Mérida pulls out all the stops to celebrate Mexico’s largest tourism trade show

Mérida’s Ballet Folklorico de la Ciudad performs in Santa Ana Park. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht

Mérida’s Centro was abuzz with activity as the city wrapped up its first day hosting the Tianguis Turístico Mexico, the nation’s largest tourism industry trade show.

Festivities included musical and folkloric performances in Paseo de Montejo’s Remate, as well as in Santa Ana Park.

Video: Tuesday’s festivities in Méridas Centro, celebrating Mexico’s Tianguis Turístico.

Santa Ana Park also hosted what had been originally billed as an alternative Tianguis Turístico, but in the end, became a celebration of the tradeshow itself. 

Activities kicked off at around 6 p.m. but did not really kick into gear until 8 when the live music began and really started to attract onlookers — to the relief of tour guides and merchants attending a couple of dozen booths spread out around the plaza. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht 

Both the Tianguis Turístico and evening events designed to complement it will continue until Friday evening.

Although foot traffic along Paseo de Montejo was fairly active, especially for a Tuesday night, most of the people out and about appeared to be locals, as trade show attendees seemed to be conspicuously absent. 

Earlier: ‘Mayan ball game’ returns a new to Mérida’s Plaza Grande 

Restaurants in the area appeared to be doing good business, but it was hard not to notice that social distancing norms and masking regulations were not being strictly adhered to. 

Merchants and food stalls outside Santa Ana had a good night as onlookers looked for something to do before the music began. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht

Also particularly active was Mérida’s hotel zone, as the much-anticipated Tianguis Turístico brought with it a flurry of reservations.  

The celebration also included video mapping displays at the Monumento a la Patría, Palacio Canton, and Santa Ana’s 18th-century church. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht

Earlier reports stated that the Tianguis Turístico would be held on the premises of Yucatán’s new International Convention Center. However several activities and workshops have been spread out to other venues including the Centro de Convenciones Siglo XXI and The Museo del Mundo Maya

Organizers prepare for the arrival of attendees at a pavilion in Mérida’s Centro de Convenciones Siglo XXI. Photo: Veronica Garibay

The Tianguis Turístico Mexico was originally slated to be hosted in late March 2020, but given the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, was pushed back to that fall, and then March, before it was postponed again until November 2021.

Carlos Rosado van der Gracht
Carlos Rosado van der Gracht
Born in Mérida, Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican/Canadian blogger, photographer and adventure expedition leader. He holds degrees in multimedia, philosophy, and translation from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
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