Tourism Ministry tightens up standards for Magical Town designation

Towns successful Mexico seeking the Pueblo Mágico, or Magical Town, designation volition person to conscionable higher standards nether caller rules introduced by the Tourism Ministry (Sectur). Existing Magical Towns indispensable besides conscionable the caller standards to support the designation. 

Under the caller guidelines, municipalities indispensable found a sustainable tourism improvement program that aligns with the UN 2030 Goals, and municipality representation regulations featuring colour palettes endorsed by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). All section tourer work providers indispensable registry astatine the National Tourism Registry (RNT).

Locals and visitors stitchery to observe Easter Eve to the tune of norteño euphony successful the Pueblo Mágico of Jerez, Zacatecas. (Adolfo Vladamir/Cuartoscuro)

At the Tianguis Turístico, an ongoing tourism manufacture lawsuit successful Baja California, Marte Luis Molina Orozco, wide manager of societal absorption of destinations astatine Sectur, said  the caller rules question to “clean the location earlier continuing to grow.” In a erstwhile statement, helium explained that the caller strategy focuses connected returning to the essence of the designation — promoting tourism arsenic a operator for economical and section maturation — and consolidating accumulation chains and technological innovation.

The deadline to comply with the caller rules is Sept. 30. After reviewing the submissions, Sectur volition classify each municipality into 1 of 3 categories: triple A (proven excellence), treble A (requires adjustments), oregon A (needs urgent transformation). The database volition beryllium released by December. 

Municipalities classified successful the lowest class volition not beryllium automatically excluded from the programme but volition beryllium required to amended their conditions by 2026.  

Molina said towns “with a coagulated plan” volition person funds from an allocated fund of 8 cardinal pesos (US $407 million) to renovate the community. The renovations volition see a digitalization campaign, entree to BBVA ATMs and terminals, and restoration of authoritative societal media accounts successful collaboration with Meta.

The funds volition beryllium managed done Nafin and Bancomex, helium said. 

What is the Magical Towns Program?

The Magical Towns Program was created successful 2001 by the Ministry of Tourism to item destinations featuring historical architecture, exceptional earthy landscapes and deep-rooted traditions.

When a determination obtains the Magical Town title, it receives backing from the Sustainable Regional Tourism and Magical Towns Development Program to amended its representation and tourism infrastructure, including renovation of nationalist squares, amenities and main roads.

Experts person said that immoderate municipality designations were granted without capable method studies, and that these destinations lacked basal services, capable entree routes oregon a beardown tourism offering. Such claims person been made of Magical Towns successful Puebla — the authorities with the largest fig of Magical Towns — oregon Ajijic successful Jalisco, among others.

With reports from El Economista