One million new seats on international direct flights to Mexico in 2017

Boost in demand for travel to Mexico offers business growth opportunity for airline industry

MEXICO CITYJan. 30, 2017 | The Mexico Tourism Board announced this past January that Mexico’s global air connectivity continues to grow at a record pace — with airlines around the world adding new routes, additional flights on existing routes, and upgrading to the latest aircraft models with larger capacities in order to meet the impressive demand for travel to Mexico.

As of January 2017, airline partners have announced the addition of more than 1,000,000 new seats scheduled in 2017 on inte

rnational direct flights to Mexico from more than 20 countries.

“This expansion includes service to Mexico from many new international cities to multiple Mexico destinations, which is part of our strategy of international market diversification. We are delighted to see our airline industry partners continue to recognize this momentum and further expand their connectivity,” remarked Lourdes Berho, CEO of the Mexico Tourism Board. She add

ed, “While the 2016 Mexico tourism numbers are still being finalized, it’s clear that we will have another record-setting year of industry-leading growth in terms of international visitors to Mexico.”

Since 2013, Mexico’s international tourism has grown at an annual average of 10% — double the global industry average. This performance, which includes growing from 24 million international tourists to Mexico in 2013 to an anticipated 35 million for 2016, has catapulted Mexico from the 15th (in 2013) to the 9th (in 2015) most visited country in the world, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Beyond Mexico’s world-famous sun and beach offering, growth has come from the attractiveness of Mexico’s many segments such as mega biodiversity, nature, gastronomy, luxury, high profile events like F1, cultural traditions like Day of the Dead, and the Weddings, romance, meetings and events industries.

New Routes from International Cities
Mexico’s increasing global popularity is evident in the commitment from existing and new airline partners to establish routes from new international cities as well as expand the number of Mexican destinations they serve.

As of January 2017, these new routes include:

  • Aeromexico: Seoul Incheon to Mexico CityAmsterdam to Mexico CityVancouver to Mexico CityDetroit to MonterreyDetroit to Mexico CityAustin to Mexico City, and Calgary to Mexico City
  • Air Canada Rouge: Vancouver to Cancun
  • Air Transat: Vancouver to Los Cabos
  • Alitalia: Rome to Mexico City
  • All Nippon Airways (ANA): Tokyo Narita to Mexico City
  • American Airlines: Los Angeles to Puerto VallartaLos Angeles to CancunDallas to Merida, and Miami to Merida
  • Condor & Neckermann: Warsaw to Cancun
  • Delta Airlines: Los Angeles to Los Cabos
  • Edelweiss Air: Zurich to Cancun
  • Finnair: Helsinki to Puerto Vallarta
  • Interjet: Chicago to Mexico CityLas Vegas to Mexico CityLos Angeles to GuadalajaraLos Angeles to CancunLos Angeles to Mexico City, and Dallas to Mexico City
  • Southwest Airlines: Los Angeles to Puerto VallartaLos Angeles to Los CabosLos Angeles to CancunOakland to Puerto Vallarta, and Oakland to Los Cabos
  • Sunwing Airlines: Winnipeg to Mazatlan
  • TUI Poland: Warsaw to Cancun
  • United Airlines: Chicago to Mexico City
  • Virgin America: Los Angeles to Los CabosLos Angeles to Cancun, and Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta
  • Viva ColombiaMedellin to Cancun
  • Volaris: New York JFK to Mexico CityHouston to Mexico CityMiami to Mexico CityPhoenix to Culiacan, Seattle to GuadalajaraLos Angeles to DurangoSan Francisco to Mexico CityMiami to GuadalajaraMilwaukee to GuadalajaraAustin to Guadalajara, and Denver to Monterrey

Increased Frequency and Upgraded Aircraft
In addition to the newly established routes, more than 25 existing routes have confirmed additional frequency of flights or upgraded aircrafts, contributing to the additional capacity as well as overall improved traveler convenience and experience.

For example, the recently unveiled Aeromexico 787-9 named Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent) which will fly between Mexico City and LondonParis and Madrid in 2017 features improved cabin comforts, a business class menu designed world-renowned Mexican chef Enrique Olvera, and a 20 percent reduction in carbon emissions. Air France has also recently launched service to Mexico City and Cancun from Paris on its flagship A380, making it the first airline in the world to fly this aircraft to Mexico.

