Cities of Mexico in search of Magical people, Or Magical Town, the designation must meet higher standards under new rules introduced by the Ministry of Tourism (sectur). Existing magical cities must also meet new standards to maintain the designation.
Under the new guidelines, municipalities must establish a sustainable tourism development plan that aligns with the 2030 UN objectives and urban image regulations featuring the palettes of colors approved by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). All local tourism service providers must register for the National Tourism Registry (RNT).
At Tianguis Turístico, an event underway on the tourism industry in Baja CaliforniaMarte Luis Molina Orozco, Director General of Social Management of Destinations at Sectur, said that the new rules were trying to “clean the house before continuing to grow”. In a previous statementHe explained that the new strategy focuses on the return to the essence of the designation – the promotion of tourism as an engine of economic and local growth – and consolidating production chains and technological innovation.
The deadline to comply with the new rules is September 30. After examining the submissions, the sector will classify each city in one of the three categories: triple A (proven excellence), double A (requires adjustments) or A (need for an urgent transformation). The list will be published by December.
The municipalities classified in the lowest category will not be automatically excluded from the program, but will be necessary to improve their conditions by 2026.
Molina said that cities “with a solid plan” will receive funds of an allocated budget of 8 billion pesos (407 million dollars) to renovate the community. The renovations will include a digitization campaign, access to BBVA automatic distributors and terminals and the restoration of official social media accounts in collaboration with Meta.
The funds will be managed by Nafin and Bancomomex, he said.
What is the Magical Towns program?
The Magical Towns program was created in 2001 by the Ministry of Tourism to highlight the destinations featuring historical architecture, exceptional natural landscapes and deep traditions.
When a location obtains the city’s magic title, it receives funding from the tourism development program and sustainable magical cities to improve its image and tourism infrastructure, including the renovation of public squares, amenities and main roads.
Experts said some city designations had been granted Without adequate technical studiesAnd that these destinations lacked basic services, adequate access routes or a strong tourist offer. Such claims have been made of magic cities in Puebla – the state with the greatest number of magical cities – or Ajijic in Jaliscoamong others.
With reports from The Economist
