Event Aims to Surpass Previous Year’s 3,850 Business Meetings and Nearly 5 Million Sales
Cancún, QROO. The 37th edition of the Cancún Travel Mart 2025 commenced on Thursday, with expectations to surpass the previous year’s 3,850 business meetings and nearly 5 million sales. Over 200 companies from more than 20 countries, including Germany, Spain, Brazil, and the United States, as well as 500 delegates from tour operator agencies are participating to commercialize the Caribbean Mexican hotel offer, which already exceeds 136,000 rooms.
Slogan “Stop Over In Cancún” Aims to Position the Mexican Caribbean as Gateway to 16 Host Cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
In this context, the slogan “Stop Over In Cancún” was introduced to position the Mexican Caribbean as the gateway to the 16 host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Andrés Martínez Reynoso, Director of the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council, explained that this event presents an opportunity to initiate negotiations with tour operators and form alliances with airlines to increase flight availability.
“We have flights from Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Ireland, so many fans of important teams will not arrive directly in Mexico City but will enter through Cancun, creating a significant opportunity that airlines are recognizing,” he said.
This allows for the creation of at least three types of vacation packages: one for those entering Cancun, vacationing before the matches and traveling to the cities where their team will play; another plan is designed for those attending the matches directly but extending their stay post-event. A third option, known as “stop over,” is for stays longer than 20 days, allowing travelers to avoid the high costs of staying in New York or Miami by basing themselves in the Mexican Caribbean and traveling only for match dates while enjoying luxury resorts in Cancun or Playa del Carmen.
Key Dates and Plans for Vacation Itineraries
Martínez Reynoso mentioned that the crucial date to finalize itineraries, routes, and vacation plans will be December 5, when FIFA conducts the group draw, match dates, and specific venue details for the 2026 World Cup. He confirmed that although Cancun is not a host city, a FAN-FEST with giant screens to watch live transmissions of matches will take place at Malecón Tajamar, gathering both international tourists and local residents.
In a separate interview, José Chapur, President of Grupo Palace, confirmed that after the Moon Palace hotel was selected as a potential base camp for a world championship team, they will modify their golf course to create a soccer field for player training. He revealed that FIFA requires numerous specifications, but assured that their hotel has met all requirements, including the food they will serve once the team is confirmed to stay there.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the Cancún Travel Mart 2025? It’s an annual event where over 200 companies from more than 20 countries gather to promote and commercialize the Caribbean Mexican hotel offer.
- What is the goal of this year’s event? To surpass last year’s 3,850 business meetings and nearly 5 million sales.
- What is the “Stop Over In Cancún” slogan about? It aims to position the Mexican Caribbean as a gateway for fans attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in 16 host cities.
- What are the proposed vacation packages? There are three types: entering Cancun for pre-match vacations and traveling to team cities, attending matches with extended stays post-event, and “stop over” packages for longer stays in the Mexican Caribbean while enjoying luxury resort experiences.
- When will key vacation plans be finalized? The crucial date is December 5, when FIFA announces group details, match dates, and specific venues for the 2026 World Cup.
- What changes is Grupo Palace making for the World Cup? They will modify their golf course to create a soccer field for player training, as the Moon Palace hotel was selected as a potential base camp for a world championship team.
