Mexico Tourism Board Media Kit

L IVE I T TO BE L IE VE IT

Mexico Agency

P: 608.222.2222

Email: mexicoagency@wisc.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 14th, 2013

Contact: Taylor Rech (847)-331-8186 Trech@wisc.edu Jordyn Eisenpress (608)-565-3342 Eisenpress@wisc.edu

Mexico Tourism Board to discuss launch of new website Board’s new website will highlight safety information to encourage tourism Madison, Wis. - On Thursday, November 14, 2013 the Mexico Tourism Board is scheduled to hold a press conference in the James L. Hoyt Multimedia Classroom in Vilas Hall to discuss the launch of the board’s new website and the future of tourism in Mexico.

The website is set to launch December 14, 2013 and is part of a larger campaign to revitalize international travel and tourism to Mexico. It will be an updated version of the board’s current website, visitmexico.com, and will offer new information about tourist opportunities and activities in different areas of the country. The website will also feature promotional travel deals and links to the board’s new social media accounts. information regarding travel, accommodations, promotional deals and safety, and that these people will subsequently vacation in Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations,” Mexico Tourism Board CEO Oscar Fitch Gómez said.

Additionally, the new website will address the safety of Mexico’s tourist areas and will include a section of statistics about crimes in Mexican cities, as well as how crime in Mexico compares to crime in the most visited U.S. cities and other international vacation destinations.

As stated on the Mexico Tourism Board website, Washington, D.C. averages 24 murders per 100,000 annually, compared to only eight to nine per 100,000 in Mexico City.

Furthermore, other popular, international vacation destinations, including Jamaica and the Bahamas, have murder rates much larger than Mexico, averaging 52 per 100,000 and 36 per 100,000 respectively.

Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism, Claudia Ruiz Massieu Salinas, has spent her term working to improve Mexico’s “Tourist safety is the Mexico Tourism Board’s number one priority and is vital in order for tourism in Mexico to thrive,” Ruiz Massieu Salinas said. “We are working to improve security efforts and also to educate tourists on the variety of cultural opportunities that will attract new niche markets to Mexico.”

While Mexico’s beaches are a common tourist priority, the Mexico Tourism Board website will focus on experience lesser-known parts of Mexico that are secure and culturally stimulating.

Reporters and editors are invited to attend the event free of charge. Please contact Taylor Rech at (847)-3318186 or Jordyn Eisenpress at (608)-565-3342 to make arrangements. ###

Background Mexico Tourism Board The Mexico Tourism Board, legally known as Consejo de Promocion Trusitica de Mexica, was created in 1999 to design and operate the country’s tourism promotion strategy. MTB provides promotion of the various cultural, historic and naturally beautiful sites and cities within Mexico. Their vision is to be a “leading organization” in enticing domestic and international travelers to their country. MTB aims to accomplish their marketing goal by “means of joint efforts involving all stakeholders in tourism.”

The Mexico Tourism Board is entrusted to coordinate, design and develop the national and international strategies for tourism promotion for Mexico. It promotes the destinations and activities that Mexico has to offer as well as Mexico’s natural and cultural locales. Board’s marketing plan is focused on specialization, consistency, joint efforts, favorable image,

Mexico Safety Mexico touts a much better national and regional crime rate than many other major foreign travel destinations. In 2010-11, Jamaica and the Bahamas had a homicide rate of 62 and 25 per 100,000, respectively, while Mexico only had 14. And furthermore, the Yucatan peninsula, which includes resort destinations Cancun and Cozumel, had a rate of only 2 per 100,000 (How Safe is Mexico). It therefore is surprising that American tourists reservations about the safety in Mexico.

Previous campaigns from MTB attempted to “improve the perception of Mexico’s tourism destinations, stimulate travel intentions and are accompanied by direct calls to action so that the potential tourist seeks out new products and destinations while travel agents get to know the diversity and quality of what Mexico has to offer.” (MTB Campaigns). The tourism industry remains Mexico’s third-largest source of foreign currency and therefore the Mexican government and private businesses funnel billions of dollars into its promotion and improvement.

Contrary to people’s beliefs, Mexico is safer than many other travel destinations. According to the data provided from the UNODC Homicide 2011 Statistics, many cities in Mexico have a lower homicide rate than cities that are considered relatively safe in the United States. For example, Cancun, which some people think is dangerous, actually has a lower homicide rate than Indianapolis (UNODC Homicide 2011 Statistics).

