The Rising Significance of Meeting Tourism in Mexico
The meeting tourism sector, known as MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Exhibitions), is increasingly recognized as a potential economic driver for Mexico’s state economies, according to the latest 2024 Meetings Industry Barometer. Currently contributing 1.83% to the national GDP with an annual growth rate of 11.47%, this sector is on the rise, as stated by Michel Wohlmuth, president of the Consejo Mexicano de la Industria de Reuniones (COMIR) during a recent conference.
Puebla’s Anticipation for the XXXI National Congress of the Meetings Industry (CNIR 2025)
In Puebla, the host of the upcoming XXXI National Congress of the Meetings Industry (CNIR 2025), state authorities project an economic impact exceeding 8,000 million pesos from sector-related events alone. Víctor Gabriel Chedraui, Puebla’s Secretary of Economic Development, explained that meeting tourism generates well-paid jobs with a multiplier effect on restaurants, transportation, and professional services compared to traditional tourism.
National Efforts to Boost Meeting Tourism
The Buró Mexicano de Convenciones y Congresos (BMCC) serves as a national platform to attract international events, focusing on each state’s productive vocations. The BMCC’s strategy involves aligning states’ competitive advantages with their unique offerings, such as medical and technological tourism in the north and wellness events in the south. The Secretary of Tourism’s (SECTUR) Director of Innovation in Tourism Product explained that the initial phase involves organizations like COMIR, CENET, specialized venues, and established destinations’ representatives such as Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, along with emerging areas.
The SECTUR aims to position Mexico among the top five global meeting tourism destinations by 2026. Each region offers unique value, from major cities’ connectivity to the authenticity of magical towns. A regional promotion plan will highlight each area’s distinctive features, always linked to a destination’s capacity to accommodate events of various sizes.
Strategic Plan and Funding
A strategic plan, developed by around 300 industry leaders, contains tailored proposals for both emerging and consolidated destinations. Presented to the Secretary of Tourism, Josefina Rodríguez, this plan seeks to increase the capture of international events by adapting to each region’s capabilities. The CNIR in Puebla will serve as a forum for sharing the BMCC’s results and progress.
Growth Expectations and Unique Advantages
Although the sector currently accounts for 1.62% of the GDP (2023 data), COMIR’s president, Wohlmuth, projects a 15% to 20% growth once the BMCC is operational. He emphasized that Mexico’s unique competitive advantages for meeting tourism include professional experience, cultural diversity, and the ability to host events of various sizes. The need for in-person meetings, reinforced post-pandemic, remains Mexico’s most valuable asset.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is meeting tourism, and why is it important for Mexico’s economy? Meeting tourism, or MICE, is a sector that includes meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions. It currently contributes 1.83% to Mexico’s GDP and is projected to grow, making it a significant economic driver for state economies.
- What is the significance of Puebla hosting the CNIR 2025? Puebla’s hosting of the CNIR 2025 highlights its commitment to fostering meeting tourism, projecting an economic impact of over 8,000 million pesos from related events.
- How is the Mexican government supporting the growth of meeting tourism? The Buró Mexicano de Convenciones y Congresos (BMCC) is a national platform to attract international events, aligning states’ competitive advantages with their unique offerings. A strategic plan aims to increase the capture of international events by adapting to each region’s capabilities.
- What unique advantages does Mexico have for meeting tourism? Mexico’s professional experience, cultural diversity, and capacity to host events of various sizes are its unique competitive advantages in meeting tourism.
