The expo welcomes the Mexican travel company ‘Seven Tours’ which has over 25 years of experience in the tourism industry. Seven Tours will be participating remotely and showcasing the diversity of Mexico’s tourism.
Ms. Rosa Isela Estrada, Managing Director of Seven Tours shared the latest travel regulations and tourism news in the interview conducted by our team.
1. What are the entry regulations in your country for travelers from Russia? Are there special privileges for COVID-19 vaccinated tourists? What rules apply to people who have been vaccinated against Covid-19?
Rosa Isela Estrada
Managing Director, Seven Tours
The Electronic Authorization can be obtained from 25 calendar days before the date of your trip to Mexico. If you cannot obtain electronic authorization, it is recommended that you process a Mexican visa at the Consular Section of the Mexican Embassy 10 days before the date of your trip to Mexico
There is not special privileges for COVID-19 vaccinated tourists. Mexico has not adopted restrictions for the air entry of visitors and return of Mexicans from other countries. The Ministry of Health is alert at the entry points to the country to attend to people who manifest symptoms associated with the coronavirus and take the corresponding measures.
A completed format, “Cuestionario de identificación de factores de riesgo de viajeros”, must be presented to immigration upon arrival. The format can be found at https://vuelaseguro.com/home
2. Please tell us about the air traffic between Russia and Mexico. Is there any information that there will be new charter and regular direct flights?
It has been detected that some airlines request the completion of this questionnaire as a prerequisite to boarding; it is clarified that this questionnaire does not constitute an immigration restriction and not having it cannot be an impediment to boarding a flight to Mexico.
The questionnaire can be filled out online by means of electronic devices (cell phone, tablets), or if you do not have mobile devices or internet connectivity, the questionnaire will be delivered on paper at the airport upon arrival to be filled out and reviewed by security personnel at the first airport filter in Mexico.
3. Are there any restrictions on the movement of tourists around the country?
A specific document that contains guidelines is to be implemented that, it was prepared by the coordinated participation of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Tourism, as well as the Mexican Institute of Social Security. This document establishes the recommendations for the tourism sector in order to reinforce the measures of personal hygiene, of the environment and of healthy distance in all areas of work and in front of any exposure scenario, once in the framework of the New Normal so that the sector can begin to operate gradually.
These basic measures are complementary to the Technical Guidelines Specific for the Reopening of Economic Activities published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on May 29, 2020. The correct implementation of both documents is required. Tourism companies must adhere to these provisions and provide the necessary means for workers to be able to perform the protocols.
There are specific protocols and recommendations for each tourist sector by focusing on the activities, considering not only the needs of the work center staff but of the users of the services, our visitors. Therefore and to facilitate the definition of measures, the services of the tourism sector were grouped into 10 blocks each of them with detailed specifications.
4. What is the situation with hotels? Are there some hotels remain closed to tourist? Or, on the contrary, are there new hotels have opened in the last year? How do hotels attract Russian tourists?
The Ministry of Tourism estimates that hotel occupancy in Mexico in 2021 will be 50.9%, it predicts that 2021 will remain a complicated year with an average annual hotel occupancy of 50.9%, standing 10.4 percentage points below that registered in 2019, which it was 61.3 percent. The hotel industry showed constant growth in 2019. Around 22 thousand new hotel rooms were built, thus 830 thousand rooms were reached. With these figures, Mexico established itself in the seventh position in hotel infrastructure worldwide.
Despite the pandemic, in 2020 the tourism industry captured USD 1 billion, almost 4% of the total foreign direct investment in Mexico, of which 26.3% corresponded to hotel investment. At the end of 2020, private investment was 10 billion USD in 595 tourism projects.
We have a clear example of what Mexico is doing to bring Russian Tourists. The Mexican Ambassador Norma Pensado inaugurated in Moscow, on September 4th, 2018 the XV edition of the Mexico Link Travel tourist exhibition.
Mexico Link Travel (MLT) is the commercial association that will unite the efforts of all Mexican companies that seek to achieve a real approach with the Russian-speaking markets within the medium of tourism. Visit http://eng.mexicolinktravel.mx/
The goals of MLT are:
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Create a direct and effective link between the key tour operators of the countries: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Mexican companies
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Organization of independent tourist events, Road Show of Mexico in those countries
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Extensive informative support and direct distribution of news and promotions from Mexican companies to the market
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Support in the translation and printing of informational materials
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Extensive consulting on emerging markets
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Organization of press conferences with Russian-speaking media
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Publication and distribution of the magazine "México News by MLT" that will be distributed in all tourist events, Mexican restaurants and others
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Publication and distribution of the MEXICO LINK TRAVEL Directory that will be distributed at MLT events and to tour operators
Within the framework of this event, Ambassador Pensado addressed a few words to the audience, made up of more than 50 Russian and Mexican tour operators and hoteliers, in which she highlighted the high priority that Mexico gives to tourism, both national and foreign, as well as the fact that thanks to the offer and numerous tourist attractions that our country has, Mexico had become the 6th tourist destination worldwide.
The Head of this Embassy expressed her satisfaction with the growth experienced in recent months in the number of Russian tourists visiting Mexico and showed her conviction that it will continue along the same route thanks to the efforts of the Mexican Government - with events such as the “Tianguis Turistico 2018”, held in Mazatlán, in which 3 Russian tour operators participated-, and after the World Soccer Championship held in Russia where the almost 45,000 Mexicans who visited this nation contributed to awakening a greater interest of the local citizen for customs, traditions and joy of our country. It should be noted that the various activities that the Embassy organized or participated in this framework paid towards this end, among which "A Taste of Mexico" stands out, which received numerous positive comments from attendees who are eager to visit Mexico.
After concluding his speech, the video "Dear Russia", prepared in Russian with Spanish subtitles, was screened, after which the local tour operators held business meetings with Mexican hoteliers in order to attract more Russian tourism to our country.
https://fr-fr.facebook.com/enrique.delamadrid.77/videos/dear-russia/1668358236594798/
5. What are the forecasts for the tourist season 2021? What actions does Mexico plan to take to attract Russian tourists?
The forecasts published by the Ministry of Tourism, in a conservative scenario, the arrival of 30.4 million international tourists is expected, 22.6% more than 2020; in 2019 there were 42 million of foreign visitors. Tourism is a strategic activity of the Mexican economy, contributing around 9% to the Gross Domestic Product and generates more than 4 million jobs directly and around 10 million indirectly.
Seven Tours is member of Conexstur, the most important incoming tourist association in Mexico, which is working together with the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Relations, to channel information from different embassies. Russian Embassy sent us information to participate in the 27th edition of the OTDYKH Leisure International Tourist Exhibition.
We know that OTDYKH Leisure International Tourist Exhibition is one of the most important fair of tourism in that market, and will take place in Moscow, from September 7 to 9, 2021. The original plan was to participate physically, but due to the pandemic we decided to do it virtually this year.
We know that better conditions and opportunities are coming to be involve with you and to strength our ties for business and cultural exchange. We are looking forward to being in contact with you.
About the company
Seven Tours, a Mexican Wholesale Operating Company
Website: www.seventours.com.mx
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seventoursmexico/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seventoursmexico/
06.08.2021