Tourism

Two straight years of record growth in Mexico’s tourism sector have solidified its importance as a motor for economic growth. Tourism contributes over 8.7% to Mexico’s GDP, employs 3.6m people directly and is the fourth most important source of foreign currency. The sector exceeded growth expectations for 2014, registering a record number of international tourist arrivals, at nearly 29.3m, and generating revenues of nearly $16.2bn, enabling the country to reclaim its spot among the top 10 tourist destinations in the world, according to the UN World Tourism Organisation. The outlook for the industry is particularly positive. Rising demand for accommodation is driving growth in the hotel market and raising investor interest, while government efforts to boost the competitiveness of tourist destinations and increase promotional efforts should see greater diversification of both the tourist offering and source markets in the coming years.

This chapter features an interview with José Luis Castro, CEO, CTS (Corporate Travel Services).