Acapulco Tourism Marketplace Hopes to Catch 1,100 Buyers, Over 1,300 Exhibitors This Year

The Acapulco Tourism Tianguis (Marketplace) 2005 –Mexico´s largest tourism trade fair- is expected to host its largest and most successful fair ever this year, on its 30th anniversary.

From April 10 to 13, this international fair, taking place in the Pacific resort city of Acapulco, will host 1,100 buyers and 19,000 appointments in the 425 business suites on site at the show using a high-tech online appointment system.

International tour operators, travel agents and other travel industry representatives from the U.S. and Canada, and more than 25 countries, are expected to descend on the Acapulco International Center.

The objective is to interact with Mexican travel suppliers for four intense days of learning about and purchasing the country´s vast array of tourism products and services, attending seminars, networking events and one-on-one appointments.

The high-tech appointment system utilized at Tianguis was launched at last year´s Tianguis and was an overwhelming success, allowing buyers and suppliers to schedule appointments in advance. In order to promote this innovative system, Tianguis will return buyers´ registration fees to all buyers who make and attend at least 80 percent of the appointments during the fair.

“We expect this be the best year yet for Tianguis as far as deal-making is concerned,” said Tourism Tianguis Director Luis Manrique. “In 2004, 40 percent of all tourism industry transactions in Mexico were a result of deals struck during Tianguis 2004. We anticipate an even higher impact in 2005, proving that this event serves its function of motivating the sector and driving revenue.”

Popular topics to be addressed at this year´s show include low cost airlines, expectations from the Asian market, the future of tourism, and sales and marketing in the tourism industry.

Tianguis 2005 will also count on the participation of 450 companies in Mexico´s tourism industry. Service providers will be distributed in hundreds of business suites reserved by hotel chains, independent hotels, state tourism offices, airlines, ecotourism operators, tour operators, transportation services and recreational parks.