Following a 13-year hiatus, the state of Yucatán recently hosted the successful return of K’íiwik: Mayan World Tourism Fair, a large-scale event dedicated to showcasing the Mayan World region or “Mundo Maya.” Comprising the countries of Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico in addition to the Mexican states of Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco and Yucatán, K’íiwik translates to “market” or “meeting place” in Maya, and the event is centered around preserving Maya culture, sparking dialogue and finding new ways of development so the area’s original communities can work together to reap the benefits of tourism.
Spearheaded by Yucatán Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena, the revived event welcomed hundreds of people, including buyers from 10 of the region’s priority markets and 150+ exhibitors. “[Mayan culture] is not a culture of the past, but a culture that is living,” said Díaz Mena. “Tourism helps people make the living they deserve.”
In a similar vein, Mara Lezama Espinosa, governor of Quintana Roo, said: “[The] Maya world transcends borders because it lives in the hearts of our people.” Further expanding on this idea, Lezama Espinosa said events like K’íiwik help keep the Maya world alive, and, when locals share the wonders of Mayan culture, they “become the protagonists of the story.”
Following the fair’s opening remarks, attendees were ushered toward the convention center’s exhibition hall to watch a ceremonial ribbon cutting in celebration of K’íiwik’s successful return to the region. Inside, The Compass on VAX caught up with reps from various DMOs throughout Mundo Maya.
“We believe this is a great event for buyers interested in cultural heritage, in history, in community tourism, in getting to know the communities and finding that there’s a lot of travel with purpose,” said Lizzie Cole, deputy secretary of the Yucatán tourism board. “People want to travel and have better, more personal experiences with the places they are visiting. So for us, Mundo Maya is the perfect product for those clients. We wanted this event to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Mundo Maya and everything that each of the destinations from Mexico and the other countries have to offer.”
When asked what she would say to travelers who haven’t ventured far from Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations like Cancun and the Riviera Maya, Cole said there’s so much more to explore. “They definitely need to branch out,” she said. “Going to Cancun is great, you have a beautiful beach, great hotels … but it is very new. … The history, the culture, this area [Mérida] has been up and running for 2,000 years, so this is the place you want to be. … Valladolid has 450 years of history. This is something that Mexico offers to its visitors, and if you stay in Cancun, you will miss out.”
As for getting to Mexico’s historic cities, with 20 stations and 14 stops across five Mexican states — Campeche, Chiapas, Tabasco, Yucatán and Quintana Roo — the country’s Tren Maya rail route is an easy and reliable way for potential visitors to explore. Alternatively, while limited, Cole said there is also air connectivity between Yucatán and Quintana Roo and other parts of Mundo Maya.
Seconding the need for additional connectivity was Luisa Fernanda Rodriguez, marketing director for Instituto Guatemalteco de Turismo, who said she would love to see a dedicated road connecting the regions. “A lot of people don’t know they can go [to Guatemala] also by car from Mérida,” she said. “You can go to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, then you go down to Belize and then you go to Guatemala. So that’s something that we are talking about. … So basically, creating a Mayan Road kind of thing where people can do things along the way.” Who knows, “Ruta Maya” might be the next great idea to come from K’íiwik 2026.
For countries like El Salvador, K’íiwik played an essential role in not just promoting the destination’s Mayan heritage, but also the country as a whole as it was recently named one of the world’s safest places following widespread security reforms. “The image of El Salvador has changed,” said Dhina Camacho, marketing specialist for El Salvador Tourism. “Now people see El Salvado as a safe country, so that’s why a lot of people are coming back to El Salvador. … This is a big opportunity for us to show more.”
On the topic of El Salvador, travel advisors who are interested in attending the next iteration of K’íiwik: Mayan World Tourism Fair will want to mark their calendars for 2028 as the event is slated to take place in El Salvador in two years when the country takes the presidency of the Maya World Organization.
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