international destination FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES Jim Downey, who was Manitoba’s Minister of Industry Trade and Tourism in the mid-1990s and someone very familiar with the evolution of Mexico into its present form as a tourism mecca, says, “Over the years in government I was on multiple trade missions to Mexico for a variety of reasons. It’s clearly a good place to do business and we learned a great deal from our experiences — taking advantage of growing canola year-round in the Mexican climate for example. I think one of the many opportunities available to a Canadian audience would be a conference with health-care delegates — both provincially and federally. Mexico has an enviable and efficient health-care system and I believe there would be much to learn from such an undertaking. Then you could really see up close and personal just how well they handle their health care.” Mother’s Day is one of the most celebrated dates in the Mexican calendar. One of the more popular sports is lucha libre, or wrestling. Mexico’s Institutional Revolutionary Party is now the world’s oldest political regime. It is one of the three richest nations on the planet in terms of the variety of flora and fauna. The country’s coastlines total over 10,000 kms. More than half of Mexico is over 1,000 m above sea level. Contains many of the most spectacular churches, cathedrals and monasteries in the world. A FEW OF THE LESSER-KNOWN FACTS ABOUT MEXICO: Fast facts BRAGGING RIGHTS Finally, as official Mexico Tourism and tourists to Mexico will almost certainly agree, there are two very important, but sometimes overlooked, factors that help attract international business events to Mexico: the country’s astonishing selection of cultural and natural attractions, and service and hospitality expertise unlike any other in the world. 29 Spring/Summer 2019 CORPORATE MEETINGS & EVENTS