$17 Million Dollars Budgeted for Promotion of Mazatlán

Posted by Maureen Dietrich on 19 Mar 13 

mazatlanmessenger.com

Governor, Mayor and Mazatlán tourism businessmen at Amigos de Mazatlán gathering at the Tianguis Turístico in Puebla.

At the Tianguis Turístico in Puebla yesterday, President of the Association of Hotels and Tourism Businesses, Carlos Berdegué Sacristán announced that beginning in May this year $17 million dollars will be spent to promote Mazatlán in the United States and Canada.

During a breakfast meeting for Amigos de Mazatlán travel agents from Canada and the States, he announced a radical strategic change in the promotion campaign.

The plan, said Berdegué, is to elevate the image of Mazatlán and increase by 40 percent plans with tour operators to (attract) conventions and specific groups.

As part of the initiative, they will use testimonials by foreigners resident in Mazatlán and frequent visitors who will speak of their experiences of finding the port safe and friendly.

Hotelier Ernesto Coppel Kelly added that, different from previous campaigns, this one will be annual and permanent, not sporadic as they had been accustomed to.

The Secretary of Tourism, Claudia Ruiz Massieu, is very conscious of the (bad press) affecting the country. With the exception of Cancún and Los Cabos, said Coppel Kelly, they are all (in trouble) and the plan is to elevate the Riviera del Pacífico destinations of Mazatlán, Acapulco, Vallarta and Ixtapa.

At the breakfast, Sinaloa Governor Mario López Valdez announced they will begin the process to have Sinaloan seafood declared Patrimonio Intangible de la humanidad and prepare to put forward Mazatlán as the venue for the 2016 Tianguis Turístico.

Travelagentcentral.com reported today from Puebla that Mazatlán is negotiating with airlines from Seattle, Houston, Denver, Atlanta and Chicago to initiate new routes to the port, which are scheduled to be officially announced in June.

It also reported that Princess Cruises, Norwegian and Azamara Club Cruises have been confirmed to include Mazatlán in their itineraries during the 2013-14 season. (from Noroeste and Travel Agent Central)