Guanajuato, Mexico | Strengthening its Position as a Relevant MICE Destination

Guanajuato, a city in central Mexico, the capital of the state of Guanajuato, part of the microregion of the Bajío, located in a narrow valley and known for its silver mining history and beautiful colonial architecture, highlighted by a network of narrow streets, alleyways and tunnels, typified by the famous Callejóm del Beso (Alley of the Kiss),  so named because the balconies are close enough for a couple to reach across and kiss and the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, an art and local history museum with pre – Columbian exhibits is strengthening its position as a relevant MICE destination.

The city’s central location in Mexico facilitates efficient logistic and transportation, supported by major highways, railways, and the Bajío International Airport (BIX) . Guanajuato also boasts a large convention center with over 42.000 square metres of space,  a relevant hotel network ranging from 3 - star to grand tourism, and several specialized service providers.

As a UNESCO World Heritage City, Guanajuato offer a unique environment where business events can be combined with cultural experiences, historic tours and recreational activities like exploring pre - Hispanic archaeological sites, tailor made itineraries linked to the colonial era or following the local wine route. This blend undoubtedly provides a compelling value proposition for event attendees.

The city continues to consolidate itself as one of the most competitive destinations in Mexico within the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sector by leveraging its strategic location, cultural heritage, and growing infrastructure to attract a notable mix of business and leisure tourism. 

Guanajuato currently ranked fifth nationally in meeting tourism, and after its outstanding participation in the Second International Congress of Meetings & Events,  held from December 2 to 5, 2025, in the city of Aguascalientes reinforced furthermore its attractiveness and appeal.

The presence of Guanajuato Capital Tourism Council in this international forum responded to the strategy of strengthening the MICE segment, considered a key driver for the tourism and economic development of the city. 

This important congress brought together meeting planners, event organizers, sector specialists and representatives of national and international destinations, forming an ideal space for updating trends, exchanging knowledge and generating strategic alliances and it served for Guanajuato to showcase itself as a very competitive destination. 

During its participation, the Tourism Council of Guanajuato held 14 business meetings with key players in the industry, presenting the city’s solid tourism offer, its specialized infrastructure, connectivity, organizational capacity and professional services that make it an ideal destination for high level events.

As a result new opportunities for collaboration were identified and links were strengthened with agencies and meeting planners interested in bringing futire congresses, conventions and incentive trips to Guanajuato Capital. 

These actions directly contribute to increase furthermore the visibility of the destination in the MICE circuit, promoting the attraction of events that generate economic spillover, hotel occupancy, national and international promotion and benefits for the entire tourism value chain. 

Participation in the International Congress of Meetings & Events reaffirms Guanajuato Capital’s commitment to remain in the forefront of the sector, diversify its tourism portfolio and consolidate itself as a leading benchmark in the meetingsd industry in Mexico and Latin America.

Link 
https://infoturlatam.com/guanajuato-capital-fortalece-su-posicionamiento-como-destino-mice/

Stellenbosch, South Africa | Tourist Assistants Programme to Enhance Visitor Experience Launched

Stellenbosch, a university town in South Africa’s Western Cape province surrounded by the picturesque vineyards of the Cape Wineland and the mountainous nature reserves of Joenkershoek and Simonsberg, a popular tourist destination also due to its history as South Africa's second oldest town, established in 1679 by Governor Simon van del Stel after Cape Town, through Visit Stellenbosch, in partnership with the Stellenbosch Improvement and Transformation Initiative (SITI) Special Rating area, has launched and expanded the Tourist Assistants Programme to enhance on - street visitor support and create local jobs.

Announced on 19th November 2025, the Tourism Assistants Programme, is a youth - focused initiative aims to train local youth as ambassador, enhancing visitor experience with guidance, safety, and local knowledge while creating employment and fostering community pride.

These trained youn people offer on - street support, aiming for regenerative tourism that strengthens the community, echoing successful collaborations like the “Rent a Cop” program that aims to provide visible policing/security in high risk areas, often by funding extra patrols or supplementing existing municipal police services for specific zone or events, effectively “renting” extra security presence for community and tourists safety and fitting into Stellenbosch’s broader goal of inclusive, sustainable economic growth through tourism.

As initial cohort of 10 assistant, including two from the Pinotage Youth Development Academy and 8 trainees who completed training on 23rd October 2025 at Bergzicht Training Centre, form the team that is now deployed. 

Key Aspects of the Tourist Assistants Programme: 

•    Youth Empowerment: Transforms talented local youth into skiled ambassadors, providing them with valuable tourism experience and ownership. 
•    Enhanced Visitor Experience: Assistants guide, inform, and ensure a safe, authentic, and memorable visit for tourists. 
•    Regenerative Tourism: Aims to make tourism a force for positive community development, leaving places stronger and more connected.
•    Community and Government Collaboration: A joint effort between Visit Stellenbosch, the Stellenbosch Improvement and Transformation (SITI) and the Municipality. 
•    Job Creation: Creates tangible pathways for young people in Stellenbosch’s key economic driver, tourism, say reports from Visit Stellenbosch and Cape Winelands .

Organisers say the model builds community pride while improving the quality of the visitor journey in one of the Western cape’s key tourism hubs.

Link 
https://atta.travel/resource/stellenbosch-launches-youth-programme-for-visitor-experience.html

Madrid, Spain | New Global Headquarters of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)

The World & Tourism Council (WTTC) announced in December 2025 that it’s moving its global headquarters from London to Madrid in early 2026, citing benefits like EU access, lower costs, strong government support, and better talent pool access, with the Spain's capital and largest city beating relevant candidates such as Dubai, Geneva, Milan and Paris.

The move aims to enhance efficiency, provide more value to members, and boost the global travel and tourism sector from a central, well - connected location as Madrid, which is already the headquarters of UN Tourism reinforce its position as a relevant hub in the global tourism landscape.

WTTC’s operational committee has unanimously approved Madrid’s candidacy, and the choice has been made after evaluating six key criteria:

•    Rental and operating costs. 
•    The tax environment. 
•    Competitiveness. 
•    Visa and work permit frameworks. 
•    Government Support 
•    The cost of living to attract talent and proximity to other international organizations. 
 

The 17 members of the committee agreed that Madrid offered the best response for the organization long-term strategic and operational needs.

Among the factors that have influenced the decision have also been the difficulties arising from Brexit, especially those related to mobility of talent, which made the United Kingdom and London  less attractive as a venue

In this context the World & Tourism Council (WTTC) seeks to strengthen its operational capacity and maintain a truly international perspective operning a new chapter in Madrid.

WTTC CEO Gloria Guevara, thanked the Spanish government for its support, stressing that being in Madrid will allow the organization to become even stronger, offering a closer relationship with the body members and playing a key role in advising on policies that boost tourism growth and employment. 


The establishment of the WTTC headquarters in Madrid is in addition to the presence in the Spanish capital of the global headquarters of UN Tourism (formerly UNWTO), the United Nations specialized agency for the sector, which has been in the Iberian city for decades. 

This concentration of international organisations linked to tourism reinforces Madrid as a reference node to strengthen cooperation, research, advocacy, members engagement in the travel and tourism industry and the design of global policies in the field. 

Link
https://www.preferente.com/noticias-de-hoteles/madrid-aun-mas-capital-mundial-con-la-wtcc-347185.html

Guanajuato, Mexico | Strengthening its Position as a Relevant MICE Destination

Guanajuato, a city in central Mexico, the capital of the state of Guanajuato, part of the microregion of the Bajío, located in a narrow val...