Tourism service providers and Zacatecas authorities recognize the need to open new direct air routes to Zacatecas to encourage tourism.
They lamented that the lack of flights to Mexico City, a destination with the highest demand, has caused the cost of airline tickets for Zacatecas travelers and visitors to rise due to the lack of air competition.
According to Aeroméxico, a one-way flight from Zacatecas to Mexico City has a base price of between 3,200 and 3,500 pesos, while on weekends the price fluctuates between 5,700 and 7,500 pesos.
The president of the Mexican Association of Travel Agencies (AMAV) in Zacatecas, Martha Gándara, stated that in addition to increasing the diversity of air routes, existing flights “need to be less expensive, as this impacts Zacatecas’s positioning as a tourist destination.”
As an example, she mentioned that traveling from Mexico City to Zacatecas is much more expensive than traveling to beach destinations like Cancún, “and this also discourages tourists.”
In an interview, she indicated that there is also a perceived need for a new direct flight to Zacatecas—a beach destination, operated by a reliable and stable airline.
Yes, more flights to Zacatecas are needed, but it’s important that they be more accessible; if an air route to the beach were to be opened, it would be wonderful; let’s remember that most of our tourists arrive by land. Martha Gándara, president of the AMAV (Asian Airlines) in Zacatecas
Jorge Martínez, from the Los Cardos Travel Agency located in the Magical Town of Jerez, stated that the lack of air connectivity in Zacatecas is one of the main obstacles to the tourism sector.
He explained that in other states, like Aguascalientes, there are flights with more departures and better prices than at Zacatecas International Airport, which is why many families prefer to book flights from Aguascalientes.
In the case of the Zacatecas-Mexico City flight, with only one airline operating the route, it becomes more complicated for customers, as carrying more luggage can significantly increase the airfare, up to more than six thousand pesos.
For her part, Brenda, an employee of the Tour Rodríguez travel agency, commented on the need to open more direct routes to Zacatecas, as many people must travel by land to Guadalajara or Aguascalientes to catch their flights.
The Zacatecas State Government is continuing negotiations with Volaris, Viva Aerobús, and Mexicana de Aviación to establish another direct flight to Mexico City.
Given the lack of slots at Benito Juárez International Airport (AICM), the most viable option would be Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) or Toluca Airport, acknowledged Zacatecas Tourism Secretary Le Roy Barragán Ocampo.
“We are open to using one of those airports; it is essential to continue pushing,” the official stated.
In the case of Mexicana de Aviación, he reported that the negotiations are being carried out through the Federal Tourism Secretariat, headed by Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, with whom Governor David Monreal Ávila has spoken.
He added that they are also continuing to work with other national airlines to finalize the Ciudad Juárez-Zacatecas route and an air connection to beach destinations.
Source: oem
