Tourism authorities plan to make the central Mexican state of Guanajuato the main cultural destination in the country by 2018. The plan released as the State Program of Tourism 2013-2018 includes the objective of 28.6 million visitors and tourism revenue of 75,500 million pesos (USD 5.7 billion) to be achieved by the same year.
The program also includes an investment of 1,500 million pesos (USD 114 million) in the infrastructure. Federal, state and municipal resources will be invested together with private capital of 2,400 million pesos (USD 180 million) in the hotel sector as well. The goal is to add 2,000 rooms through the construction of 22 new hotels. Today there are 21,229 rooms available in 648 accommodation facilities. The Guanajuato brand is also to be marketed in an innovative way.
Tourism authorities expect that the number of people working in tourism related services will increase from 160,000 to 194,000, which is +21.25%, by 2018.
Tourism in Guanajuato is the second most important contributor to the state budget, representing 9.4% of the state GDP. In the last two years the tourism revenue increased by 12% and currently Guanajuato is the 8th most important destination in the country. The state tourism secretary, Fernando Olivera Rocha, pointed out that their aim is to become the 6th most important destination in Mexico by 2018.
About 95% of the visitors coming to Guanajuato are from Mexico, with the rest from other countries. The three main cities popular among tourists are the capital city of Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende and Dolores Hidalgo.