Guanajuato Gets Back To Business

The central Mexican state of Guanajuato, home to such colonial jewels as San Miguel de Allende and the state’s capital, Guanajuato City, has begun reactivating its tourist trade with the launch of its new brand that uses the slogan “Guanajuato, live great stories.”

“We are inviting our visitors and tourists to be the protagonists of their own history, taking as a setting the tourist wealth of our state, as well as our World Heritage Cities, Magical Towns, archeological zones — every corner of Guanajuato,” said Governor Diego Sinhue Rodríguez Vallejo. “Today, from the heart of our capital city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we announce to Mexico and the world that Guanajuato is the ideal place to live great stories.”

Guanajuato history dates back to pre-Hispanic times, when nomadic indigenous populations made areas of the state their home, leaving behind unique archeological sites. The state is also the cradle of the Mexican independence movement and houses some of the most well-maintained colonial and Baroque aquiculture of the Spanish conquest in the country. In addition, a drive across its landscape brings visitors to deserts, evergreen areas, urbane and industrial cities, and zones rich in flora and fauna.

The new campaign marks the reactivation of tourism in Guanajuato’s 46 municipalities, with more than 150 products and experiences for our visitors, according to Rodríguez Vallejo. The state took advantage of the months tourism was halted due to Covid-19 to work with local industry and redesign its tourism strategy.

The launch of this campaign is one more step in the phased reopening of the state, which is proceeding as sanitary conditions allow.

Promotion of the new brand will be implemented in phases as the destination reopens. At the moment, it will be promoted and disseminated in state, regional and national media in Mexico; at a second stage, it will go international. Additional activities will be undertaken with trade partners in the U.S. and Canada.

At present, hotels, restaurants, attractions, tours and the like — as indicated by the orange traffic light symbol — all operate at 50% capacity. As of August, Guanajuato’s international airport (BJX) is receiving 175 flights from the U.S. per month.

This includes 68 flights from Dallas (DFW); 60 from Houston (IAH); 13 from Los Angeles (LAX); 17 from Chicago (MDW and ORD); nine from Oakland, Calif. (OAK); four from San Jose (SJC); and four from Sacramento, Calif. (SMF).

Part of the state’s reopening strategy includes the ability to offer visitors a healthy stay. In June, the state developed Healthy Guanajuato on-site certification that follows international protocols and instructions.

All service providers and companies in the sector had to obtain the certification prior to reopening.

When the World Travel and Tourism Council announced its “Safe Travels” stamp, the state easily obtained the certification, becoming the first Mexican destination without a beach to receive the recognition.