The meetings industry in Mexico is projecting the revenues of about 25 billion dollars this year. Local MICE tourism experts hope the industry will develop even more and gain importance on global level.
Rafael Hernández, Managing Director of World Meetings Forum (WMF) coming to Monterrey on July 12 -14, revealed that MICE tourism in Mexico has seen accelerated growth in recent years, driven by the strength of local tourism infrastructure.
"We’re taking off; Mexico is now the big bet and is being looked at in terms of the meetings tourism theme, with a market value of more than 25 billion dollars for the current year,” he said.
He emphasized that MICE tourism sector now receives more attention since the industry represents 1.5 per cent of GDP and is expected to increase even more in the next few years.
Mr. Hernández indicated that the expected revenue of 25 billion dollars from meetings tourism in Mexico represents 17 per cent of the gross value added of the country’s tourism product. In 2015, he said, significant activity was recorded for this industry in Mexico, and it became the second favorite destination in Latin America for organizing MICE events.
He reported that the stronger dollar favors the industry because of the increase in average spending, and Mexican organizers prefer to hold their events in their country.
According to estimates by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), the average spending at international events is $560 per day, four times more than spending at sun and beach destinations, he noted.
With regard to the WMF event, he disclosed that various MIE tourism specialists from around the world will be participating. There will be meetings of the top leaders of associations, destinations and companies linked to the sector. He said that this will be the third time that Mexico is hosting the WMF.