The hotel company Grupo Posadas has announced that it will invest 450 million pesos (US $23.3 million) to build a 25-story, 170-room Fiesta Americana hotel in Mazatlán, Sinaloa.

“We like to grow because we support Mexico,” Grupo Posadas managing director José Carlos Azcárraga said at an event on Thursday.

“Tourism is an industry that has many benefits and the most important one is the creation of jobs. In the particular case of this hotel, 800 direct and indirect jobs will be created,” he said. Azcárraga didn’t specify when the project is expected to start or finish.

Sinaloa Economy Secretary Javier Lizárraga Mercado applauded Grupo Posadas’ decision and said the state government will continue to work to attract more tourism investment.

“In Sinaloa this year, we will exceed four million tourists, in Mazatlán it will be three million. The port represents 70% of tourism,” he said.

Lizárraga said that among the visitors to Mazatlán this year were more than 300,000 cruise ship passengers. The goal, he added, is to reach half a million.

“We’re prepared to receive more tourists and we have greater air connectivity. Tourism now represents 7% of GDP in Sinaloa,” Lizárraga said.

The secretary also said that the number of hotel rooms in the Pacific coast resort city has increased to more than 13,000 from 9,500 at the end of 2016 and that 5,000 more are planned.

“That speaks of the dynamism of Sinaloa and Mazatlán,” Lizárraga said.

Source: El Economista (sp)