At the end of 2009, the Mexican meetings and event industry had registered a drop in activity of 38%, due to the cancelation of exhibitions and conventions. This led to a loss of six thousand million pesos in revenues and 1,200 jobs, according to Jaime Salazar, president of the Mexican Association of Tradeshows, Exhibitions and Conventions (AMPROFEC).
Salazar indicated that the cancelation of San Marcos Fair, in Aguascalientes, one of the most important of its kind in Mexico, represented on it own a huge loss of revenue.
Despite everything, none of the 600 members of AMPROFEC have declared bankruptcy, although they are certainly feeling the pinch because of the lack of business and cash.
Now, all the interested parties (planners, venues, hotels, suppliers, etc.) have chosen to analyze costs and ROI, “and share risks, which has allowed them to keep on operating,” although, in the opinion of Salazar, so as to ensure the recuperation of the national meetings and event industry – there are currently 57 world-class venues located throughout the country – real policies aimed at stimulating the industry should be adopted.
Taking into account that the industry will take two or three years to recuperate the same levels as in 2005, “we should reinforce buyers’ confidence in Mexico as a MICE destination, and enter now in the agendas of meetings and event planners, since we will begin to reap the benefits of our current efforts in 2013,” Salazar warned.