Furthermore, Riviera Maya, a popular beach destination is nearly as safe as Finlandia. want to conduct business meetings in Central America, Mexico is one of the safest travel options, and happens to be the closest to the United States. According to UNODC, Homicide Statistics from 1995-2010, Mexico has a general downward trend for the represented unconvinced, there are areas with major crime rates, but they tend to be more the borders.

Safety information Mexico safety statistics Mexico City has one-fourth of the annual murder rate of Washington D.C. (9 per 100,000 versus D.C’s 24) While the media often portrays Mexico as the most dangerous place on earth, it is statistically quite safe.

According to NationMaster.com which uses U.N.-based data, Mexico does not even make the list of the 36 nations with the highest murder rates.

The U.S. State Department’s warning recognizes that Mexico’s tourism areas do not experience the safety issues seen along the Texas border. In fact, 27 States and the Mexico City Federal District have no advisories or limited advisories outside of their tourism areas. Travel to only 4 States is advised postponed or avoided.

Mexico Tourism Statistics According to the Mexico Tourism Board, international tourists spent over 10 billion dollars in 2008 alone. The number of tourists who visited Mexico in 2008 is estimated to have been 16.8444 million, which is a 5.3% increase from the previous year.

Mexico’s annual tourism earnings are the 17th highest in the world and is consistently ranked 10th in the world for number of visits by foreign tourists (MTB Tourism Overview).

It also is responsible for 9 percent of the nation’s employment, both directly and indirectly, as well as over 8 percent of Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product.

Industry jobs are expected to continue rising over the next decade as well (Mintel – Mexico Tourism).

Testimonials Rachel from chicago

Gina from Los Angeles

“

(right outside Cabo San Lucas) with my family

“

spring break trip and LOVED it! My friends

and friends for nearly ten years, and I’ve never

and I went through an organized trip to Puerto

felt unsafe. Just like any city or vacation spot,

Vallarta. Although my parents were hesitant

you travel in groups. But, our annual family

to send me there because of all of the news

trip has never been affected by Mexico danger

about drug wars and crime, I never felt unsafe.

in any way. Mexico has brought my family

The nightlife was great, the beaches were

closer and created an a place we all look at

beautiful and the food was delicious. While

as a home away from home.From relaxing on

there, I never got the sense that there was

I’ve been going to San Jose Del Cabo

I traveled to Mexico two years ago for a

any danger or violence. The people I came favorite Mexican Cuisine, there always seems

in contact with were friendly and helpful. I

to be something new to do or somewhere new to explore. I’d recommend it to anyone. It’s my

anyone interested in having a fun and relaxing

favorite place on Earth.

getaway with some friends!

”

Emma from New York

“

I traveled to Mexico a few years ago

and still have not forgotten my experience in ‘the real mexico.’ I traveled to Morelia and from there visited Tarascan Pyramids, shopped in the village of Patzcuaro, and saw When I returned, I felt so unique and had an experience none of my friends could Mexico to see what other hidden jewels I can discover.

”

”

Contacts National print Chicago Tribune Gary Weitman gweitman@tribune.com (312)222.3394 LA Times Nancy Sullivan Vice President, Communications CommsDept@latimes.com The Washington Post Kris Coratti Director, PR/ Communications (202)334.6000

Online media Buzzfeed: Catherine Bartosevich Press Director catherine.bartosevich@buzzfeed.com @catbarto, (301)807.2960 Yahoo: media@yahoo-inc.com Lonely Planet: press.usa@lonelyplanet.com (510)250.6400 Trip Advisor:uspr@tripadvisor.com yelp: Press Inquiries: press@yelp.com (415)908.3801

USA Today Heidi Zimmerman Director/Communications hzimmerman@usatoday.com

Travelocity: Meredith McKee travelocity@edelman.com (214)443-7590

Local and Regional Media

Travel media outlets

Daily Cardinal : (608) 262-8000 Badger Herald : (608) 257-4712 Latino Comunidad : (909) 984-2677 Wisconsin State Journal : (608) 252-6236 WMTV 15 (NBC) : (866) 639-7244 WMSN 47 (FOX) : (608) 833-0047

Travel + Leisure: (212)382.5600

The Odyssey Newspaper Benjamin Agatston, (203) 260-9669 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel eperez@cironline.org 510-809-3179 WKOW 27 (ABC) : News Director jradske@wkow.com WisconsinWatch.org: Andy Hall 608-262-3642

Nomadic Matt mat@nomadicmatt.com Everything Everywhere Gary Arndt gary@everything-everywhere.com Brendan O-brien Freelancer brendanobrienfreelance@gmail.com (262)853.4554