Did you know
that Travel and Tourism is now the largest industry in the world, employing 1
out of every 11 people on the planet?
MERIDA, YUCATAN. The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA)
Destination Expo 2014 has kicked off in Mérida; this flagship event took place
in Dubai in 2013, and will be in Marrakech, Morocco in 2015; this year however,
it is all about the Yucatán.
Nearly 400 people are
participating in the event, including more than 200 active travel agents, and
during the four days, in addition to educational seminars and the opportunity
to meet one on one with suppliers, the travel agents will also experience the
best that Mérida and Yucatán have to offer, including Tequila tastings, local
cuisine, a visit to the Mundo Maya museum, and tours to Hacienda Sotuta de
Peon, Izamal, Dzibilchaltun, Celestun, Chichen Itza, and Uxmal. Educational
seminars available to the agents include ‘Hacienda Splendor’, ‘Destination
Weddings in the Yucatán’, ‘Mérida Chic’ and ‘Nature and Adventure’.
This morning, Yucatán
Governor Rolando Zapata Bello, Yucatan Secretary of Tourism Saul Ancona, and Mexican
Ministry of Tourism Assistant Secretary Carlos Gonzalez joined ASTA President
and CEO Zane Kerby, ASTA board Chairman John Lovell and the other ASTA members
and participants for breakfast and the opening general session of the event,
held at the Hyatt Regency ballroom.
In his opening
remarks, ASTA President and CEO Zane Kerby noted that although the name ASTA
implies that participants are all from North America, this is not in fact the
case, and he welcomed agents from as far afield as Ghana to the event. I spoke
personally with the agent from Ghana, as well as some agents from Serbia, all
of whom commented that Mexico and Yucatán are practically unknown destinations
for travelers from their countries; however they are excited about returning
home and highlighting what they have experienced during their visits to Mérida.
“It is a tremendous
honor for us to partner with ASTA and host this immersive learning and
networking experience for travel professionals” said Yucatan Secretary of
Tourism Saul Ancona. “We look forward to reaping the rewards of having a
trained, energized, and motivated cadre of North American travel professionals
who will showcase the wonders and value that Yucatán offers.”
Hyatt Regency General
Manager Richard Westell noted in his address that his career with Hyatt has
taken him to a large number of countries in the last 20 years, however the 6
years he has spent so far in Mérida have been the best of all, and he expressed
confidence that the participants will leave with a similar love for the city
and state.
ASTA board Chairman
John Lovell commented that he has been overwhelmed by the charm and culture of
Mérida, while Mexican Ministry of Tourism Assistant Secretary Carlos Gonzalez
expressed the commitment of the federal government to the tourism industry in
Mexico, which is growing every year, and is one of the government’s most
important focusses.
Yucatán Governor
Rolando Zapata Bello thanked the participants for coming to Mérida, and noted
that by experiencing the city and state in person, they will have a huge
advantage over those who have only visited ‘virtually’ on the internet, since
they will have had the chance to experience first-hand the sights, sounds,
flavors and aromas that the state offers.
Robin Tauck, co-owner
of Tauck World Discovery, a company with over 90 years of experience in the
travel industry gave a fascinating presentation on the importance of the travel
industry around the world; for example, did you know that Travel and Tourism is
now the largest industry in existence, employing 1 out of every 11 people on
the planet, and accounting for $7 trillion in annual revenue? The industry is
also expanding hugely; in 1950, 25 million travelers made cross border journeys
around the world; in 2012 it was 1 billion, and in 2030 it is projected to be
1.8 billion. In light of this, she stressed the importance of sustainable
tourism, i.e. providing a net benefit in all ways to the areas in which the
tourism occurs.
Following the general
session, the travel agents participated in educational seminars, and enjoyed a
trade show at the Fiesta Americana, featuring 35 suppliers from the region,
such as hotel groups, attractions, airlines and tourism boards, as well as a
sumptuous lunch buffet, featuring local delights as well as international
items.
While talking to
various agents, including ASTA board Chairman John Lovell, the point that
nearly all of them mentioned was the fact that, prior to this event, Mérida and
the Yucatán were pretty much “off the radar” to them, however, having been here
and experienced all that the region offers, they will be enthusiastically
promoting both the city and the state as cultural destinations to those clients
who might otherwise have been looking to ‘old’ Europe for their travel
experience; while previously they considered Mexico mainly for its beach
destinations (i.e. Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, etc.) they now realize that there
is so much more to the country, and they are delighted to be able to broaden
the range of Mexican choices they offer their clients.
This lack of awareness
can come as somewhat of a surprise to those of us who already know and love
Yucatán; however it represents a vast potential market for the region; one
which this event will certainly help to stimulate, and which the state is ready
to exploit.
At the conclusion of
this event, Yucatán will have gained more than 200 enthusiastic ‘ambassadors’
and we can look forward to seeing the benefit in the near future. The Yucatán Times would like to congratulate
the Tourism Boards of Mexico and Yucatán for working together with ASTA to
bring this event to Mérida and for raising awareness of the region to this
level (remember that last year’s Destination Expo was held in Dubai, so we are
in great company.) This can only be good news for the region and its tourism
and travel industries.
