On September 17 and 18, 43 travel companies, wholesale buyers, gathered in Chihuahua Capital, invited by the Ah Chihuahua Trust to participate in the first travel market called Chihuahua Discovery Travel Market.
It is worth mentioning that the companies that responded to the invitation of the Ah Chihuahua Trust came from the United Kingdom and Germany; from California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and New York, USA and from Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, as well as representatives of agencies with worldwide reach and offices in Mexico. All of them attended a business meeting with 34 Chihuahua tourism entrepreneurs who presented them with the tourist offer that distinguishes the largest state in Mexico.
On the evening of the 17th, with the instruction of a renowned chef, each attendee had the opportunity to cook their three-course dinner. In all the houses of Chihuahua, the opportunity is not wasted to gather visitors around a grill to show off the magnificent meat produced in the nearby ranches, “a cut of meat is not denied to anyone,” says a saying, so with the help of the staff of the Sheraton Soberano hotel, each of the visitors cooked the vegetables, meat and fruit for dessert on charcoal. And with the help of a sommelier, it was paired with white wines and wines from local labels, to enhance the entire experience of flavors, and there was also no shortage of craft beer and dried meat. Illuminated by a spectacular full moon, the visitors were truly surprised.
A trip through the Sierra Tarahumara: Gastronomy and nature
On the morning of the 18th, in the main hall of the recently inaugurated Hotel María Bonita Chihuahua, the exchange of information and commercial agreements began, accompanied by municipal and state authorities; as well as the presidents of business chambers who gave prominence to the start of the business meetings that took place in accordance with the The evening was marked by a dinner and concert on the esplanade of the Museum of Contemporary Art, where the stars were cocktails prepared with sotol (the local drink with a designation of origin); as well as dinner prepared with regional products accompanied by local wines, which have won international awards.
On the 19th, the group set off on a familiarization trip aboard the famous Chihuahua al Pacífico railroad to the Sierra Tarahumara, home of the legendary Ralámuli, those born to run. The guests enjoyed a delicious breakfast on board and arrived at the Divisadero Barrancas Station to make inspection visits and enjoy the Barrancas del Cobre Adventure Park.
The operators had the opportunity to enjoy the attractions of the Adventure Park and the regional cuisine prepared by traditional cooks in the Park’s restaurant. They also had time to spend surrounded by the beauty of the Copper Canyon, observing the surroundings of Creel, Magical Town, the infinity of rock formations that resemble frogs, mushrooms, monks and even elephants.
At the end of the Chihuahua Discovery Travel Market, in an interview with Julio Omar Chávez Ventura, General Director of the Ah Chihuahua Trust, he shared his impressions regarding the event and familiarization trip.
What were the results of this important event?
The first objective we set was to bring the most important wholesale buyers to the state to position Chihuahua in the minds of the most successful sellers in the competitive global travel market, keeping in mind internationalizing our destination and increasing the economic impact in the State.
During the familiarization trip, the value chain received feedback from the buyers, who, based on their experience, and the genuine brotherhood that is generated in these trips, gave recommendations to complement or enhance the services offered to the end customer.
What expectations were generated in the short, medium and long term?
Definitely, the value chain will increase its sales. Each of the wholesale agencies learned about the services offered. Each buyer experienced the hospitality of the people of Chihuahua, tasted the local cuisine and after getting to know Chihuahua Capital, they left for the Barrancas Zone aboard the Chepe, bound for Divisadero, enjoyed the Adventure Park and visited hotels in the Barrancas del Cobre area. They stayed in Creel and learned about the tours included in the destinations.
Based on the knowledge of what our destination offers and the services of the value chain; we hope that the sales agreed upon during the business meetings will continue to be made.
The Chihuahua Discovery Travel Market has left a significant mark in promoting the state as a prominent tourist destination. With the participation of wholesale buyers from various parts of the world and the rich cultural and gastronomic offering of the region, this event not only fostered commercial exchange, but also strengthened relations between local businessmen and international representatives.
The expectations generated are promising, with a focus on internationalization and the growth of the economic spillover in Chihuahua. Looking ahead to the next edition in 2025, it is expected that collaboration and commitment will continue to drive Chihuahua towards a bright future in the competitive global tourism market.
Impressions were exchanged regarding what the market is demanding, and we are sure that the value chain will maintain contact with buyers to receive national customers in the short term, hoping that the alliances formed during this event will be consolidated and international sales will be generated in the medium and long term.
What impressions did the wholesalers take away from Chihuahua?
Fortunately, they were pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness of Chihuahua Capital, by the hospitality and service levels of the entire value chain, and in general because they were not clear about how the air transport service packages, transfers, the Chepe railway and the important role played by tourist guides in the service chain were organized.
The wholesalers found the group packages and individual tailor-made trips to be quite well structured. The foundations were laid for operating remotely, supported by the expert hands of the local tour operator.
What are the conclusions of the event?
Definitely the firm conviction to start working on the 2025 edition of the Chihuahua Discovery Travel Market, an event with a cause. It should be noted that in this first edition, more than 100 food supplies were collected from the value chain that were channeled to the State DIF.
We must work to achieve, together with the value chain, the improvements suggested by the wholesale agents, striving to compete with quality in the global travel market.
The value chain asks us to start planning the Discovery Travel Market 2025 since the comments received by the buyers encouraged them to continue improving to achieve, among all the actors, that Chihuahua continues to be a truly surprising destination.
Travel Market has left a significant mark
The Chihuahua Discovery Travel Market has left a significant mark in promoting the state as a prominent tourist destination. With the participation of wholesale buyers from various parts of the world and the rich cultural and gastronomic offering of the region, this event not only promoted commercial exchange, but also strengthened relations between local businessmen and international representatives.
The expectations generated are promising, with a focus on internationalization and the growth of the economic impact in Chihuahua. Looking ahead to the next edition in 2025, collaboration and commitment are expected to continue to propel Chihuahua towards a bright future in the competitive global tourism market.
Source: eluniversal
