Visit California Mexico Monthly Activity Report December, 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. General Market Overview....Page 2 2. Travel industry and key events...page 5 3. Ongoing Activity.... Page 6 4. Public Relations..Page 8
GENERAL MARKET OVERVIEW Mexican Economy Unemployment Rate: 4.97% November 2012 Consumer Price Index: 0.68% November 2012 Monthly Variation (4.18% annual cumulative variation) GDP Growth: 4.1% November 2012 Source: INEGI/Banco de MEXICO Current Exchange Rate 1 USD = 12.97 Mexican Pesos (Average rate) Source: Banco de Mexico Market News Mexico's new president, opposition agree to push reforms December 2, 2012 http://news.yahoo.com/mexicos-president-opposition-agree-push-reforms-001330060--business.html MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Sunday signed a pact with the country's leading political parties to increase competition in the telecommunications sector and overhaul the education system. The agreement was an effort to break through years of political gridlock in Congress on Pena Nieto's second day in office. Pena Nieto, 46, took office on Saturday, returning to power his centrist Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, after 12 years in the opposition. No party holds an outright majority in Congress. "We have to negotiate to build consensus. Now is the decisive hour in the history of the country that demands politicians use common ground to reach essential agreements," Pena Nieto said at an event in the historic Chapultepec castle. Former President Felipe Calderon's National Action Party, or PAN, kicked the PRI out of office in 2000, pledging to reinvigorate Mexico, but it struggled to broker major accords during the 12 years it held the presidency. Pena Nieto has promised to back some of the same economic proposals that his PRI party fought while it was in the opposition.
Parties agreed to work on three reforms: to increase competition in Mexico's telecommunications sector, improve the management of local government finances, and modernize the education system. Mexico sees more tourism investment and arrivals December 3, 2012 http://news.opodo.co.uk/newsdetails/2012-12-03/mexico_sees_more_tourism_investment_and_arrivals Mexico has benefited from rising visitor numbers and increasing investment in recent years, according to figures released by the country's tourism ministry. From January 2007 to September this year, the nation welcomed 130.6m international tourists, 12.1% more than in the comparable period of the previous administration. Private investment for the development and maintenance of tourism projects over the same period reached US$20.13bn ( 12.55bn), exceeding the established target of US$20bn. The funding supported some 1,146 new projects launched to strengthen Mexico's tourism offering, such as the Mundo Maya programme and a range of travel routes highlighting the country's gastronomic offerings. Beach destinations have attracted the majority of investment since the beginning of 2007, followed by areas in central Mexico, Mayan regions and the northern border. The tourism ministry's figures also highlighted the growing importance of the country's cruise industry, with the number of incoming passengers from January to October 2012 11% up on the same period last year. New leadership for Mexico as it ends great year for tourism December 23, 2012 http://www.travelweekly.com/mexico-travel/new-leadership-for-mexico-as-it-ends-great-year-for-tourism/ Mexico enters 2013 with a new president, Enrique Pena Nieto, a new secretary of tourism, Claudia Ruiz Massieu Salinas, and visitor numbers for 2012 that appear headed to top 2011 s record of 22.7 million. Ruiz Massieu, named by Pena Nieto and officially sworn in on Dec. 1, has met with many in the private sector already, and her plans and strategies are 100% focused on the tourism job at hand, said Alfonso Sumano, regional director for North America for the Mexico Tourism Board. A 40-year-old lawyer, Ruiz Massieu was born in Mexico City, grew up in Acapulco, studied in Europe, served two terms in Mexico s House of Congress from 2003 to 2006 and from 2009 to 2012 as well as three years in the Attorney General s Office and the Ministry of Public Security. As tourism secretary, Ruiz Massieu, the niece of former president Carlos Salinas, enters office at a high point for Mexico s tourism industry.
It has been a great year, Sumano said. Mexico remains the No. 1 foreign destination for U.S. travelers, who make up 58% of our total market. Canada is Mexico s second-largest source market, accounting for more than 17% of all visitors. Other visitors include travelers from Russia and Brazil, two countries which are proving very strong markets for Mexico, with great growth potential, Sumano said. Europe, too, contributed to Mexico s visitor coffers, although travel from Greece and Spain fell off in 2012 due to the economic crisis in those two countries. Tour operators report strong bookings as we head into the winter season, which was helped by the mass influx of travelers for the Mayan celebrations all year, particularly on Dec. 21, Sumano said. Most of the 72,000 hotel rooms in Cancun and the Riviera Maya were booked. Mexico also wants to target the upscale, repeat visitor with programs and incentives that offer extraordinary experiences, such as VIP access to archaeological sites, museums and colonial homes and tours. We have visitor volume; now we want to increase visitor spend, Sumano said. We have the potential to attract consumers looking for unique experiences. This is part of our strategy for the luxury market segment. TRAVEL INDUSTRY AND KEY EVENTS As December is high season, there are no major travel trade events or trade shows. Travel agents focus on selling last minute packages for the winter season.
