Mérida named Latin America’s convention capital

Victor Hugo Lozano Poveda, Mérida's general coordinator of Community Policy, accepts a award naming the city Latin America's leading convention destination. Photo: Courtesy
Victor Hugo Lozano Poveda, Mérida’s general coordinator of Community Policy, accepts a award naming the city Latin America’s leading convention destination. Photo: Courtesy

Mexico City — The business magazine Convenciones de Latinoamérica has named Mérida the 2016 best destination for conventions and workshops.

An awards ceremony in Mexico City made the honor official this weekend. Víctor Hugo Lozano Poveda, municipal director of social policy, accepted the award.

Professional standards have been raised across Mexico, as all levels of government, major airlines, hotels and restaurants have coordinated efforts, said Fernando Compean, director of the publication.

City slicker

During his speech, Lozano Poveda stated that Mérida’s hotels in the last 10 years have grown from 167 to 220, which together offer more than 8,100 rooms.

Regarding air connectivity, he reminded the audience that Mérida is a gateway to Yucatán, with direct flights from destinations such as Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Villahermosa, Cancun, Cozumel, Tuxtla Gutierrez and Veracruz, as well as Houston, Dallas, Miami, Toronto, Havana and Milan.

He also cited a new Centro maintenance program and other infrastructure projects that improve the city’s image.

The award comes at a watershed moment for business tourism in Mérida. El Centro Internacional de Congresos de Yucatán —The International Convention Center of Yucatán — taking shape in the hotel zone, is on track to book functions in the second half of next year.

This massive project at avenidas Cupules and Colón doubles Mérida’s capacity for lucrative convention contracts.

El Centro Internacional de Congresos de Yucatán, which broke ground at the beginning of 2016, will accommodate up to 22,000 attendees, and has been the catalyst for numerous hotel projects

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