Cancún to Host 250 MICE Tourism Professionals in November
The World Meetings Forum will bring 250 meetings industry professionals to Cancún from November 2-5, aiming to strengthen business links despite a cautious
Around 250 meetings industry professionals will gather in Cancún from November 2 to 5 for the World Meetings Forum (WMF). The event aims to strengthen commercial links between specialized buyers and suppliers for conferences, conventions, and incentive travel.
Rafael Hernández, chairman of the WMF, announced the forum. He stated the sector is currently in a period of caution. This is due to geopolitical uncertainty, rising fuel prices, and increased corporate scrutiny of budgets for meetings and travel.
Cancún's Appeal for MICE Tourism
Despite these international conditions, Hernández highlighted that Cancún remains a top destination for meetings tourism. He cited its hotel infrastructure, connectivity, and specialized offerings as key strengths. Forum activities will be held at three hotels: Secrets, Live Aqua, and the recently remodeled Paradisus Cancún.
The event will host 80 hosted buyers from Spain, Mexico, various Latin American countries, and Canada. An international delegation of suppliers will also attend, including participants from Vancouver, the Czech Republic, and the United States. U.S. Destinations represented include Boston, Chicago, Portland, and Milwaukee.
Forum Agenda: Business and Learning
The program includes conferences, networking meetings, and professional relationship-building activities. A keynote conference will be delivered by former Nascar driver Hugo Oliveras.
The MPI Global Learning Day will also be part of the academic agenda. This initiative will provide training and update content for local meetings industry professionals. Hernández explained that the invited buyer profiles include meeting planners, event organizers, intermediary agencies, and direct account representatives.
Inclusion as a Central Theme
Beyond business generation and training, the World Meetings Forum will again place inclusion as a central theme. A particular focus is the participation of people with disabilities in events.
The chairman emphasized that this policy is part of the forum's vision to generate social benefits through the meetings industry. The goal is to advance towards events where people with disabilities can participate actively.
According to REPORTUR.mx, Quintana Roo is pushing to compete for congresses, conventions, incentives, and major events. The region has over 130 hotels with meeting rooms, three convention centers, and four international airports. This shift in focus comes amid a decline in general tourism in recent years, attributed to insecurity and sargassum seaweed on beaches.
