Jalisco is gearing up to receive a massive number of tourists for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as its capital of Guadalajara is one of three cities in Mexico that will host matches during the world’s biggest men’s soccer tournament.
Throughout the tournament, the state expects over one million visitors for the four matches that will be held at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara. However, the state faces various challenges leading up to the event, including insecurity, limited hotel infrastructure and poor urban transportation.
In an interview with the news agency EFE, Jalisco’s new Tourism Minister Michelle Fridman spoke in detail about her strategy to transform the state by 2026.
“A tourist chooses their destination based on the offer, its infrastructure and security. If any of these elements are missing, they are less likely to choose to visit us [for the World Cup],” Fridman said.
With more than 15 years in the tourism industry, Fridman has led significant transformations in Yucatán, positioning the state as an emerging tourism destination. Now, Fridman has been tasked with preparing Jalisco for the World Cup.
Her strategy includes modernizing the state’s tourism infrastructure, improving connectivity and taking advantage of high-profile events to better position the state as a world-class host. Currently, Jalisco is home to relevant international events such as the International Book Fair (FIL), the Guadalajara International Film Festival (GIFF) and the Mariachi and Charrería Festival.
Her strategy also seeks to resolve the state’s current insecurity issues.
“Although the Tourism Ministry can’t completely resolve insecurity [on the state level], we can help visitors feel safer by developing containment programs and clear protocols for crisis situations,” Freidman told the news magazine Expansión.
Her efforts include collaborating with experts to identify and protect areas with high rates of delinquency and establish a police force focused on assisting visitors.
Improving roads and increasing the supply of hotel rooms and restaurants are a few of her other top priorities.
Jalisco currently boasts over 82,000 hotel rooms, with 28,000 located just in the Guadalajara metropolitan area. This infrastructure places the state second nationwide in terms of available hotel rooms, accounting for 9.3% of the country’s total.
To increase the offer, Fridman added that there are plans to build 11 new hotels and renovate existing hotel infrastructure.
Improving urban mobility within the city and to and from Guadalajara International Airport, as well as increasing air connectivity are also key areas of her strategy. Recently, the airline Viva Aerobús launched eight new flights from Guadalajara to U.S. destinations including Oakland, Dallas and San Antonio, while Aeroméxico has also added connections to Las Vegas, Denver and Miami.
Ultimately, Fridman’s strategy seeks to make Jalisco “the most Mexican venue of the World Cup.” State cultural symbols such as mariachi musicians, tequila and emblematic public figures, such as Vicente Fernández and Checo Pérez, will form part of the overall local narrative that will accompany the sporting event.
“We are going to be the most Mexican venue [for the World Cup],” the tourism minister stressed.
With reports from Expansión and EFE
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