^{By: Lisa Coleman}

Hola from Acapulco!! Touted as the largest tourism trade show in Latin America, Tianguis has always been the definitive place to meet, greet, and promote tourism in Mexico. After last year’s untimely swine flu and earthquake, many vendors approached with a touch of apprehension. Nonetheless, it appears things are business as usual here.

President Felipe Calderon  arrived on Sunday to make the opening speech and launch this year’s event. Joined by the country’s new Tourism Minister, Gloria Guevara, (who replaced Mexico’s longest serving Tourism Minister, Rodolfo Elizondo Torres) Calderon spoke about the importance of the tourism in Mexico’s future and acknowledged that Tianguis is the “most important business platform in Latin America for the tourism sector.”

Calderon has high hoped for Guevara who comes from the private sector and is well known for her experience in tourism. She was the C.E.O. of Sabre Holdings Corporation Mexico (since 2005), a company that boasts booking as a million travel reservation transactions a minute during peak activity. She was also listed as one of Mexico’s Most Powerful Women by Expansión Magazine. Her platform is to push the growth of tourism without sacrificing the environment, as well as to find ways to help the small and medium-sized tourism companies to thrive. Guevara has a master’s degree in marking (Universidad Anahuac – Mexico City) and in business administration (Northwestern University – Evanston, Illinois).

We have found things to be a bit quieter this year, but overall the festivities seem in full swing. Attitudes are good, and no one is pretending the road back will be easy. But as usual, the hoteliers and destinations are here, selling their hearts out to promote their country. Their tireless efforts are good to see and we hope they reap the rewards of their efforts.