The Yucatan Week in Mexico 2026, which takes place from May 8 to 17 at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, is a space to promote the cultural, gastronomic and artisanal wealth of the state.
Representing the Secretary of Tourism Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, the Undersecretary of Tourism of Mexico Nathalie Desplas Puel, participated in the inauguration of the Yucatan Week in Mexico 2026, held at the Sports Palace of Mexico City.
On the occasion, he stressed that Yucatan where the Chichen Itzá is located – one of the New 7 Wonders of the World – remains one of the most important tourist destinations in the country and as a fundamental engine for the national tourism industry, boosting economic development and shared prosperity.
Together with the governor of Yucatan, Joaquín Díaz Mena, the Undersecretary of Tourism highlighted that this meeting represents much more than a cultural and gastronomic fair, as it is consolidated as “a bridge of identity” that brings the historical, tourist and cultural wealth of Yucatan closer to thousands of visitors.
“Today the Sports Palace becomes the embassy of flavor, warmth and history of Yucatan. The state is not only a world-class tourist destination, but also a pillar of culture and an essential engine of our country’s tourism industry. I would like to share some very strong figures,” he said.
For his part, the governor of Yucatan Joaquín Díaz Mena, highlighted that the Yucatan Week in Mexico 2026 represents a living experience that brings together more than 270 participants, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as producers, artisans and representatives of more than 20 municipalities in the state.
He also pointed out that the Mayan Renaissance represents a living culture that maintains its roots, traditions and pride looking to the future.
“In summary, the Mayan Renaissance is to understand that being Mayan is not a memory of the past, but a living culture of the present, with an eye on the future and with pride of its roots. The Mayan Renaissance is building a Yucatan where no one feels less and no one is left behind,” he emphasized.
During her participation, the Secretary of Tourism of Mexico City, Alejandra Fraustro Guerrero, highlighted that the Yucatan Week in Mexico 2026 strengthens the cultural exchange between both entities and allows the capital’s families closer to the gastronomic, artisanal and artistic wealth of the Mayan World. He also pointed out that this type of meeting also invites you to rediscover the cultural diversity of the country and to become tourists in your own city.
“We are weaping this possibility of being tourists in our own city and in our own country, of knowing all the wealth we mean. We cannot promote what we do not know, and here Yucatan comes with its greatness to show that it is more alive than ever and that the Mayan Renaissance is with everything in the country and in the world,” he said.
Desplas Puel reported that, during the first quarter of 2026, the state received about a million tourists, backed by an infrastructure of more than 700 tourist establishments that generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
He also highlighted that between January and March 2026 the airports of Yucatan, including that of Mérida, recorded the attention of 1 million 23,891 passengers, which represented a growth of 10.8 percent compared to the same period of 2025, when 923,869 travelers were counted.
He added that the tourism vision of the Government of Mexico seeks to consolidate a development model with a human face, where tourism growth translates into well-being and job generation for communities.
In that sense, it also highlighted the role of Yucatan women as guardians of the country’s cultural traditions, by recognizing the work of artisans, cooks and entrepreneurs present in this exhibition.
“I can only invite all the families of Mexico City to let themselves be conquered by the cultural, gastronomic and artisanal riches that Yucatan has from May 8 to 17. Let’s all enjoy Yucatan week in Mexico 2026,” he concluded.
During the inauguration, the director of the National Commission of Physical Culture and Sport of Mexico, Rommel Pacheco; the general director of the National Lottery, Olivia Salomón Vibaldo; the secretary of Tourism Development of Yucatan, Darío Flota Ocampo; the National president of the Mexican Chamber of the Construction Industry, Luis Rafael Méndez Jaled; the executive director of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, Santiago Nieto Castillo; the president of the Business Coordinating Council and the National Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism of Mérida, José Enrique Molina Casares; the general director of Conalep, Rodrigo Alejandro Rocas Navarrete; among others.