From October to March, state secures 17 Million Pesos-plus in private investment for tourism sector

MEXICO CITY — July 7, 2020 — The State of Yucatán is celebrating the confirmation that Hilton International will operate the Villa Mercedes Mérida, one of the most emblematic hotels in its capital city, as part of the Curio Collection by Hilton brand.

Michelle Fridman, Secretary of Tourism Promotion of Yucatán, via a virtual meeting from Mexico City, oversaw the signing of the agreement between corporate representatives from Hilton International and the Villa Mercedes Mérida. The Curio Collection by Hilton is a global brand comprising more than 90 carefully selected five-star hotels and resorts created for the traveler who seeks to both discover local destinations and live truly authentic experiences.

The Villa Mercedes Mérida offers 127 comfortable rooms; a 130-seat restaurant; a bar; seven lounges, with capacity for up to 400 people; a swimming pool; a charming central garden and terrace; and a gym. Guest accommodations include four luxurious suites and 30 exclusive rooms, as well as a private lounge, in a reserved area for greater privacy and comfort.

This announcement represents just one part of new tourism investment in Yucatán. From last October to this March, the State of Yucatan Ministry of Tourism (Sefotur) has secured more than 17,000 MDP for development of tourism infrastructure, a good part of which is already under construction or invested in projects currently in operation.

Of the more than 17 million pesos, almost 40% was invested in Mérida and the remaining 60% in the interior of the state, as part of a strategy by Sefotur to ensure the benefits of tourism reach all Yucatecans. Of this total, 60.5% will be used for the construction, renovation and innovation of hotels and 39% in theme parks, while the remaining 0.5% will be invested in restaurants.

“We are at an atypical moment, however, realizing that our tourism industry is facing the most complex crisis in its entire history and that, in the midst of this crisis, these events are celebrated … fills me with hope,” said Fridman, at the meeting.

“I believe in Yucatán,” she added. “Yucatán is a great tourist destination; it is a jewel in our country, and an iconic and historical property such as Villa Mercedes, passed into the hands of an international chain, marks a watershed of the new tourism of Yucatán, that it rises to a new era of tourism.”

Fridman emphasized that Yucatán has enjoyed much good news of late, closing out 2019 with historic growth in the number of visitors. The state welcome 14.5% more visitors than the year prior, thus overcoming a barrier of 2 million overnight visitors and 3.2 million visitors in general. The state also broke records in the arrival of passengers by air, as well as in attracting private investments. The investments reflect “the great destination that we are, a diverse destination, where history is combined with modernity in a cosmopolitan city like Mérida, declared as the ‘Best City in the World’ by Condé Nast Traveler,” she said, with a good location and mere steps separating a world-class International Congress Center from a charming Historic Center.