Hotel owners assert that Tampico can compete with powerhouses like Acapulco. While Acapulco is closer to the World Cup venue in Mexico City, Tampico’s proximity to southern Tamaulipas could also be advantageous starting this summer.
Tampico seeks to position itself as an alternative destination to the World Cup.
Jorge Marón Ceja, president of the Mexican Association of Hotels of Southern Tamaulipas, stated that they have invited travel agencies and tour operators from Mexico City to visit the destination and witness its tourism potential firsthand.
The Tampico businessman explained that Tampico and Ciudad Madero “are an hour further than Acapulco, but the truth is that we have a more beautiful beach, better cuisine, and everything else needed to be the beach destination of choice for Mexico City.”
In addition to the World Cup opening ceremony on June 11, the Banorte Stadium will host important matches throughout the competition, attracting both national and international visitors.
“We signed agreements for travel agents from Mexico City and Monterrey to visit us; these will be familiarization trips so they can get to know the area. We’re four and a half hours away by road, so it went very well,” he explained.
Southern Tamaulipas has established visitors from Nuevo León, connected by road; however, with Monterrey hosting the World Cup, the goal is to also attract international tourism.
“In fact, Mayor Mónica Villarreal has been working closely with the government of Nuevo León and Monterrey since last year on the sister city agreement; we’re very close to a World Cup venue that will host four matches, so European travelers will have about 20 days to explore different parts of the country, and Tampico and Madero should be included in that,” he stated.
The aim is to provide options for those attending the World Cup, offering Tampico as a viable alternative by both road and bus.
The president of the Mexican Hotel Association for Southern Tamaulipas emphasized that they are also looking to increase the number of flights between Nuevo León and Tampico in the coming weeks, taking advantage of the World Cup excitement.
“We’ve been in contact with people from the United States and Canada, and the truth is that many don’t realize how close the destination is to Mexico City by car. There’s also talk of the possibility of traveling by bus or plane, so we’ll see if we can increase the frequency of flights,” he stressed.
Source: milenio
