The Jalisco Tourism Secretariat is running an expanded promotion strategy for 2026. It combines participation in international trade events with targeted campaigns in North America and the domestic Mexican market. The programme is led by Michelle Fridman Hirsch, head of the state tourism agency.
The Trade Event Circuit
Jalisco recently participated in three major international tourism trade events:
- ANATO in Colombia: Latin America's largest travel trade fair, giving Jalisco access to wholesale buyers and tour operators across South America
- ITB Berlin: The world's largest tourism trade show, providing access to European travel trade buyers in Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands
- Routes Americas in Rio de Janeiro: An aviation route development conference connecting airline network planners with airports and destinations
Each event serves a different strategic purpose. ANATO targets South American wholesale buyers. ITB reaches European retail and trade buyers. Routes Americas focuses on the airline planners who determine direct airlift into Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta.
Attending all three in rapid succession indicates coordinated outreach rather than isolated participation decisions.
Targeted Campaigns in North America and Domestically
Alongside the trade circuit, the secretariat has reinforced promotional campaigns in the United States, Canada, and the domestic Mexican market. Fridman Hirsch described the domestic market as the foundation of Jalisco's tourism base.
This framing is consistent with the data. Domestic travelers accounted for more than half of hotel check-ins in Mexico in 2025. Jalisco destinations draw substantial visitor flows from Guadalajara, Mexico City, and other major metropolitan areas.
Puerto Vallarta is well positioned in the North American market. It has direct non-stop connections from dozens of US and Canadian cities. Its brand is well established among North American leisure travelers. The large resident expatriate community also generates referral and repeat visitation from those markets.
The timing of the reinforced campaigns, ahead of Easter and the World Cup, is deliberate. Any negative perception event during this period could disrupt the reservation pipeline. The February occupancy dip demonstrated that Jalisco's market is not immune to short-term shocks. The promotional investment is partly a response to that reality.
Measuring What the Strategy Achieves
Tourism promotion strategies of this kind are difficult to evaluate in the short term. Trade event participation builds relationships over multiple cycles. A conversation at ITB Berlin may result in a tour package sold eighteen months later.
Targeted digital campaigns produce measurable click and conversion data. Attribution to hotel bookings, however, remains imprecise.
The secretariat's goal is to maintain the momentum of the state's tourism industry and to continue positioning Jalisco's destinations internationally. Effectiveness will ultimately be measured in arrival and occupancy data over the full 2026 season.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What international tourism trade events has Jalisco attended recently?
A: The Jalisco Tourism Secretariat participated in ANATO in Colombia, ITB Berlin, and Routes Americas in Rio de Janeiro. ANATO is Latin America's largest travel trade fair. ITB is the world's largest tourism trade show. Routes Americas is an aviation route development conference connecting airlines with airports and destinations.
Q: Why does Jalisco participate in aviation route development conferences?
A: Routes Americas is an aviation conference where airline network planners discuss new and existing air routes with airport and destination representatives. Jalisco's participation is aimed at maintaining and expanding direct airlift into Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. Direct non-stop connectivity is a prerequisite for international visitor growth.
Q: What is Jalisco's domestic tourism strategy?
A: Michelle Fridman Hirsch, head of the Jalisco Tourism Secretariat, described the domestic market as the foundation of the state's tourism base. Campaigns target travelers from major Mexican cities including Guadalajara and Mexico City. Domestic travelers accounted for more than half of hotel check-ins across Mexico in 2025.
Q: Why is North American promotion central to Jalisco's tourism strategy?
A: The United States and Canada are among the largest sources of international visitors to Jalisco, particularly to Puerto Vallarta. The destination has direct non-stop connections from dozens of North American cities and a well-established brand among US and Canadian leisure travelers. The large resident expatriate community also generates referral and repeat visitation from those markets.
Q: How does trade event participation translate into tourism bookings?
A: Trade event participation builds relationships with wholesale buyers and tour operators who package and sell destinations to consumers. The conversion cycle is long: conversations at a trade event may result in packages sold six to eighteen months later. The Jalisco secretariat's multi-event participation reflects the cumulative, relationship-driven nature of destination marketing through the trade channel.
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