Secretary Guevara also inaugurated the special pavilion
dedicated to Cancun-Riviera Maya, which promotes the attractions of
the region upon the occasion of the end of an era in the Mayan
calendar.
In the 2012 edition of the fair, participation is expected from
over 48,000 international tourism operators, as well as tourism
ministers, government representatives, and international press.
Among the Mexican exhibitors participating in WTM are the states
of Yucatan, Jalisco, Mexico City and Puebla; the Convention and Visitors Bureaus of
Baja California Sur, Ixtapa
Zihuatanejo, Riviera Maya, Cancun,
Riviera Nayarit and Chihuahua; the hotels Solmar Hotels &
Resorts, Fiesta Americana Hotels & Resorts, Oasis Hotels &
Resorts and Grupo Presidente.
Also participating are tour operators including Alamos Travel
Service, Sat Business Travel, Mexitours, Mexcellence Travel,
Ketzaltour, Mexico Touring Ground Operators, Aventuras Mexico
Profundo, Kamino Tours, Sprachcaffe Mexico, Viva Zapata, Native Trails Mexico, Viajes De
Gala, Komex Tours, Grupo
Royale, Grupo Meca, Gowaii
Partners, In Travel Journey Mexico, Caracteres De Mexico, Condor
Verde, Encuentro T, Olympus Tours, and Yucatan Holidays, and
specialized outlets such as the magazine Mexico Desconocido.
Secretary Guevara will also be meeting with international tour
operators at the event, including Johan
Lundgren, CEO of TUI Travel, and Amanda Wills, Managing Director of Virgin
Holidays.
Secretary Guevara will be the speaker at a meeting of the
Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), with participating members
including Andrew Rosindell, Member of Parliament; Martin Craigs, CEO of PATA; and Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the World
Tourism Organization (WTO).
The Secretary will also participate in the Ministers Summit of
the World Tourism Organization and the World Travel Market, with
attendees including Jeff Poole,
Director, Government and Industry Affairs, International Air
Transport Association (IATA), and David Scowsill, President and CEO
of the World Travel & Tourism Council.
While in London, Secretary
Guevara will also meet with Maria
Mille, Secretary of State for Culture of the United Kingdom; participate in a tourism panel
organized by Visit Britain; and meet with Alison Gilmour, Director of ILTM, and
Ian Johnson, founder and CEO of Out
Now Global.
SOURCE Mexico Secretary of
Tourism