ONGOING ACTIVITY Tour Operator Outreach for Jacky s Campaign We continue the integration of Jacky s assets with CMAC members and leading tour operators in Mexico City and Guadalajara in order to gain more visibility for our campaign and incentivize sales to our destination. Posters and videos on offices TV screens have been places with Guadalajara tour operators: Panorama Prego Operadora 365 Viajes Capistrano Road Trips 2013 We have worked together with the Visit California HQ in developing the 2013 Road Trips for the Mexican market. Photo selection and itineraries translations have been done during December. The highlights of these Road Trips are Jacky and her travel tips to California, as well as the inclusion of special ads from the CMAC tour operators promoting packages to the destination. The Road Trips will be distributed to Travel Trade and consumer. California Online Training Program Visit California continues the certification of travel agents in Mexico City with scheduled training sessions with tour operators and travel agencies and also emailing campaigns to travel agencies countrywide. Total users in December 413 New users in December 5 Number of users active 48 Number of users completed (all courses) 115
Trade Sales Calls Profesionales en Convenciones Andante Koch Overseas Viajes Coaplaza Vimsa Tours Viajes Olin Euromundo American Express Julia Tours Panorama Latin Holdings Operadora 365 Prego United Airlines Aeromexico Visitors Guide Fulfillment December: Travel Agents: 40 Events: 0 Consumer: 0 Total: 40 Webpage Traffic Report/ www.visitacalifornia.com.mx Concept July August September October Nov. Dec. Unique visitors 1,775 2,096 2,117 3,018 2,804 2,402 Unique sessions 1,473 1,759 1793 2,662 2,521 2,135 Page views 6,699 8,731 7611 11,113 7,166 5,828 Avg page views 3.77 4.17 3.60 3.68 2.56 2.43 Avg time (min:sec) 4:08 3:58 3:18 03:23 02:37 02:32 Bounce rate 33.0% 31.0% 40.4% 44.1% 45.3% 38.7% Traffic sources Search 78.27% Direct 13.41% Total referrals 8.33%
Webpage Traffic Report / traveltrade.visitacalifornia.com.mx Concept July August September October Nov. Dec. Unique visitors 178 196 153 224 212 231 Unique sessions 157 172 232 201 196 181 Page views 289 325 303 569 331 471 Avg page views 1.62 1.66 1.98 2.33 1.56 2.04 Avg time (min:sec) 01:56 1:40 01:57 03:00 01:12 01:47 Bounce rate 74.2% 75.0% 74.5% 71.3% 77.8% 73.2% Traffic sources Search 65.37% Direct 25.97% Total referrals 8.66% PR ACTIVITIES Media Activity & Results Press Releases Outreach to Visit California Partners for stories and articles Follow-up contact with individual journalists on a bi-weekly basis Bi-weekly information delivery to press including monthly What s New and press release distribution on a fixed schedule Clipping Gallery for December Media Value Report for December Phone/Email Leads and Inquiries for December Media 1. Kelly Talamas Vogue 2. Roberto Gutierrez Travel & Leisure 3. Marck Gutt Glamour 4. Fabiola de la Fuente Food & Travel 5. Marco Hernandez Life & Style 6. Laura Pardo Reforma 7. Hector Rizzo Tour Magazine 8. Jesica Moreno Tips de viajes Blog
Media Value FY 12-13 Fiscal Year July 11 - June 12 Fiscal Year July 12 - June 13 Month Value USD Circulation Value USD Circulation July 109,312 25,270,329 508,517 3,255,720 August 57,161 1,195,747 725,830 35,115,410 September 94,156 44,749,885 156,088 18,516,401 October 134,442 2,763,196 79,787 281,123 November 124,057 6,036,495 74,995 1,534,649 December 48,838 8,278,945 105,200 5,867,623 January 141,904 5,304,807 February 299,506 4,519,509 March 336,371 44,468,273 April 179,154 12,254,584 May 520,599 20,327,594 June 141,879 36,117,373 TOTAL 2,241,080 212,021,748 1,650,417 64,570,926 Clipping December 2012 http://www.1gms.net/california/2012/clipping2012-2013/december.html Global Snow Press Trip We have invited 2 key media outlets to participate at the Global Snow Press Trip organized by Visit California, to be held January 27 th February 1 st. Both are confirmed: Travel & Leisure Life & Style PROPOSED ITINERARY: January 27-February 1, 2013 Sunday, January 27 Arrivals LAX (1/26 for some markets) Air Transfers to Mammoth Opening Drinks & Dinner Overnight Mammoth Mountain Monday, January 28 Ski Day o AM Lessons o Afternoon on Slopes Apres Ski Dinner Overnight Mammoth Mountain Tuesday, January 29 Depart for South Lake Tahoe Lunch Stop TBD Free Time After Hotel Check In Evening Activity & Dinner in South Lake Tahoe Overnight South Lake Tahoe Wednesday, January 30 Snow Day at Heavenly: 2 Activity Tracks, Ski/Board & Other (cross-country, etc.) Group Lunch Late afternoon transfer to North Lake Tahoe Free Night
Overnight North Lake Tahoe Thursday, January 31 North Lake Tahoe Ski Day: 2 Activity Tracks, Ski/Board & Other Closing Dinner Overnight North Lake Tahoe Friday, February 1 TBD Morning Activity Airport Transfer Departures via Reno Condenast Media FAM We are coordinating the next individual media FAM to Southern California for Condenast Mexico. The invited magazines are Vogue and Glamour. Draft itinerary: Southern California Jan 21 st : Afternoon arrival to Santa Barbara Activities and dinner in SB Accommodation in SB Jan 22 nd : Activities in Santa Barbara Late departure to Venice Beach Accommodation in Venice Beach Jan 23 rd : Activities in Venice Beach Late departure to Palm Springs Accommodation in Palm Springs Jan 24 th : Activities in Palm Springs Accommodation in Palm Springs Jan 25 th : Departure to LAX. End of tour.
What s New December- Media 11