Merida’s free cultural events are key to its touristic draw

Carolina Cárdenas Sosa, Director of Tourism and Economic Promotion of Mérida, reported that 1.4 million tourists visited that municipality in 2016, an increase of 20 percent compared to 2015. The main reason? “The vast free and daily cultural offer,” she said.

She explained that the municipality annually holds about 60 festivals and various seasons of performing arts. One of its bastions is its Orquesta Sinfónica, the most important of the region, while the literary sector has a municipal publishing house, celebrates a literary biennial and awards two international awards, in the genres of story and poetry.

Mérida has 15 performance spaces with regular programming; In the Historical Center are concentrated 12 independent galleries and public spaces where periodic exhibitions are mounted; Has ballet and folkloric and contemporary dance companies, as well as an organized network of independent performance spaces.

During an interview with Notimex, the municipal official explained that every Monday La Vaquería is offered, which is the regional dance par excellence, in the Plaza Grande, in front of the Municipal Palace; on Tuesdays Trova, or dance, in the Santiago Park; On Wednesdays, an overnight tour of the General Cemetery of the City of Merida. Everything is free.

Likewise free are on Wednesdays the video mapping in Casa Montejo is projected; On Thursdays, Serenata in the Plaza Santa Lucia, an activity that has already celebrated its 50th anniversary; On Fridays, Ball Game on 60th Street, in front of the Cathedral; Saturdays video mapping on the Cathedral and Mexican Night on Paseo Montejo.

According to the expert in tourism promotion, every cultural week in Merida comes to an end, throughout the year, with a Bike Route; With Merida Program on Sunday that brings together 200 artisans who offer their products, and with at least 15 different cultural activities that close the week with a dance of couples, in the Plaza Grande.

To give comprehensive attention to national and international tourism, there is currently an offer of 8,400 hotel rooms, which as a city destination and not beach, is high. “Last November the occupation was 71 percent and in December it rose to 100 percent, so that the annual average was 51 percent,” she said.

She underlined that Mérida offers tourists the guarantee that throughout their stay here, regardless of the number of days they remain or the time of year in which they travel, every day of the year will have at their disposal free artistic and cultural activity at your disposal, varied, traditional or contemporary, for children, youth and adults.

Later, the interviewee explained that the airport in Mérida reported a 22 percent increase in the arrival of domestic passengers in 2016, and although not all tourists, not all tourists stay in hotels. “It is known that at the national level, almost 50 percent of tourists stay in the homes of friends or relatives.”

The city was very crowded until yesterday, when the holiday period ended, so that hotels still recorded a practically complete occupancy rate. Today, Mérida dawned with its rhythm of daily life. Every inhabitant in the attention to their daily activities, mind set at night, to enjoy La Vaquería Yucateca.

Source: yucatan.com.mx