“Pueblos Mágicos,” or “Magical Towns,” is an initiative led by Mexican SECTUR aimed to promote towns that provide visitors with an enchanting experience through their natural beauty, cultural wealth, or historical importance.
The goal was to show that Mexico is not only the sun and beaches that attract many tourists here. The Pueblos Mágicos program has helped to recognize places across the country with unique and historically significant.
The title “Magical Town” was given to towns with symbolism, legends, history, important events, and day-to-day life – in other words, “magic” in its social and cultural manifestations, with great tourism opportunities.
The program was launched in 2001.
Objectives
Develop a varied and complementary tourist offering within the country’s interior, focusing on sites with notable historical and cultural significance. Promote and preserve local craftsmanship, festivals, traditions, and cuisine.
Create tourist attractions such as adventure activities, extreme sports, ecotourism, and sport fishing. Recognize and celebrate the efforts of residents in preserving and sharing the cultural and historical treasures of their communities.
Reevaluate, strengthen, and enhance the tourist appeal of these towns, offering fresh and diverse options to meet the growing interest of both domestic and international visitors.
Criteria
To pertain to the program the towns should have a population of at least 20 thousand, and should be located no more than 200 km or the equivalent of traveling two hours by land, from the touristic destination.
In addition to the town’s municipal and state authorities requesting incorporation to SECTUR so that they can make an assessment visit to evaluate the potential of the site, the criteria needed to be considered for incorporation into the program are:
- A formally constituted Pueblo Mágico committee.
- A town council accord (an agreement to apply for admittance into the program)
- Agreement of the state congress
- Direct economic contribution towards touristic development in projects, action plans, and programs.
- A municipal touristic development program updated with a time frame of at least three years.
- Updated ordinations with a touristic focus during the current administration of the Municipality.
- Evidence of symbolic attraction of the aspiring community.
- Health and public security services for tourists in case of an emergency.
- Private and social investment in touristic development and quality marks.
- Other elements that the committee considers relevant for touristic activity.
