The Secretary of Tourism Development, Carla López-Malo Villalón, presented the strategy “Where there’s soccer, there’s travel, there’s celebration, there’s Mexico, there’s a lot of Puebla,” which will boost tourism promotion for the state through World Cup routes and community experiences in Pueblos Mágicos (Magical Towns) and various other locations, with a presence in at least ten countries.
The campaign includes advertising on billboards located in Guadalajara, Monterrey, Cancún, Tijuana, Los Angeles, New York, and Mexico City, among other promotional activities. In addition, an Urban Art initiative will be implemented in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Tourism and the artist César Menchaca, which will allow for the creation of monumental sculptures made from recycled plastic.
The five World Cup routes will include destinations such as the Biosphere Reserve, the Coffee Route (Biocafé), the Cantona archaeological zone and its ball courts, Puebla City, and Atlixco. These routes will offer two- to three-day tours with community-based experiences that integrate traditional cuisine, artisanal activities, and nature tourism.
Among the featured experiences are visits to the Elia Bravo Holis Botanical Garden in Zapotitlán Salinas, the cabins of Huauchinango, the Warrior’s Trail in Aljojuca, and the promotion of twelve “Pueblos Mágicos” (Magical Towns) from the Sierra Norte to the Mixteca region of Puebla.
“We have nature, history, culture, heritage, gastronomy, festivals and traditions, adventure, ecotourism, and community-based tourism.”
The official also explained that, in coordination with the Ministry of Sports and Youth, spaces will be set up for broadcasting soccer matches, along with immersive and recreational experiences, cultural and gastronomic activities, and promotions featuring the “Puebla, the Heartbeat of Mexico” brand.
In parallel, Puebla will participate in the “Mexico of My Flavors” event, to be held at Campo Marte and organized by the Federal Ministry of Tourism, where traditional cooks from Puebla will share some of the state’s gastronomy.
López-Malo Villalón announced that Puebla will host the UNESCO International Forum on Cultural Tourism in 2026, with the participation of the UN Secretary-General. She noted that throughout the year, work will be done to preserve and develop cultural products, from handicrafts to ancestral products, which will be presented in workshops during the forum with the participation of more than 20 countries.
Regarding Puebla’s participation in the International Tourism Fair (FITUR), the Secretary highlighted that a delegation of more than 60 people, comprised of representatives from the twelve “Pueblos Mágicos” (Magical Towns), municipalities with tourism potential, tour operators, travel agencies, business chambers, artisans, and traditional cooks, achieved a 340 percent increase in online searches for the destination.
Furthermore, meetings were held with over 450 tour operators and travel agencies, resulting in eight major European operators including Puebla in their 2026 and 2027 catalogs. Three familiarization trips for tour operators were also arranged, a seventeen-day international campaign was conducted in Madrid, and strategic alliances were signed with Despegar, Viajes El Corte Inglés, Expedia, and Escol worldwide.
Finally, it was highlighted that Santiago Tepeiscope, in the magical town of Zacatlán, was recognized as one of the nine best community tourism experiences at FITUR, solidifying its position as a high-impact environmental and social project.
Source: heraldodepuebla
