Riviera Maya, Q.R. — There is no set date for international promotional projects or sales for the Tren Maya project. However, once the project is fully operational, each state involved will be responsible for its international promotion.
Bernardo Cueto Riestra, the Secretariat of State Tourism (Sedetur), says that the train continues to carry out tests and at the moment, there has not been any specific promotional work.
But, he says, it is something that is being worked on jointly between the tourism secretariats of the five states through which the Maya Train passes.
“It is in a pre-opening stage, the train is starting operations and is testing the route from Cancun to Palenque. Other routes will be added.
“At the moment there has not been any promotional work but will be during the course of this year. In fact, it was the agreement that the five Secretaries of Tourism of the states that the train travels through will have the work of selling to tour operators,” he explained.
Once this sale to tour operators begins, Cueto Riestra says international sales should also begin, commenting that to date, few foreign tourists have used Tren Maya. He says the Tren Maya management team has been wanting to wait for the entire project to become fully operational before starting international promotions.
He says they already have a work plan which will be promoted from the state secretariats with the focus being on the European market, which already has a lot of affinity with this type of mobility.
However, the North American market, the national market, which they expect will be able to take advantage of this transport to visit several of the state’s destinations, and even the South American market, is where they see a lot of opportunity.
“It is the generation of a new tourism product because the train per se is a new product which helps generate a better experience for our travelers. We have already begun to incorporate meetings with the authorities who are in charge of the operation of the Maya Train and with tour operators.
“Little by little alliances will be established, but packaging the train internationally is still in the process,” he said.
