Wednesday, April 2, 2025

VisitMéxico debacle called attempt to damage site’s image

The minister of tourism says a criminal complaint has been lodged against whoever was responsible for the suspension of the VisitMéxico website and changes to the English-language spelling of some destinations.

Miguel Torruco characterized the actions as an intentional attempt to damage the image of the travel website and the Ministry of Tourism.

The website became inaccessible nearly three weeks ago and a message on the home page indicated that the site had been suspended for lack of payment.

The site was reactivated last week but it became evident soon after that spelling changes had been made to the English version. Guerrero became Warrior, Tulum became Jumpsuit and Hidalgo became Noble, among other mistranslations.

The ministry was widely condemned for the errors but one business leader said those responsible wanted to damage the work of the minister. Armando Bojórquez, head of the tourism commission at the national business organization Concanaco-Servytur, regretted the actions and described Torruco as a man who had dedicated his life to the tourism sector.

He also said no one wished to speak out about the reasons for the problems with the website, which appear to have been triggered by a dispute between the site’s provider, a company called Braintivity, and Tecnocen, a firm that had been responsible for registering and maintaining the domain name visitmexico.com, among others.

VisitMéxico was shut down again after the translation errors were discovered. The home page now carries a message saying a new site will be launched August 20.

Source: El Universal (sp)

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
Cans of Cororna Extra beer lying on a bed of large ice cubes

Trump announces new US tariffs on Mexican… beer

5
Mexico didn't end up on Donald Trump's "liberation day" list of enemy countries, although the U.S. did impose tariffs on a surprising Mexican item: beer in cans.
A polluted Mexico City skyline with smog hampering visibility

Amid worsening air quality, Mexico City’s mayor pledges to lower emissions

0
As Mexico City enters its fourth environmental contingency alert since January, Mayor Clara Brugada and the private sector signed an accord to improve the city’s notoriously poor air quality. 
Parked bikes.

Ecobici operator fined for failing to maintain its bike fleet in the capital

0
Broken seats, loose chains, flat tires, faulty brakes and broken pedals are common complaints from users of Mexico City's popular public bicycle network.