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At the opening ceremony of the first Summit Mexicano de la Hospitalidad in Mérida, Saúl Ancona welcomed more than 100 attendees and highlighted the purpose of the event: innovation, connection and hospitality. Rocco Bova emphasized the importance of preparing for the future of the industry, as it is constantly evolving. Adolfo Tuñón noted the need to take services to the next level, while Fran Lugo thanked the audience for being part of this new era and officially announced the start of the Summit.
Challenges for the tourism sector on route to 2030
Braulio Arsuaga
Braulio Arsuaga spoke about the challenges that the tourism industry faces and opened by presenting key statistics. He emphasized that tourism is a fundamental need that represents 10% of the world’s GDP. However, the Americas only captures 15% of global tourism; a clear example is Spain, which, despite its smaller size, receives more tourists than Mexico.
Mexico has great potential in the tourism industry but faces significant challenges in its global positioning. In 2024, it ranked 17th in worldwide tourism revenues and 38th in tourism development. It also ranked 49th in environmental sustainability, 65th in tourism prioritization, 68th in business environment, and 119th in safety and security.
Tourism is a key driver of the country’s economy, generating significant revenues and creating 4.9 million jobs. This has contributed to reducing poverty and generating more job opportunities in Mexico.
Currently, 91% of international tourism arriving in Mexico is concentrated in just five airports, with Cancun receiving 46.9% of the total. On average, each tourist spends 700 USD in the country. The question is: will we be able to surpass the 1,000 USD spent by an average tourist in Spain?
As part of the strategy to strengthen the sector, the Mexican government launched Plan Mexico 2030, focused on four pillars: sustainability, equality and women’s rights, public innovation for technological development and support for indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities. This initiative seeks to promote the Pueblos Mágicos, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and protected natural areas through new tourism offerings, which represents a great opportunity for tourism. If successfully implemented, the country could receive up to 62 million international tourists per year by 2030, a private investment of 57 billion USD and create up to 570,000 jobs.
Unveiling the secrets of the world’s best hotel
Rocco Bova
Rocco came to Mexico eight years ago with the mission of making Chablé one of the most prestigious hotels in the world, and he shared the rules that allowed him to achieve it:
Rule 1: Everything starts with a clear vision. His goal was to make Chablé the best hotel in the world, a clear and simple goal.
Rule 2: Allocate enough resources. It requires considerable and sustained investment over time.
Rule 3: Operate on your own or with an operator. It is possible to manage the hotel without an operator, as long as the right team is hired.
Rule 4: Have the best allies. Investing in the right media representation is key to positioning your brand.
Rule 5: Develop a clear, modern and suitable concept.
Rule 6: Signature architecture and design. An exceptional project requires visionary professionals.
Rule 7: Ensure adequate facilities, amenities and services. A boutique hotel, for example, cannot offer all the necessary to become the best.
Rule 8: Prepare and plan properly for the pre-opening. It is essential to conduct market research, analyze trends, and define development and training strategies, among other things.
Rule 9: Hire the best collaborators. Keep in mind that each area manager will be like the human resources director within their team.
Rule 10: Use relevant media to position your brand: T+L, Virtuoso, Condé Nast, New York Times, etc.
Rule 11: Participate in relevant industry events, such as TFest, Pure Life Experiences and the Global Wellness Summit.
Rule 12: Hyper-personalize experiences.
Rule 13: Reinvent your brand every 5 years.
Rule 13A: The family’s support is key. Having a support network makes the road to success more solid.
Human leadership, the key to a positive work environment
Adolfo Tuñon
Adolfo Tuñón explored the challenges of attracting and keeping the best employees in the industry. He explained that many people leave the industry when they work for leaders who do not support nor inspire them. But, once an employee is promoted, how can they learn to effectively manage their team?
Human leadership is an approach based on empathy, effective communication and holistic team development, with an emphasis on staff well-being. Its goal is to foster a positive and collaborative work environment. A good leader must listen, communicate and understand, which allows for the development of awareness. And when there is awareness, results come.
Adolfo explains that each person has their own ‘operating system’ based on their life experiences. This can generate challenges, opportunities and limitations within the team; and raises a fundamental question: are your employees working behind a mask or with true enthusiasm?
To help discover their purpose, Adolfo conducts coaching exercises asking employees to discover their life vision (is it difficult? Impossible?), helping them to identify which beliefs are part of their ‘operating system’ and which ‘masks’ they wear.
A person dancing alone in public looks strange, but the moment another person joins them is the inflection point, where others begin to join in; that’s when a movement starts.
Hotel digitalization, do you need or want it?
Enrique Calderón
Enrique highlights the unique values of hospitality: warmth, professionalism, respect, innovation and sustainability, among others. Digitalization has transformed the hotel industry. Many hotel groups now use apps that allow guests to check in from their cell phones and access their rooms without the need for physical keys. If these tools are managed correctly, they can streamline the guest experience. In addition, they facilitate the tracking of housekeeping and maintenance operations.
