As part of the recently unveiled national tourism policy for Mexico, President Enrique Peña Nieto emphasized development and promotion of tourism infrastructure.

"We must build and strengthen the confidence of investors in our country," said  Peña Nieto.“We must project an image of reliability, infrastructure, modernity, and of the various services offered today to international tourism."

President Peña Nieto has instructed the Secretariats of Tourism and Economics to develop a competitiveness agenda for each of the country's different tourist destinations. He also asked the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation to ensure that the National Infrastructure Program, to be presented shortly, includes a clear approach to tourism.

The national tourism policy, as outlined in a recent speech, includes infrastructure projects such as the trans-peninsular train in the Yucatan, the Puerto Vallarta cruise ship terminal, the Manzanillo railroad tunnel, the Chetumal airport, and five new highways in Chiapas, Oaxaca, Michoacán, Jalisco and Nayarit.

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As part of a Mexico's national tourism policy, President Enrique Peña Nieto has pledged to stress innovation and competitiveness.

"Mexico is much more than sun and beach resorts; diversification of tourist products is key to leveraging our many attractions and competing in the global era," said Peña Nieto. The President noted Mexico's many tourism advantages, including a privileged geographical location, a great potential for connectivity, and a large stock of natural, historical and cultural attractions.

Mexico's tourist diversification strategy is composed of six segments: sun and beach tourism, cultural tourism, ecotourism and adventure tourism, health tourism, sports tourism, and luxury tourism.

Furthermore, Mexico will implement the National Tourism Certification System in order to ensure the quality of tourist services.

Learn more about sun and beach tourism in Mexico.

Learn more about cultural tourism in Mexico.

Learn more about ecotourism and adventure tourism in Mexico.

Learn more about health tourism in Mexico.

Learn more about sports tourism in Mexico.

Learn more about luxury tourism in Mexico.

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President Enrique Peña Nieto

President Enrique Peña Nieto unveiled a new national tourism policy for Mexico in a recent speech in Nayarit

"We will open Mexico to the world, and the world will visit Mexico. Tourism is a fundamental component of our economy and a key driver of national development" Peña Nieto said.

Claudia Ruiz Massieu, Mexico's Secretary of Tourism, highlighted Mexico as a trendsetter in the global tourism industry. "I have no doubt that tourism is the future of Mexico. Under the President's leadership, tourism will be used as an engine to drive development for all Mexicans," she said.  

Tourism accounts for 9 percent of the gross domestic product of Mexico and salaries in the tourism sector are 30 percent above the national average.

President Peña Nieto praised Mexico’s strategic advantages in the global tourism market. “We have a privileged geographical location, great potential for connectivity, a broad inventory of natural, historic and cultural attractions, but, moreover, our country has demonstrated a great ability to generate quality tourism products,” Peña Nieto said.

Mexico’s National Tourism Policy is based primarily on four guidelines -- planning and sectoral transformation; innovation and competitiveness; development and promotion; and sustainability and social benefit. 

Guideline One: Planning and Sectoral Transformation

Guideline Two: Innovation and Competitiveness 

Guideline Three: Development and Promotion

Guideline Four: Sustainability and Social Benefit

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As part of a new national tourism policy for Mexico, President Enrique Peña Nieto has pledged to prioritize Planning and Sectoral Transformation.

“The institutional framework will be restructured to improve decision making and ensure the effective implementation of the various programs to boost tourism,” said Peña Nieto. “We want to achieve full coordination with the governors and the Head of Government of the Federal District to align the policy of the Federal Government with the efforts of the various states of the country," he said.

President Peña Nieto has ordered the creation of a Tourism Cabinet, to be led by the President himself, will coordinate with all stakeholders in the tourism industry in order to transform Mexico into a world class tourist destination.

Tourism accounts for 9 percent of the gross domestic product of Mexico and salaries in the tourism sector are 30 percent above the national average.

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St Regis Punta Mita

A three-night stay at the St.Regis Punta Mita in the Riviera Nayarit is part of this year's Oscars Swag Bag.

