TORONTO — Travel advisors across Canada heard all about Mazatlan, the ‘Colonial City on the Beach’, at Mazatlan Tourism Board events in B.C, Alberta and Ontario this past week.
In B.C., the Mazatlan team hosted shows in Burnaby (60 agents) and Abbotsford (35 agents). The Alberta shows drew 58 agents in Edmonton and 60 in Calgary.
Many travel advisors also turned out for last night’s grand finale event in Toronto, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Toronto Airport.
Mazatlan’s representatives and partners in attendance in Toronto included …
- Ana Trewaltha, Ministry of Tourism of the State
- Edna Gutierrez, Mazatlan Tourism Board
- Dave Emery, El Cid
- David Joseph, Dreams
- Alejandra Forrester, Estrella del Mar
- Maria Diga Viera, Las Flores
- Dave Wright, Sunwing
In other cities Carlo Trinidad from Dreams, Irene Wong and Tami Brown from Westjet, and Sofia Ferreira from Sunwing were in attendance.
“Canada is the most important international market for Mazatlan. This season we have direct flights from nine Canadian cities. Last year we welcomed 3.9 million visitors. In the first two months of 2023 there was an increase of 62% in international visitors compared to the same period the previous year. We have high expectations for this season and Canadian travel agents are the key,” said Ana Trewaltha from the Ministry of Tourism of the State.
Representatives also talked about the upcoming Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Conference and Trade Show set to take place Nov. 7 – 10, 2023. It’s the largest cruise convention in North America. “This world-class event is a vote of confidence for our city and a recognition of Mazatlan’s importance in the industry. We are expecting to surpass the 400 thousand cruise visitors this year,” said Trewaltha.
Nonstop flights from Canada to Mazatlan are offered by Sunwing and WestJet from Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Kelowna, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and Montreal.
Here’s a look at some of the highlights in Mazatlan for the coming year, including new attractions …
The Great Mazatlan ‘Sea of Cortes’ Aquarium
Located in the city’s Central Park, the Aquarium is the largest of its kind in Mexico and the most important in Latin America. The aquarium has 26 distinct habitats within the facility, home to over 5,000 specimens representing 200 diverse species.
The 1873 Observatory
The Observatory sits 246 feet above sea level in Mazatlán, offering some of the city’s most iconic ocean and land views. The facility includes a funicular railway, a museum, aviary or botanical garden dedicated to the agave plant, a bird sanctuary, ancestral indigenous centre, a zipline and Skybar 360 with a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean and city landscape.
The Solar Eclipse of 2024
The event also highlighted the strategic location of Mazatlan to witness the Great American Eclipse next year which will take place on April 8, 2024. The best views will be in Mazatlan. The city is situated directly within the pathway of the total solar eclipse. With 4 minutes and 15 seconds of visibility, the total solar eclipse will first be visible from Mazatlán at approximately 11 a.m. PDT.
