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Some 2,080 sellers, 427 national buyers and 859 international buyers, as well as media outlets from around the world, were present at this year´s fair, which featured two floors of exposition space and several presentations on topics relevant to the tourism industry.

Results of the show were revealed April 13 in a closing ceremony presided by Mexico Tourism Secretary Rodolfo Elizondo and attended by other high-level personalities including Mexico´s President Vicente Fox and the governors of several Mexican states.

Elizondo revealed the increased interest on the part of international buyers to learn more about new service providers and products. Elizondo also stressed the importance of the participation and cooperation of all members of society and from the public and private sectors to promote tourism to Mexico.

East Asia was heavily represented at this year's fair. Delegates from Japan, China and South Korea, special guests of honor, came to learn more about Mexico as a possible destination of choice for the East Asian traveling public.

In a special meeting April 11, delegates from the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) met with Mexico´s Tourism Secretary to discuss promotional opportunities in both countries. According to Ryochi Morotome, JATA´s vice president of international relations, approximately 20 million Japanese tourists are expected to travel abroad this year.

In August of last year, China designated Mexico as an approved tourism destination, and visa requirements to Mexico for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passport holders were also lifted, now allowing up to 90-day visits. In January of this year, a memorandum of understanding was signed between China and Mexico.

"We are ready to publish next week the convocation of all Mexico travel agencies interested in participating in the program to operate groups of tourists from China," said Elizondo. "I am convinced that the great dynamism of the Asian economies and of tourism from that region of the world should form part of the global strategy of the Mexican government."

Mexicana´s low-cost airline, Click Mexicana, was also unveiled at the show. The carrier, set to launch in May, will make travel within Mexico cheaper, faster and more accessible between Mexico City to Saltillo, Nuevo Laredo, San Luis Potosi, Oaxaca, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Huatulco, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Villahermosa and Merida. In order to create Click, Grupo Mexicana will use its own infrastructure and amass a fleet comprising AeroCaribe´s planes and 10 modern Fokker aircraft.

Elizondo also unveiled the Habitat Tourist Cities Program, an US$18 million program for urban renewal in 25 tourism destinations, one of the achievements of the Intersecretarial Commission created last year by Mexican President Vicente Fox to coordinate intergovernmental support of the tourism industry in Mexico.

The results of an image and utility survey conducted at Tianguis revealed that nine out of 10 buyers had an overall positive impression of Tianguis as a great place for networking and closing deals. Last year, more than two thirds of all negotiations discussed during Tianguis resulted in deals.

About the Mexico Tourism Board The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) brings together the resources of federal and state governments, municipalities and private companies to promote Mexico's tourism attractions and destinations internationally. Created in 1999, the MTB is Mexico’s tourism promotion agency, and its participants include members of both the private and public sectors. The MTB has offices throughout North America, Europe, Japan and Latin America.