One of Mexico’s top destinations for business travel, the state of Yucatán possesses a world-class infrastructure that makes holding an event there easy, financially advantageous, and rich with natural and historical experiences.
(TRAVPR.COM) MEXICO - April 19th, 2021 - Yucatán’s Ministry of Tourism announced this week that, from January to December 2020, the state held 54 events attracting 14,449 participants, with an estimated economic expenditure of 129.5 million pesos (about U.S. $800,000) and about $ 1,853,623.17 pesos (U.S. $93,000) in room taxes, funds that were then used for the promotion of Yucatán and its tourism offerings. This included the third edition of The New Experience Expo & Congress on Oct. 14, 2020, the first event of its kind to take place in Mexico, which restarted the meeting industry in the country after worldwide closure due to coronavirus.
One of Mexico’s top destinations for business travel, the state of Yucatán possesses a world-class infrastructure that makes holding an event there easy, financially advantageous, and rich with natural and historical experiences. The state is prepared to host any type of event, as it offers all kinds of supply services that facilitate logistics and planning, ranging from hotels, car rental companies and tourist guides to catering companies, certified DMCs (Destination Management Companies) and more.
Yucatán’s ideal geographical location offers convenient air, sea and land access. The state’s various tourist attractions — such as beaches, cenotes, culinary scenes, Magical Towns and world-renowned archaeological zones — are great options for post-event activities or for attendees’ guest or incentive programs.
In light of the pandemic and suspension of MICE activities worldwide, Yucatán stands out as being the first state in Mexico to implement enhanced sanitary practices and “Promotion Actions” of meetings tourism to position itself as a reference destination in order to attract events and benefit around 500 local supply companies.
Some of the events that have taken place in Yucatán, either virtually or on-site have included: Women in Leadership Meetings + Incentives, in May 2020; World Meeting Forum, in August 2020; Expo + Virtual Forum of Global Tourism, in September 2020; Tianguis Turistico Digital, in its September 2020 and March 2021 editions; and Meetings Place Mexico, held in February 2021.
State capital Mérida is currently one of seven cities in Mexico with the infrastructure required to host large-scale events and stood out, pre-pandemic, as the one where the most events were held. According to the Mexican Association of Professionals at Fairs, Exhibitions, Congresses and Conventions (AMPROFEC), around 200 expos, congresses, conventions, fairs, and national and international exhibitions have been held in the city.
Some of the venues designed for massive and private events include the following:
El Centro Internacional de Congresos de Yucatán: Equipped with the latest cutting-edge technology, the Yucatan International Congress Center is the newest and most modern such venue in the region. It houses over 101, 504 square feet for events on two floors, divisible into as many as 26 rooms and with a maximum capacity of 10,000 congress and convention attendees. The center also has almost 49,000 square feet of foyers on two floors, 10,043 square feet of terraces for social events and nearly 42,000 square feet of outdoor plaza. Its interior features the underground river "El Cenote," which according to ancient Mayan lore was a link to the underworld; today, it is considered an emblematic element of the dedication and commitment of Mérida to sustainable development.
El “Distrito de Congresos Yucatán”: Set in a privileged location just 20 minutes from Mérida International Airport (MID) and adjacent to the emblematic Paseo de Montejo, the Yucatán Congresses District comprises the Yucatan International Congress Center and several hotels offering more than 2,000 rooms within a radius of about 1,969 feet. In addition, the district is integrated into the corridor of the historic city center, offers a wide program of cultural activities 365 days a year, restaurants, bars, museums and sites of historical interest.
El Centro de Convenciones y Exposiciones Yucatán Siglo XXI: Strategically located 20 minutes from the city center and 10 minutes from main hotels, the 21st Century Yucatán Conventions and Expositions Center is considered one of Mexico’s best such venues in Mexico, as the events it hosts, such as film screenings, are part of the wide cultural, tourism and entertainment offer in the Yucatecan capital.
###