The concept of a paperless hotel is appealing, but it is essential to consider aspects such as cybersecurity, connectivity, speed and internet accessibility before implementation. On the other hand, artificial intelligence (AI) can optimize processes by analyzing information and providing strategic recommendations. Thanks to AI, hotels can perform predictive analytics, cost control and inventory management more accurately. However, to take advantage of these benefits, it is necessary to have complete data digitization and automation, creating reliable and efficient databases.
Imagine using technology to anticipate guests’ likes and preferences according to the ‘tribes’ to which they belong. This would make it possible to suggest personalized activities and menus, configure TV channels and music in their rooms according to their preferences, and generate moments of surprise upon arrival, enhancing their experience.
While digitalization and technology can enrich the guest experience, it is important to ask ourselves: are we implementing what we really need? To make the most of the digital transformation, it is necessary to have detailed CRM models, create better digital content, make the most of your social networks and improve supervision by using all available information.
Panel: Wellness, how winning hotels are redefining hospitality
Eduardo Finci, Adriana Azuara y Alejandro Ortiz
Moderator: Fran Lugo
Eduardo: Wellness tourism is growing at a faster rate than overall tourism. Consumers know what they want, and they seek wellness in different forms, whether through retreats, connecting with nature, holistic experiences or supporting mental wellness. The pre-arrival process is crucial, as hotels must know the needs of guests in order to cater to and exceed expectations. Spa and wellness are no longer just an amenity. We need to stop thinking of selling wellness as a tool to increase room rates by 30%, and instead, we need to sell wellness as an experience, this inevitably increases revenue and room rates.
Adriana: Although we still get 70% of revenue from massages, selling a massage is not what it used to be, now we need to sell an experience. The industry is starting to recognize the true economic potential of wellness, but there is still a knowledge gap between what holistic wellness means and what hospitality companies are currently offering. Companies need to remember that not everyone travels as a couple, wellness travelers arrive alone or with friends, and experiences and activities need to cater to that reality.
Alejandro: There is a transformation in the consumers’ habits and the offerings from hospitality groups. We know that wellness tourism is growing at a faster rate than traditional tourism, businesses need to carefully identify how they are offering and marketing wellness, making sure to offer authentic and cultural wellness experiences based on nature. How can you ‘wellnessify’ the guest experience from start to finish? Small touches during the guest journey can change the experience profoundly.
Fran: Wellness-focused hospitality companies don’t necessarily have to change their menus and offerings, but learn to cater to the tastes of their wellness-focused guests in all areas of the hotel, from restaurants and rooms to resort facilities and activities. Inclusion is more important than ever, we need to be ready to cater to all types of guests.
Tourism: a needed industry for sustainable development
David Escalante
Sustainability (sostenibilidad in Spanish) consists of satisfying current needs without compromising the resources of the future, and maintaining a balance between the environmental, economic and social aspects. It implies the responsible use of natural resources, the reduction of the ecological footprint and the generation of well-being and wealth in a balanced manner.
It is important to differentiate between sustainability (sostenibilidad) and sustainability (sustentabilidad). Sustainability (sustentabilidad) focuses on the ability of a system to maintain itself without depleting resources, while sustainability (sostenibilidad) pursues long-term development that harmonizes economic growth, environmental preservation and social wellbeing.
Local talent must occupy a central place in our hotels. The true ambassadors of Yucatán are the traditional cooks, the greatest exponents of Yucatecan gastronomy. They bring their own recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation, you only need to provide them with location, transportation and appropriate attire to create an authentic experience. Their participation allows them to earn more in one event than in a week at their usual stalls. Engaging the local community to create authentic experiences brings this aspect of sustainability to life.
Panel: Marketing and technology: operative efficiency and profitability
José Elias Ganem, Josue Gio y Areli Moran
Moderator: Claudia Olguín
Areli: Tailor your product to your audience. 75% of people value experiences more than objects and are willing to pay more to get a better value.
José Elias: Understand who your customers are and where they are. Without this knowledge, you will not be able to communicate with them effectively. Just like at Disney, all employees must have a specific role and live the experience all day long. Technology will continue to evolve, and we must learn to use it to our advantage. Those who do not adapt to new technologies and AI, will become obsolete.
Josue: A small hotel is an ecosystem on its own, located in one place but with guests from all over the world. Facilitate them to pay in their own currency; this is why platforms like booking.com are so popular. Having an attractive website is important, but the key is its functionality. AI will streamline operations and allow employees to focus on service, which is essential in small hotels where staff play multiple roles.
The Summit Mexicano de la Hospitalidad 2026 will be announced soon. Don’t miss it!
