Cecilia Cruz
Meetings Executive Director
Mexico Tourism Board
Since taking her position at the Mexico Tourism Board in February, Cecilia Cruz has set her sights on strengthening Mexico’s role as a magnet for international meetings, incentives and events. In this exclusive interview with Meetings Focus, she talks about Mexico’s selling points, and ends with a quote directly from Mexico’s new tourism campaign.
What are your main goals for developing the MICE market in Mexico?
I took the position of meetings executive director on Feb. 1 with the objective of maintaining the brand exposure of Mexico in the association market, while mainly targeting the corporate and exhibition segment.
How would you describe Mexico’s biggest selling points for meeting planners?
Cost versus value. Mexico is not a cheap destination. However, you get more for the same price compared to our competitors. In some cases, accessibility is a great [selling point]; it’s easier to get from the West Coast of the U.S. to Los Cabos, rather than going to New York. This year we have been working with our Mexican suppliers to guarantee international service standards. This has become a competitive advantage for Mexico now.
What marketing and educational efforts do you have planned to help grow the MICE market from the U.S.?
More education [for] meeting planners about Mexico, either through webinars, blitzes or invitations to fam trips in the different areas where we find more business—Chicago, New York, California and Houston.
What are some of Mexico’s biggest infrastructure developments and improvements that will help grow the MICE market?
There has been a lot of investment in Mexico in 2013 in the meetings Industry, such as the new convention center in Tijuana, named Baja Center, with 269,000 square feet of space; Aloft Hotel, with 177 rooms inside the property of Cancun Center; and Courtyard by Marriott in Leon, just a few steps from Poliforum Leon, which opened this summer with 140 rooms and three meeting rooms. By the end of the year, Moon Palace will increase up to 3,000 rooms and open a new convention center with 107,600 square feet of space. And there is more to come for 2014 in Queretaro, Rivera Maya and Puerto Vallarta.
What factors would you stress to convince meeting planners to bring their groups to Mexico?
Outstanding service, high-end infrastructure, cost/value, diversity, [UNESCO] heritage sites—and finally, I will say you have to “live it to believe it!”