SPONSORS

Gerardo Llanes Álvarez, Executive Director of Marketing, Mexico Tourism Board

Tourism in Mexico comprises a significant industry, and the country is the number one destination for foreign tourists within the Latin America region and number two destination in the Americas. Gerardo Llanes Álvarez serves as Executive Director of Marketing for el Concejo de Promoción Turística de México, or Mexico Tourism Board, and oversees the coordination, design and development of both national and international strategies for tourism promotion for Mexico. (There is also a burgeoning domestic tourism trade as a growing affluent middle class begins to go on holiday within their own country.)

Mexico’s most notable attractions are the Meso-American ruins, colonial cities, and its well-known beach resorts. In addition to individual tourism, the country also attracts many corporate Congresses and Conventions. Despite some of the past difficulties of H1N1 virus outbreaks, Mexico has been remarkable in using marketing to overcome obstacles. In fact, The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) research shows that the country's Travel & Tourism Economy increased its contribution to 13.2% of Mexico's GDP, growing by 3.8%.