As part of the 2013 Everyone Wins at the Oscars Nominee Gift Bag, organizers at Distinctive Assets have included three nights in a deluxe oceanview suite at the AAA-Five-Diamond St. Regis Punta Mita, including daily breakfast, massages at Remède Spa, fine dining at Carolina restaurant.

The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort is nestled in a captivating setting on one of the world's most alluring beaches on the Pacific coast of Mexico. Surrounded by white sands, pristine waters and lush tropical flora, the resort’s ambiance is as extraordinary as it is comfortable. The area of Punta Mita (the name means "gateway to paradise") located at the Riviera Nayarit is a 1500-acre resort and residential community. It is home to discreet enclaves of private Villas and Residences, as well as two Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses. 

The trip to Mexico in the Oscars swag bag is valued at $3000. 

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Punta de Mita
Eurocopter_Mexico_Inauguration_Production_Center

Expanding its Mexican investment, French-German-Spanish helicopter manufacturer, Eurocopter, opened a new, 12,000 square meter manufacturing plant in Queretaro. The plant will create approximately 200 specialized jobs by mid-2014, adding to their current 50 employee workforce.

Built next door to Canadian manufacturer Bombardier, Eurocopter’s plant joins a long list of American and European aviation manufacturers who use the nearby aeronautical university to staff their respective factories. For Eurocopter, their $100 million plant is set to produce high-technology structural metallic components for both Airbus and their own Ecureil helicopters.

Despite this brand new investment, Eurocopter is not a new presence in Mexico, but rather has been a fixture in the country for over 30 years. In that time they have asserted 50% of the Mexican helicopter market, and host a fleet of over 450 helicopters operating across Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America, in addition to Mexico. So confident is the company in their continued success abroad that they plan to invest up to $550 million in Mexico over the next few years.

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Colon
Mexican_Solar_Power_Yucatan_Project

In a step away from dependence on fossil fuels, Mexico has approximately doubled their solar photovolataic (PV) market in the past year. Part of this increase is owed to the dropping costs of solar modules.

Despite such an increase in the less than five year old market, however, the growth has been less than that of other countries due to the lack of government subsidies for the alternative energy source.

In recent news, one of the more extensive projects that was proposed involves the Spanish PV developer Isofotón who signed a memorandum of understanding with the Yucatan state government. This document will allow them to develop a 150MW PV facility in Mexico; ultimately helping the nation get one step closer to their goal of a 690MW PV power grid between 2016 and 2019.

Construction of the facility will begin in January of next year, will take about two years to complete, and will cost around $360 million.

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-89.620000
Merida
Mexico_FireGod_Figure_Pyramid_Sun

Archaeologists recently announced that they unearthed a 418 pound, volcanic stone figure of the god Huehueteotl from inside a 15 foot deep covered pit at the top of the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, just north of Mexico City.

Fittingly, Huehueteotl is the god of fire and most frequently pictured as a bearded old man with a beaked nose and a crown of fire atop his head. Though it has yet to be confirmed, this finding indicates that ritual offerings were made to the god in a temple at the top of the pyramid.

How can there still be more to discover at the site after nearly 100 years of government archaeological work? The scientists have suspected that Leopoldo Batres, who restored the pyramid to the form seen today, covered the platform at the top of the pit without taking the time for proper excavation protocol.

While, representatives from the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History have declared the found objects are being examined, it has not been released whether they will be put on display for the public any time soon.

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Mexico_Economy_Manufacturing_High-Tech

After producing 3 million cars this past year, Mexico became the eighth biggest auto producer in the world. Mexico achieved this coveted spot due to its prime geographic location for exporting to the Americas, its open trade policy, and its work force experience.

Prior to now, Mexico built its economy around low-paying, labor-intensive industries. But, ten years ago when such industries fled to China and Central America in search of cheaper labor, Mexico endeavored to make a change. By expanding industries that required better-educated, better-paid workers, Mexico, in turn, boosted its middle class. The middle class now makes up almost a quarter of the country’s population.