The Mexico Tourism Board’s recently announced tourism industry strategy includes a focus on developing expanded products and personalized marketing campaigns that focus on areas including luxury, wedding’s and romance, diving, mega bio diversity and nature, culture, gastronomy, high profile events, sports and adventure, as well as programs for audience segments such as millennials, LGBT and retirees.

In each of these areas, partnerships with key destinations as well as global travel operators will bring an ever-expanded portfolio of options to travelers of all types. Connectivity and industry partnerships are critical to Mexico’s goal to appeal to a broader audience in new markets, globally. This all will help in achieving the new ambitious goal of reaching 50 million international visitors by 2021.

SOURCE: Mexico Tourism Board


“Como Mexico no hay dos. (Like Mexico, there is not other).” — popular Mexican saying 

Mexico Tourism Board details a new global tourism strategy

MEXICO CITY |  The Mexico Tourism Board announced on January 2017 the results of a large tourism industry planning summit held in the coastal paradise Campeche, part of the Yucatan peninsula. The summit, with a theme of “Co-Creating the New Era of Mexico Tourism,” focused on developing new research, digital and technology platforms as well as personalized marketing efforts to fuel tourism product development, diversification and overall industry growth globally.

Hosted by Tourism Minister Enrique de la Madrid and Mexico Tourism Board CEO Lourdes Berho, the meeting welcomed more than 200 tourism industry professionals from the Ministry of Tourism, Mexico Tourism Board global headquarters and international offices, and representatives from more than 40 of Mexico’s tourism destinations across Mexico.

In 2015, Mexico became the 9th most visited country in the world having received more than 32 million international travelers with growth of more than 9% — more than double the global industry average. With a new strategic plan focusing on leveraging global qualitative and quantitative mega trends, insights from custom behavioral studies from key markets from around the world; the Mexico tourism industry has charted a path towards sustained high growth by reaching visitors through genuine engagement and personalized promotional efforts especially.  Through August of 2016, Mexico’s growth continues at more than 8% versus 2015.

“To reach today’s travelers, you have to understand what drives them from consideration to planning and finally boarding the plane to visit,” stated Lourdes Berho in a prepared statement. “It’s critical to lead them to buying by engaging them in a genuine way through the content they interact with — which we are seeing is going more mobile. By understanding what they need, we can then communicate what they want in a more direct and genuine way through an easy to reach vehicle they use on a daily basis.”

Rebranding Mexico, Beyond Beaches And Bullets

The Mexico Tourism Board plans to continue to go beyond sun and beach and also leverage Mexico’s rich historical, cultural, gastronomic and mega-biodiversity products to diversify the tourism offering for today’s savvy traveler seeking multiple experiences during a visit.  Connectivity and industry partnerships have also been expanded, with many new, direct routes to Mexico launched in late 2016 and to come in 2017. This all will help in achieving the new ambitious goal of reaching 50 million international visitors by 2021.

“We have charted a new strategic vision for Mexico that includes closer collaboration between the industry, private sector, strategic partners, and one that will allow us to deliver both tourism product and experience innovations as well as a modern and personalized approach to our marketing and promotional campaigns,” added Berho.

A rich agenda consisted of panel discussions, innovative marketing presentations and group workshops.  Outside speakers included senior strategists from international marketing and business innovation consultancies as well was Facebook/Instagram, Twitter, Spotify, and Google.  New, independent international research was also unveiled looking closely at travelers, marketplace segments and trends across key markets including the U.S, Canada, UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain, in order to uncover new opportunities in the marketplace.

During the three-day summit, panelists from around the globe and industry delivered inspirational ideas and recommendations and all attendees participated in several small group workshops with in-depth discussions around strategies for specific international markets and audiences, developing tourism product and experience offerings, working more closely across Mexico’s destinations, as well as how to integrate new technology, platforms, and marketing techniques into all existing efforts
.
The outcomes from the summit are being put into effect immediately and will be felt across the industry in 2017 as part of a long-term, strategic plan to grow Mexico’s tourism industry.

SOURCE: Mexico Tourism Board

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