Mexico Gets Set for World Tourism Fair

“The World Under Just One Roof” will be the slogan of the upcoming World Tourism Exposition (WTE), scheduled for Sept. 23 to 25 in Mexico. According to the organizers, this second edition is supposed to go the 2003 WTE one better in every way.

This time around, there’ll be five theme pavilions linked to the so-called convention tourism, as well as to ecotourism, spa, golf and cruises. As a matter of fact, the latter is highly important for the host country as Mexico holds 45 percent of the world’s total number of cruise passengers that sail around the seven seas every year.

The 2004 WTE will feature a special area inside the Banamex Convention Center devoted to virtual travel and the presentation of new tourist products.

During last year’s World Tourism Exposition –that pried open the schedule of international travel fairs and events for 2003- gathered 322 exhibitors, including 66 from as many as 35 countries, and comprised a total surface of 13,000 square meters.

In an effort to ease the flow of visitors to the 2004 WTE, Mexicana de Aviacion, Lanchile and Aerocaribe will offer discount airfares for attendants. A similar initiative will be launched by hotels accommodating visitors and participants to the exposition.

The WTE is expected to unfold in a very favorable timework as the local travel industry is coming out of what officials there call a “pretty good year,” with a $2.3 billion surplus in the first half of 2004 alone.

Tourism officials in Havana told Caribbean News Digital that Cuba will go to the fair with a broad and varied array top sun-and-sand, scuba diving and cultural offers.

The delegation from the largest Caribbean island will huddle such major companies as Cubanacan, Gran Caribe, Gaviota. Havanatur, Paradiso, Cubatur, Islazul and others.