Canadians Continue Love Affair With Mexico

Mexico appears to be an unstoppable force in this country’s tourism market, with the country continuing to post increases in the number of vacationing Canadians, says the CEO of the Mexico Tourism Board.

Rodolfo Lopez Negrete told a Toronto gathering Thursday (July 9) that Canadian air arrivals rose 3.6% in the first five months of this year over the same period in 2014, with that increase following years of increases.
“We believe Mexico continues to be the best proposition for the Canadian market…,” he said. “The outlook for Mexico and Canada looks very positive.”

Ontario alone sends more tourists to Mexico than any European country, Lopez Negrete added.
Total Mexican air arrivals were up 10.8% in the January-April period.

Among the developments fueling growth is the current currency exchange, with Lopez Negrete saying it’s making Mexico “10% more affordable” for Canadians, the upgrading of Cancun’s airport and a steadily growing Mexican hotel inventory.

Lopez Negrete reported hotel occupancy in Los Cabos – badly battered by a September hurricane – is now at a “very, very high 80%,” proof that that destination’s tourist trade is rebounding.
Other destinations doing particularly well include Ixtapa, which saw a 26.3% increase in Canadian air arrivals in the January-May period, and Vallarta/Nayarit, which saw an 8.6% rise, with the growth for both those destinations outpacing that of traditionally hugely popular Cancun.

Meanwhile, Lopez Negrete, speaking at Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum, which now has an exhibit showcasing Mexican culture, praised Mexican cuisine to his audience. “We know gastronomy is an important driver [of tourists to Mexico].”

Pictured at the event are Yolanda Molinuevo of Copa Airlines, Gonz Moreno of Moreno Travel and Ethel Hansen-Davey of Uniglobe.