Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, the head of the Secretary of Tourism (Sectur), announced during the 85th Annual General Assembly of the American Society of Mexico that during the presidency of Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, a new badge for tourism, Community Tourism, will be implemented instead of continuing with the Magical Towns program.
Rodríguez Zamora explained that the existing 177 magical towns will be reclassified according to their infrastructure (A-B-C), both in hospitality and general services, to more accurately determine their appeal and tourism offerings.
Regarding what Community Tourism entails, the official highlighted the importance of not having a superficial vision, commenting: "Sometimes we believe that community tourism is just about trying local food or visiting nearby places, but it does not contribute economically or attract foreign tourists significantly." In this sense, she emphasized that this approach seeks to enhance areas with infrastructure, connectivity, and regenerative initiatives, promoting innovation and sustainability.
Moreover, Rodríguez Zamora stressed the importance of the U.S. market for Mexico, detailing that the United States accounts for about 70% of the tourists arriving in the country. She pointed out that during the last year there was an increase of 5-10% in the arrival of American tourists to Mexico, resulting in a 13% increase in economic spillover, reflecting growing connectivity between both countries.
