Q & A with Jose Maria Agarrista, Mayan Riviera Representative in Europe
Jose Maria Agarrista knows all the ropes about the Caribbean and Central America, especially when it comes to hotels and tourism. As a matter of fact, he’s been working in those two sectors most of his life. Right now, he’s dealing with the promotion and representation of Mexico’s Mayan Riviera in Europe, working hand in hand with tour operators and travel agencies, as well as attending all major travel fairs held in the Old World.
Q.- How did the idea of opening a Mayan Riviera Office in Europe ever pop up?
A.- It’s been five years now since the trust staff came up with the idea of having some kind of representation here in Europe. We made a first attempt with a girl and the whole thing worked out pretty good. But she was living in Playa del Carmen and wasn’t interested in being in Europe. That’s how I entered the scene. I come from the hotel industry where I’ve been working for a number of years, so I know the European market as well as I know the hotel and tourism sectors. I worked in the Caribbean region during the 1980s and 1990s, in Cuba and in other places. I’ve opened hotels in Guatemala, so I know the region well so as to help put the Mayan Riviera on the map over here.
Q.- What’s the major functions of your Europe office?
A.- It covers a number of issues. First of all, attendance to all major tradeshows and fairs is paramount. I’m talking about the big fairs, like ITB Berlin, London’s World Travel Market, Spain’s FITUR and the Milan Fair in Italy, plus others held in Switzerland and Germany’s Bonn. Those are the events where we try to promote the Mayan Riviera.
Q.- What’s the total budget the Mayan Riviera earmarks for its Europe office?
A.- I wouldn’t like to give figures because there’s nothing of that matter in black and white. All we know is that the trust fund in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, chips in approximately 2 percent of sales and hotel revenue to keep the Europe office going.
Q.- Do you count on a large staff to do the job or you do it all by yourself?
A.- I do it all by myself. However, I find great support in the CPTM when it comes to planning some kind of event or doing something somewhere around.
Q.- Do you make the brochures and other publicity materials yourself?
A.- All materials have already been made for quite some years, from the very beginning when we first thought of opening a Europe office. There’s a warehouse in Holland where we stock all the materials and a press to print them out.
Q.- Is there anything else you’d like to add?
A.- I’d like to see a much bigger impact of everything we do on the mass media. Europe depends heavily on what the press says and people are hooked on mass media every step of the way. It’ll be great to have a major impact on the press.
