Within the framework of the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) 2026, Verónica González López, Director of the Aguascalientes Convention and Visitors Bureau, outlined the factors that have positioned the state as a relevant destination for meetings tourism.
Speaking at a conference held at Casa de México in Madrid, González López presented a results overview since the Bureau’s creation under the administration of Governor Tere Jiménez, highlighting its role in diversifying tourism activity beyond the National San Marcos Fair.
She explained that the Bureau was established to attract visitors throughout the year and is supported by coordinated work between state government agencies and private-sector stakeholders, enabling a structured strategy to bring conventions, exhibitions, and congresses to the state.
“Aguascalientes is a new destination, a destination that has everything for meetings tourism,” González López stated. She noted that in just three years, the Bureau has hosted more than 500 congresses, conventions, and exhibitions, focusing on events with economic impact.
“We have hosted more than 500 congresses, conventions, and expos in only three years,” she said.
She emphasized that these figures exclude the National San Marcos Fair and reflect activity generated during the rest of the year, aligning with the Bureau’s objective of maintaining steady hotel occupancy.
As a result of this strategy, González López reported a 69 percent increase in hotel occupancy tax revenue, an indicator tied to the number of room nights generated by meetings tourism.
“All of these figures are outside the National San Marcos Fair,” she explained. She added that the state’s central location facilitates attendance from across Mexico, influencing the selection of Aguascalientes as a venue for national events.
González López also addressed factors such as security and connectivity, noting that intergovernmental coordination, along with existing hotel infrastructure, venues, services, and golf courses, has supported the state’s capacity to host large-scale events.
“The meetings industry generates 55 percent more economic impact than leisure tourism,” she stated. In this context, she explained that the Bureau has prioritized the MICE segment and strengthened its international promotion through participation in FITUR and business-to-business meetings with markets in North America, Europe, and Latin America.
She referred to cultural promotion efforts, including tauromachy, as part of the identity Aguascalientes presents on international platforms such as FITUR 2026.
