The Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) and the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) have expanded their influence over tourism infrastructure, going beyond their traditional role of guaranteeing security. Both the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) and the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), the operation of flights and ferries to Islas Marías and the Mayan Train have fallen under the jurisdiction of the armed forces, marking a major change in their participation in the tourism sector.
But the transition of the armed forces towards operational roles beyond security generates skepticism and Arsuaga warns of the risk of assigning the military tasks such as transport operations, since tourism is fundamentally an experience, and soldiers are not trained as creators of experiences.
Due to this, the demilitarization of tourist activity is one of the points that the CNET considers key to the reactivation of tourist activity. Another crucial point in this decalogue is the relaunch of the Visit México platform, responsible for promoting tourism in the country, which was out of service last Friday due to payment problems.
Previously managed by the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur), the Visit-Mexico portal passed into the hands of businessmen due to the austerity policy implemented by the federal government last year and the disappearance of the Tourism Promotion Council (CPTM). But the page stopped working.
According to Arsuaga, these points must be integrated into the redefinition of tourism policy to ensure Mexico’s leadership, “based on three pillars: legal security, economic stability and physical integrity,” he stated.
The CNET decalogue to reactivate the tourism sector
1. Restoration of dialogue with the productive sector.
2. Reactivation of the country’s tourism promotion.
3. Digital transformation program for the sector.
4. Demilitarization of tourist activity.
5. Promotion of a national tourism sustainability strategy.
6. Review of the Sustainable Tourism Development Zones initiative.
7. Redefinition of the regulatory framework.
8. Strengthening connectivity and infrastructure.
9. Development of a comprehensive support program for micro, small and medium-sized tourism businesses.
10. Rethinking the role of federal authorities regarding tourism.