Currently the outlook is positive, production numbers are expected to grow and an association with good quality and products. Yet, concerns lie in sustaining this economic growth. Despite having trade agreements with 44 countries, Mexico’s chief trading partner is the U.S. This reliance puts Mexico in a precarious position should the U.S. pull back on its imports.

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Beaches_Tulum_Cancun_alternative_laid-back

Located in the lush, tropical haven of the Yucatan Peninsula, Tulum is an ideal luxury oasis for well-to-do bohemians and sun-bathers alike. The eclectic crowd is a far cry from the neighboring towns of Cancun and Playa del Carmen, which are more popular destinations for the college co-ed set.

If a “grown-up” spring break is on your to-do list, then Tulum is the place to experience it all – by land and by sea. Only a ten minute drive from the seaside, the town of Tulum, population 30,000, is in the same vein as many Latin American towns. Shops, hotels, and restaurants housed in pueblos surround the town square. Despite such close proximity to the beach, hotel rooms and restaurants are less expensive than those nearer to the sandy shores, but of just as high quality.

In terms of culture, Tulum has few, but distinct offerings. Only a stone’s throw from the town, vacationers can snorkel around “cenotes”, underwater caves located within the network of rivers under the peninsula. A “dryer” option for visitors includes exploring the scenic Mayan ruins. Located atop seaside cliffs, visitors can get a feel for a culture that existed uninterrupted for centuries before Spanish colonization.

Like many other Mexican resort towns, Tulum’s beach is dotted with cabanas, boutique hotels, restaurants, etc. But, what makes Tulum quainter is the lack of high-rise hotels and heavy development found in such places as Cancun.

Cancun may be the nearest airport, but at 145 km away, Tulum is truly a hidden gem.

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Tulum
American_Exporters_Mexico_China

American exports are on the rise and the U.S. has Mexico to thank for it. During the time when the American economy struggled to rebuild itself and its other trading partners from around the world decreased their imports by five percent or more, Mexico continued to stay true. By the end of November 2012, Mexican-based companies and American multinationals in Mexico imported $199.9 billion worth of goods and services.

There may still be a trade deficit between the U.S. and Mexico, but reevaluating the trade balance between China and other U.S. trading partners has served the Mexican economy well. Increases in production investments and American imports by American companies and Mexican multinationals will help bolster positive economic growth for Mexico.

To put these statistics into perspective, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in Mexico, in 2011 American exports to Mexico added up to 13.4 percent of total U.S. exports that year.

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China Mexico Climate Change CO2 Laws

The Globe International alliance of lawmakers met in London on January 13-14 to discuss the roles and contributions of governments in a worldwide effort to suppress global warming.

18 out of 33 countries reported “significant” progress in a 2012 study of energy and climate laws; several of which are considered emerging economies. Mexico, China, South Korea, and India have all passed laws or created programs aimed at lowering CO2 emissions and preventing climate change.

Not everyone was given a gold star though as the report showed Germany, the UK, France, and Italy were among a group of countries that made no substantive change, while Canada went so far as to perform worse than recent years.

The Globe alliance hopes that encouragement to pass laws within these countries individually will create a clearer pathway for UN treaty talks and the implementation of a plan to lower emissions by 2015. To do this, the alliance pledged support in the form of political, analytical, and administrative aid for the next three years to the lawmakers who participated in London.

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Meetings in Mexico

Corporations and associations around the world continue growing the number of small, medium and very large meetings organized in Mexico. Mexico has recently secured about 300 events with global corporations such as Microsoft, Nike and Sony Corporation to host their company meetings in Mexico. And among associations, Mexico has recently won the bid for hosting the World Emergency Medicine Congress which is expected to host about 8,000 people coming from all around the world in Mexico City, and the Ophthalmology World Congress expected to have 8,000 attendees in Guadalajara in 2014.

