·      Nine million Mexicans work at jobs related to the tourism industry.

·      The Mexican Tourism Board will design publicity campaigns for different audiences.

·      He asked the ambassadors and consuls of Mexico to help ensure that information about early warnings is clear and specific.

Enrique de la Madrid Cordero confirmed that the tourism sector in Mexico would continue to be an engine of sustained economic growth, creating jobs and helping to combat poverty. He reported that there were nine million Mexicans working in tourism-related activities in 2015.

At the 27th annual meeting of ambassadors and consuls (REC2016), led by Foreign Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu at the Foreign Ministry, the Tourism Secretary confirmed that there was a 9.2% increase over last year in international tourists arriving by air. This is a new record, at over 31 million international visitors.

Tourism is one of the industries with the greatest weight in the Mexican economy, accounting for about nine percent of national GDP in 2014, more than mining or construction.

In addition, Enrique de la Madrid said that in the first three years of this administration, Mexico increased its share of the U.S. market and the number of European tourists flying to Mexico rose 18 percent in 2015.

As part of the government’s strategy, the cruise lines that discontinued port calls in 2011 returned to Mazatlán: Sixty-two cruise ships with 158,000 passengers docked there last year.

Formula One racing also returned to Mexico after a 23-year absence. This will generate over two billion dollars in benefits for the country over the next 5 years and will require 18,000 direct and indirect jobs each year.

He acknowledged the role of Mexico’s diplomatic corps abroad in promoting Mexico as a destination for tourism and investment and he committed to developing publicity campaigns with the Mexican Tourism Board that target different audiences.

He asked the diplomats to ensure that the early warnings issued by countries meet three criteria so that the information is useful and not politicized: 

Provide the context needed to understand the numbers, cases or trends mentioned; use clear and precise wording; and be specific regarding where, when and what (the geographic information, topic and timing).