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| Mazatlan’s Hotel Zone should benefit from more spending on marketing. |
Government officials of Mazatlan told the media attending Tianguis Turistico 2103 in Puebla that the central Pacific Coast city is expected to invest upwards of $11 million in marketing this year, which is up from $9.7 million in 2012. This number is only going to increase in 2014 as the destination expects to pour in $17 million.
In terms of airline connectivity, Mazatlan is in negotiation with airlines to launch new routes from Seattle, Houston, Denver, Atlanta and Chicago. These are scheduled to become official as of June. By Tianguis 2014, it is expected that there will be an additional 40 percent more flights.
Perhaps the biggest news coming out of the destination is the cruise industry’s return. Holland America was the first to jump back into Mazatlan, but several other cruise lines are confirmed for the 2013-14 season. These include Princess Cruises, Norwegian and Azamara Club Cruises.
“Mazatlan is back,” says the Secretary of Tourism for Sinaloa, Francisco Manual Cordoba Celay. “We’ve seen a community come together. Crime is down 85 percent. Cruises are back, major airlines are bringing new destinations, and Mazatlan would be happy to be considered to host Tianguis Turistico in 2016.”