The Routes of Mexico Campaign

Beach resort destinations are never a hard sell in Mexico, but pitching its colonial towns isn’t as easy.

“Right now, I am still selling Mexico beach resorts,” says Marianne Braly of Now Voyager Travel in Huntington Beach, CA. “But I’m having a really hard time selling colonial Mexico, though.”

Well, there is help on the way.

The Mexico Tourism Board recently launched its new “The Routes of Mexico" program, which aims at promoting the country’s “natural beauty, archeological sites, charming towns, colonial cities, ecological reserves, sustainable areas and sun and beach destinations in a more integrated and organic manner,” according to a written release.

Secretary of Tourism Gloria Guevara, who spearheaded the initiative, told Travel Agent it was designed to open up travelers’ eyes to the other “wonders” of Mexico.

“We have so much to offer than most people are even aware of,” Guevara told Travel Agent. “There are so many things about Mexico other than just sun and beaches that people don’t often expect to see when they visit our country. There are so many experiences people aren’t taking advantage of. Hopefully, this will make them more aware of those experiences and they will start discovering other wonders in Mexico.”

The 10 routes included in the program connect the 31 states and Mexico City according to various themes including food, wine, culture, history, art and more.They are: “Wine Country and the Aquarium of the World,” “The Millenary Tarahumaras,” “The Magic of Traditions and Nature,” “The Birthplace of History and Romanticism,” “The Art of Tequila and Music Under the Sun,” “The Huastecas and their Outstanding Beauty,” “Thousand Flavors of Mole,” “The Mystery and Origin of the Mayan Culture,” “A Colonial Experience” and “The Fascinating Encounter Between History and Modern Day Mexico.”

Guevara says these routes are an excellent way to promote Mexico’s legacy commemorated this year with the celebration of the Bicentennial of Mexican Independence and the Centennial of the Mexican Revolution.

“There is so much going in Mexico that no one knows about,” Guevara says. “The number of spas in Mexico is so much higher than most people think. We are discovering more and more ruins. And there is so much more, but how do we let the rest of the world know this? This will hopefully be the platform to do that.”

Visit www.visitmexico.com/rutasdemexico.