The Magical Town of Mocorito, Sinaloa, grows a little more magical in January and February with the bright blooms of its sunflower fields.

Mayor Guillermo Galindo Castro said the sunflowers, now in their second season, are a growing tourist attraction and welcomed the year’s first selfie-snapping visitors at an inaugural ceremony on the weekend.

“[It’s] a true blessing and marvelous ecotouristic experience that we have begun in our administration and we want to consolidate it as a heritage in all aspects, because we know the positive impact it has, not just for Mocorito but for the whole state of Sinaloa . . . he said.

State Tourism Secretary Óscar Pérez Barros agreed that the tourism generated by the sunflower fields, now a favorite destination on the Traveling Purely Sinaloa tourism program, will help revive Mocorito’s economy.

Pérez hopes the attraction will work in conjunction with Carnaval and Holy Week to attract over 60,000 tourists this year. The town welcomed 55,000 last year.

“[With] this type of strategy, but joining it with Carnaval and then Holy Week, the program becomes richer, so that more people [from Sinaloa] and other states visit the Pueblo Mágico of Mocorito,” he said.

To help achieve that goal, Mayor Galindo’s administration had two fields planted at different times to allow for two separate blooming periods this year.

“I believe that the experience we had last year . . . motivated us to improve the sunflower field and above all the strategy for attracting more tourists and visitors to Mocorito . . . On this occasion, we’re going to do it in two stages,” he said.

He added that the town is logistically ready to see more visitors, but still needs to develop more accommodations, for which his administration is working with the state Economic Development Secretariat.

The sunflowers bloom for two weeks. January’s bloom has already begun; the other field will bloom in February. Entrance to the fields is free, though visitors are asked to provide a small donation for enjoying the rows of bright yellow flowers.

Sources: Revista Espejo (sp), Línea Directa (sp)