LAT Wedding and events Congress is inaugurated

Juan Jose Alvarez Brunel, Secretary of Tourism of Guanajuato, was recognized by the IADWP with the 2024 “Noe Ariza” Award for his contribution to Romance Tourism

More than 600 professionals from 20 countries come to Leon to become professional

Leon/Gto News

The Romance Tourism Industry has found its home in Guanajuato. Couples are not the only ones looking to get married in events in the State; specialists in creating spectacular events also choose this destination to train and empower themselves.

The Secretary of Tourism of Guanajuato celebrated that Leon was the venue for the 14th. edition of the “LAT Wedding and Spectacular Events Congress,” an event that ends this July 18, at Poliforum Leon, and which brought together 600 professionals -wedding destination planners, hotels and resorts, wedding industry suppliers , tourist offices, wedding photographers, tour operators, DCMs, travel agents specializing in romance- from 20 countries, and 21 chapter presidents from 12 countries.

The congress, organized by the International Association of Destination Wedding Professionals (IADWP), was inaugurated by Juan Jose Alvarez Brunel, Secretary of Tourism of Guanajuato, who was recognized by the IADWP with the 2024 “Noe Ariza” Award for his contribution to Romance Tourism.

With the motto “Open horizons to new business opportunities”, the Congress aims to develop a series of marketing resources to provide access, education and empowerment to the destination wedding and romantic tourism industry. The experience of this AC goes beyond 16 years in the industry, being the first to organize and create platforms for the promotion of Wedding Tourism.

The Secretary of Tourism said, “we have a Governor (Diego Sinhue Rodriguez Vallejo) who is committed to tourism because he has shown us, in this six-year period, how we must maintain Guanajuato with a national and international presence. The State has grown in the reception of international tourists, from 4% to 12% from 2018 to 2023 and from 2019 to 2023 from 8% to 12%, which speaks of the attractiveness of the destination, tourist diversity and a great heritage that we have received,” said Alvarez.

Alvarez Brunel made a destination presentation “In Guanajuato, this is how romance is lived,” where he noted that the weddings that occur in the State of Guanajuato have attracted 434,389 visitors, of which 47.7% are locals, 47.7% national and 4.6% are international.

Alvarez noted that in Guanajuato destinations with a vocation for Romance and Events Tourism, more than 300 venues, more than 293 hotels with more than 14 thousand rooms, and more than 4 thousand tourism companies are offered.

The Secretary also boasted that Guanajuato is the only State in Mexico with two World Heritage Cities that are favorite destinations, internationally, to hold some spectacular event. Likewise, he mentioned that it has a “Romance Route” that offers the following products:

• “With the Heart in the Skin”, “Ole Salvatierra”, “Magic of Pozos”, “Fall in love in Tarandacuao” and “EnGAYment”

Mayor Alejandra Gutierrez, noted the importance of Leon as the main event destination. “Leon is a lively and vibrant city that continues to grow and that has always been in the eyes of the world. Here we receive large events because we have the facilities, not all cities have a Poliforum where events of any kind can be held, and beautiful places where weddings and romance events can be held”.