The 47th edition of the Tianguis Turístico, Mexico’s largest tourism fair, has opened in Mexico City. 

The event will be held in the capital for the first time, at the Citibanamex business center through Mar. 29. 

It is set to be the largest Mexican tourism fair ever and officials hope that it will prove a defining moment for the national tourism industry.  

“This edition will be remembered forever and will mark a milestone in the history of national tourism, ratifying our country as a world tourism power and a destination full of success and exponential growth,” Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco said during the opening of the event.

Torruco said that his goal is to make tourism an “instrument of social welfare” and a “reconciliation tool” to promote sustainable development and boost local economies at all levels of Mexican society. 

Among the highlights of the event is the Mundo Maya Pavilion, which seeks to promote tourist offerings from the five countries that make up the historically Mayan world: Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. 

The new Felipe Ángeles International Airport and Maya Train also take center stage, as the government seeks to promote the projects for domestic travel. International carriers are also prominently displayed.

The fair boasts 150 exhibitors and expects the attendance of nearly 2,000 national and international buyers. Organizers anticipate that about 6,000 business deals will be closed during the four-day event. 

Overall, the capital anticipates 15,000 visitors to the fair and overall revenue of more than US $1.7 million.  

According to the head of the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services, and Tourism Héctor Tejada, the fair will tap into emergent trends within the tourism sector, to increase the number of visitors, and promote Mexico as a tourist destination.

Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the capital had exceeded all pre-pandemic indicators and said that the country has moved up five positions since 2018 rankings to become the second most-visited country in the world.

Sheinbaum also inaugurated a Mexico City Tourism Festival along Paseo de la Reforma to showcase artisan works and cultural expressions from across the country. The festival will run until Tuesday. 

With reports from Swiss Info and Infobae