As specific industries boom in Mexico, more companies and associations are also looking to organize their meetings in that North American country. For example, Queretaro is among the top booming cities around the world within the aerospace industry, so many of the companies that have a presence in that area are also organizing their internal and client meetings in that city. Something similar is happening with the Mexican automotive industry where Honda, Toyota, Audi, and Volkswagen, to name a few, are already organizing Mexico-based events given their local investments.

“In the Americas, Mexico is ranked #5 top meetings and conventions destination only followed by Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Vancouver, according to the International Congress and Conventions Association – ICAA,” said Carlos Collado, executive director at the Congress and Conventions Bureau in Mexico City.

Carlos Iván Pérez Marrufo, executive director of ProEventos managing two convention centers in Campeche added, “We are already having important events [in Campeche, Mexico]. People abroad are already seeing Mexico as a destination that offers the venues, the culture, the professionalism, and the enthusiasm and energy to lead these types of efforts.”

Meetings Industry Contributes to Local Economic Development

Mexico’s meetings and conventions industry is not just about the unique experience it brings to attendees. Among the key factors that Mexico seeks in promoting the industry is to look for local economic development for each market destination. In Queretaro, for example, a new convention center was recently opened in response to the increasing demand of aerospace organizations looking for convenient venues to host their events. 

Mexico has from small corporate retreats to huge summits or American or world association congresses. Mexico has everything for everyone in a very affordable way. Mexico is very well connected to the world as there are lots of direct flights not only to the main hubs as Mexico City and Cancun, but also to a lot of small or medium sized destinations.

North American PCMA Advisory Members Talk Mexico

In a recent Mazatlan-based event, dozens of North American meetings industry leaders gathered to share best practices with their Mexican peers. Watch a series of exclusive MexicoToday interviews where these leaders share their stories while in Mazatlan last November:

To watch the full list of videos on Mexico as a meetings destination, visit our MexicoToday YouTube playlist.

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Mexico City
Nissan Mexico Subcompact Car

Starting in the second quarter, Nissan Motor Company, the largest automaker in Mexico, will begin domestic production and export of its Note subcompact car. While Nissan plans to continue production of the Note in their plants located in China, India, and Thailand, export of the Mexican-made Notes will be throughout the Americas.

This will be the third model produced at the factory in Aguascalientes for Nissan, who produced over 683,000 vehicles last year, and solidifies Mexico’s position as a positive environment for auto production. An environment made possible by cheaper labor, logistics, and free trade agreements, according to some analysts.

Since 2009, Mexico has doubled their auto output and exports thanks in part to economic recovery in the United States as well as investments from foreign automakers. Mazda Motor Corp, Honda Motor Corp, and Audi are all in the process of opening factories of their own, but will have to fight hard to shrink Nissan’s 25 percent local market share.

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Aguascalientes
Rally Car through Guanajuato Mexico

This spring, Mexico will be hosting third round of the World Rally Championship as the first gravel event. The WRC consists of 13 3-day events held in various countries such as Australia, Spain, Finland and France.  Mexico will be holding the competition March 7th to March 10th and will have 23 stages that will span over a distance of 397 kilometers.

Their Guanajuato stage will be the longest of the rally at 54.9 kilometers.  The new tests are the SS2 Parque Bicentenario and the El Chocolate.  The test through Guanajuato’s Bicentennial Park was built through the cities of Guanajuato, Leon and Silao 2 years ago to celebrate 200 years of Mexican independence.  The El Chocolate test is the newest at 31 kilometers with some of the best views of the entire rally. On the last day of the rally a 5km footrace will be held called the “Carrera Atletica Rally Guanajuato Mexico” a few hours before the SS23 Super Special Stage 5. 

The Rally Guanajuato Mexico will kick off with the new and tough Shakedown/Qualifying Stage in Llano Grande on March 7th.  Tickets to the rally are available via the website.  The rally, with beautiful scenery in the mountains surrounding the cities of Leon, Silao, Irapuatio and Guanajuato, is an extremely popular attraction usually placing within the Top 5 rallies of the world.

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Guanajuato