Mérida is once again hosting this strategic gathering that brings together five nations and five Mexican states to promote a sustainable, cultural, and community-based tourism development model.
K’íiwik: Mayan World Tourism Fair began with a space for knowledge sharing and reflection, featuring an academic forum with specialists from the national and international tourism sector, academics, and service providers at the International Congress Center.
The event marks the return of this important gathering to Yucatán, solidifying the region’s position as a benchmark for integration, cultural preservation, and sustainable economic development on an international level.
The opening ceremony of the academic program was led by the Secretary of Tourism Development of Yucatán, Darío Flota Ocampo; the Undersecretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico, Nathalie Desplas Puel, representing the Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora; and the Permanent Technical Secretary of the Mayan World Organization, Ana Beatriz González.
During his remarks, Flota Ocampo emphasized that reviving this project in Yucatán is a testament to the unwavering commitment of the State Government, led by Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena.
The state official stressed the importance of coordinated efforts among the three levels of government, the Federal Ministry of Tourism, and the Mundo Maya Organization to make possible the return of a platform that defines the region’s identity.
The head of Sefotur highlighted that contemporary tourism cannot be understood without the support of academia, in-depth reflection, and sustainability criteria. Therefore, he described the academic program as a key component of the fair, offering theoretical and practical tools to address the current challenges of the global market without losing sight of the human element.
Throughout the first day, international experts participated, including Carlos Tejeda Wriedt, National Culture Officer for UNESCO, who delivered the keynote address, “Community Tourism: The Authentic Heart of the Maya Region.”
The working groups analyzed relevant topics, such as the challenges of regional air connectivity, fair marketing strategies for community networks, and the positioning of the Mundo Maya as an integrated and competitive tourism product.
The academic program also provided a space for reflection on local identity, with corn as a living heritage of the indigenous peoples, and concluded with a panel dedicated to the future vision of the leaders of the Mundo Maya.
In this way, the fair reaffirms its geopolitical importance by bringing together the destinations that formally comprise the tourism region: Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, the latter represented by the states of Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, and Yucatán.
Simultaneously with the start of the conferences, the foyer of the International Congress Center opened the “Living Heritage” artisan exhibition to the general public, coordinated by the Yucatecan Institute of Entrepreneurs and the Community Tourism area.
This exhibition space remains open to the public, while business activities in the adjacent halls will have controlled access via official participant badges.
The fair’s agenda continues on June 3 with the official opening ceremony and the start of business meetings between exhibitors from the region and strategic international buyers.
On June 4, the second day of business will focus on the signing of strategic alliances and will conclude with the official closing of the event and the announcement of the venue for the next edition of the fair.
Finally, on June 5, familiarization tours organized by the participating destinations will take place, allowing international buyers to experience firsthand the natural and archaeological richness of the region.
Source: yucatan
