Growth strategies and the importance of experiential travel and sporting events were among the hot topics at this year’s Tianguis Turistico, Mexico’s annual tourism conference.
Spirits were especially high this year as organizers celebrated the 50th anniversary of the event, as well as its return to Acapulco, which hosted the first Tianguis Turistico in 1976 and now serves as host on alternating years.
Although the anniversary was certainly one reason to gather and reminisce, conversations naturally gravitated toward Mexico’s current-day tourism sector, as more than 1,000 buyers from some 17 countries and more than 2,900 exhibitors gathered at the Expo Mundo Imperial convention center from April 27-30.
These are some of the topics that dominated conversations during this year’s Tianguis Turistico.
Acapulco’s Recovery
Destinations from around Mexico — as well as Colombia, Japan and several Central American nations — were among the exhibitors, but this year’s event was a particularly big opportunity for the city of Acapulco and state of Guerrero to showcase ongoing recovery from Hurricane Otis, which struck in 2023.
“Today, this golden edition, this 50th edition of the Tianguis Turistico, is dedicated entirely to the people of Acapulco,” said Guerrero governor Evelyn Salgado Pineda during evening reception “Guerrero, the Origin.”
In a separate statement, Salgado Pineda praised the state’s resilience.
“Guerrero is unstoppable, and Acapulco is stronger than ever, with a strength that lies in its history, in its identity, in its people and in the way the people of Acapulco know how to move forward,” she said. “We do not stop, because the struggle does not end here. Every day, we continue working to restore the shine of our beautiful Acapulco.”
The Importance of Experiences
For multiple attendees at this year’s Tianguis, it was clear that growth has come from providing memorable experiences, rather than selling attractions or hotel rooms.
The state of Puebla is a perfect example.
“We’re working to create a different type of tourism,” said Carla Lopez-Malo Villalon, the state’s secretary of tourism development. “More than visits to tourist sites, we want to sell unique experiences. Through our community-based tourism initiatives, we now have more than 240 tourism experiences.”
La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur, is another destination touting its unique activities.
“We offer glamping that’s diverse and like nowhere else, on the beach and in the mountains,” said Jose Ramon Cota, director of public relations for the La Paz Tourism Trust.
Multiple attendees said that growth has come from providing memorable experiences.
Credit: 2026 DepartureLevel.comTour operators have continued to improve their offerings, he added, noting that glamping in La Paz includes activities rooted in local ranchero (rancher) traditions. He also described the destination’s boutique hotel offerings as a big draw — including the pending opening of the 90-room Perla La Paz, Tapestry Collection by Hilton.
On the hotel front, Posadas is also upping its emphasis on selling experiences rather than just hotel rooms, according to Enrique Calderon, the company’s chief operating officer and vice president of operations. During a press conference, Calderon told attendees that in the coming months, 25 new experiences are planned to launch across four of the company’s luxury brands, with options such as personalized babymoon videos, chef-guided visits to local markets and tech-free hotel stays.
“The future of Posadas is to continue growing,” Calderon said, noting the recently opened Devossion by Live Aqua property in Isla Mujeres, following the conversion of the existing Izla Hotel by Fiesta Americana. “We want to keep growing and keep giving new experiences to travelers.”
The importance of experiential travel was echoed by Carolina Marin Chirinos, business development manager for Mexico and Latin America at Grupo Xcaret.
“We're always looking to have something new, because we want guests to come back,” she said during a press presentation. “We want them to live different experiences that they won't find anywhere else.”
As an example, she pointed to the recently opened “casas” — themed buildings at Hotel Xcaret Mexico designed for families — that offer experiences tailored to multiple age groups.
The World Cup, Sporting Events and Groups
Sporting events and group travel can present big opportunities — and, possibly, challenges, according to some Tianguis attendees.
Tourism officials in the state of Oaxaca, for example, aim to capitalize on the World Cup’s high profile by staging their own array of sporting and cultural activities, including a Casa Oaxaca cultural program.
“We’re connected with six host cities, which allows us to stage a Casa Oaxaca in Guadalajara, Monterrey and Mexico City, as well as international promotions in Los Angeles, Houston and Dallas,” said Saymi Adriana Pineda Velasco, secretary of tourism for the state of Oaxaca.
Pineda Velasco predicts that these initiatives — along with investment in two of the state’s airports and more than 140 activities slated for the Guelaguetza cultural festival in July — will significantly boost arrival numbers.
“We’re expecting a lot of growth compared to the first trimester of this year and to 2025,” she said.
Sporting events are presenting big growth opportunities for multiple cities.
Credit: 2026 DepartureLevel.comIn some cases, however, the World Cup may temporarily slow travel to destinations that aren’t host cities, according to Mauricio Salicrup, director of operations at Grupo Solmar, which owns Solmar Hotels & Resorts. Although booking numbers are holding steady compared to last year, he noted that “we expect that after the game, they will increase; things will be better.”
To lure travelers, Solmar recently announced a $6 million investment across its Los Cabos properties, focused on both expansion and sustainability efforts.
Some destinations, meanwhile, aim to use local sporting events to boost arrivals during slower months. Such is the case in Playa del Carmen.
“We’re looking to determine how to attract more tourists in the off-season,” said Irving Mayett Mucino, director of tourism operations and training for Playa del Carmen. “Last year, we hosted the world beach volleyball tournament. These are things we want to incentivize because, at the end of the day, it’s not just the players who visit — it’s families, teams, doctors and therapists.”
Other types of group travel are fueling growth for Marival Group, according to Salvador Ramos, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing.
“It has been a year of challenges, but fortunately, thanks to the support of our customers from groups and weddings, we have very stable numbers,” he said, noting continued strong bookings at Marival’s three resorts in Nayarit. “We keep selling groups, we keep selling weddings, and that shows people that everything is fine, so they continue to reserve vacations.”
Tianguis 2027
Next year’s Tianguis Turistico will take place in Puebla in April 2027, and the state’s secretary of tourism development Lopez-Malo Villalon promises an ambitious agenda.
“We’re looking to make Tianguis an event focused on promoting our culture and the traditions that make us unique,” she said. “But we also want to make it a Tianguis that’s much more international, with more countries and a better selection of hosted buyers so that more deals can be done. It will be unique.”
