As a result, the initiative now includes the active participation of the Ministry of Tourism of Mexico and the cities of Mexico City, Guanajuato, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, and Zapopan. The following cities are now also joining the Network:
Training
The online training activity brought together institutional representatives, tourism officials from the new municipalities, cultural managers, and stakeholders connected to the religious heritage of the cities joining the Network.
During the training sessions, strategic topics related to the development of contemporary religious tourism were addressed, including:
The growth of religious tourism worldwide and the reality of Mexico
Design and structuring of religious tourism products
Governance and public-private-church collaboration
International commercialization of faith destinations
Specialized communication and promotion
Organization of pilgrimages and religious events
Technological innovation applied to spiritual tourism
Sustainability and preservation of religious heritage
Global trends in religious tourism and pilgrimage travel
The training was delivered by international specialists from the WRTN, an organization promoted by the Tourism & Society Think Tank and recognized as one of the leading global platforms for the promotion and development of religious and spiritual tourism.
The opening presentation of the training program was delivered by Alejandra Jauregui, Director of Cultural and Health Tourism Development at the Ministry of Tourism of Mexico. The sessions were led by Lic. Adrián Nelso Lomello, Territorial Director for the Americas of the World Religious Tourism Network (WRTN); Kata Sara Gyuricza, Director of the International Technical Area of the Global Network; and Sergio Palma Peniche, Coordinator for Mexico.
The WRTN highlighted Mexico’s enormous potential as one of the leading countries in Latin America in the field of religious tourism, thanks to the strength of its cultural identity, the richness of its expressions of faith, and the international significance of its sanctuaries, religious festivities, and pilgrimage routes.
Likewise, the importance of strengthening local capacities in order to transform religious destinations into competitive and sustainable tourism products capable of generating economic development for local communities was emphasized.
“Mexico is home to some of the most important faith destinations on the continent. Professionalizing management and consolidating collaborative networks among governments, the Church, and the private sector are key to positioning these spiritual and cultural experiences internationally,” representatives of the World Religious Tourism Network stated.
This initiative forms part of a broader strategy of cooperation and technical assistance that the WRTN has been developing in different Latin American countries, promoting religious tourism as a tool for cultural identity, social cohesion, and territorial economic development.
Through initiatives such as this, the Ministry of Tourism of Mexico reaffirms its commitment to innovation, training, and the strengthening of tourism destinations connected to Mexico’s spiritual and cultural heritage.
