Mexico’s ‘Magical Towns’ aren’t benefiting many

Poverty has increased in one of every three towns integrated to the Magical Towns program since 2012.

The brand has operated for 17 years and groups 121 communities, where 6 million people live.

The program was created with the intention of contributing to a rising quality of life, employment and promoting investment in diversified tourist locations in the interior of the country, based on historical and cultural attributes.

The federal government grants $5.2 million pesos annually to each locality included in the program and, by the middle of this year, it added an investment of $6 billion pesos.

The head of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur), Enrique de la Madrid, has said that the Pueblos Mágicos program represents a great tool to mitigate poverty in Mexico and favor the development of communities that find their main source of income in tourism.

It was in 2012, at the end of the administration of Felipe Calderón, when more locations were included in the program, a total of 34 where 2 million 300 thousand Mexicans lived.

However, after receiving the appointment in 2012, 11 Pueblos Mágicos experienced an increase in poverty, according to comparable figures from the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (Coneval).

The town of Arteaga in Coahuila was where poverty increased the most, going from 6,340 inhabitants living within the poverty level in 2010, to 9,039 in 2015, that is an increase of 25.3% to 41% of its population.

Known as “the city of the jacarandas”, Jiquilpan, in Michoacán, was the second community where poverty increased the most after becoming part of the Magical Towns, from 46.3% to 53.4% between 2010 and 2015.

Located in the Valley of Toluca, Metepec was the third town where poverty rose the most, from 25% to 31.6%.

Other Magical Towns where after receiving recognition in 2012 poverty grew, they were Yuriria, in Guanajuato; Batopilas, in Chihuahua ; Loreto, in Baja California Sur; as well as Angangueo and Tacámbaro, both in Michoacán; and Cholula, Chignahuapan and Pahuatlán, the three in Puebla.

The director of the Faculty of Tourism and Gastronomy of the Anáhuac University, Francisco Madrid, said that the end of Calderón’s six-year term as a Pueblo Magico put the brand at risk, since many incorporated localities did not meet the requirements for the Magical Town program.

Until 2010 there was a more selective and careful program incorporation scheme, which was later lost, he explained at the time.

The Magic Towns program establishes specific criteria for incorporation and permanence, which are published in the Official Gazette of the Federation.

In addition to waiting for the convocation of the Sectur, the communities that aspire to carry the brand must prove that there is an area or administrative unit in charge of tourism in the region.

It is required to have a directory of tourist services in the locality, an inventory of resources and tourist attractions, as well as those that can be declared historical monuments, information on connectivity, communication and proximity to a main city, as well as a development plan for municipal tourism.

Of the 23 Magic Towns where poverty fell the most, after being included in the program in 2012, Mapimí stands out, going from 61.6% to 40.5% between 2010 and 2015.

It was followed by Huichapan, in Hidalgo, where the population living in poverty fell from 53.9% to 38.1%; in Viesca, Coahuila, it was reduced from 63.2% to 50%.

The administration of Enrique Peña Nieto gave 40 recognitions, while that of Calderón 54 and that of Fox 27, to create a total of 121 Magic Towns.

The next head of the SECTUR, Miguel Torruco, has said that he will evaluate the program and even analyze the suspension of appointments in the short term.

View this post on Instagram

Derrumbes y #ventanas #crash #past

A post shared by Carlos Gonzalez Garcia (@psicanzuelo) on



Trending News on PVDN

  • Two More Puerto Vallarta Beaches Are Awarded Blue FlagsTwo More Puerto Vallarta Beaches Are Awarded Blue Flags Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - In the upcoming 2023-2024 season, Puerto Vallarta is set to host six beaches awarded with the Blue Flag accreditation, an esteemed international recognition for high environmental and quality standards. The Blue Flag committee has reconfirmed the status for four previously certified beaches while conferring this prestigious title to two new beaches…
  • Popocatépetl Volcano Resumes Activity; Authorities Maintain Alert StatusPopocatépetl Volcano Resumes Activity; Authorities Maintain Alert Status PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - After a period of relative calm last week, Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano resumed minor activity on Friday night and through Saturday night, as reported by the National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC). This comes following significant explosions last weekend that put nearby communities on high alert. The resumed activity was characterized by minor…
  • Puerto Vallarta Set to Celebrate 105th Anniversary as Municipality and 55th as a City with Grand FestivitiesPuerto Vallarta Set to Celebrate 105th Anniversary as Municipality and 55th as a City with Grand Festivities PUERTO VALLARTA - The coastal paradise of Puerto Vallarta is poised to celebrate two landmark anniversaries: the 105th anniversary of its recognition as a municipality and the 55th anniversary of its elevation to city status, with a grand commemoration on May 31, 2023. The celebrations have been meticulously planned by the municipal government led by…
  • <strong>Popocatépetl Volcano Exhibits Increased Activity; Yellow Phase 3 Alert Continues</strong>Popocatépetl Volcano Exhibits Increased Activity; Yellow Phase 3 Alert Continues PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - In the past 24 hours, heightened activity was recorded from Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano, with an alarming 315 exhalations detected, accompanied by water vapor, other volcanic gases, and ash, according to the Scientific Advisory Committee (CCA) of the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC). Monitoring systems in place around the active stratovolcano also…
  • 'Kingdoms of Mexico' Distinction Launches to Boost Tourist Destinations With European Influences‘Kingdoms of Mexico’ Distinction Launches to Boost Tourist Destinations With European Influences Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - Miguel Torruco Marqués, the head of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur), introduced the new 'Kingdoms of Mexico' distinction, a major initiative designed to enhance the appeal of Mexico's tourist communities on an international level. The announcement came during a presentation attended by the governors of Tlaxcala, Lorena Cuéllar Cisneros; Baja California,…
  • Tactical Groups Are Added to the Streets and Beaches of Puerto VallartaTactical Groups Are Added to the Streets and Beaches of Puerto Vallarta Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - As a component of the safety strategies initiated at the Citizen Security Police Station, members from the Tactical Operations Group (GOT) have been bolstering street patrols all over Puerto Vallarta. Following directives from Commissioner Rigoberto Flores Parra and Mayor Luis Alberto Michel Rodríguez, these officers ensure a visible and protective presence…
  • Mothers Searching For Their Missing Children Uncover Presumed Clandesant Grave in Puerto VallartaMothers Searching For Their Missing Children Uncover Presumed Clandesant Grave in Puerto Vallarta PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A team of mothers seeking their missing children made a chilling discovery on the outskirts of Puerto Vallarta Saturday afternoon: a skeleton, fragments of bones, and several indications pointing towards a potential site of illegal body disposal. The area of discovery, located near the road to Viejo el Veladero, close to…
  • LGBTIQ+ Community Member Disappears At Puerto Vallarta PrideLGBTIQ+ Community Member Disappears At Puerto Vallarta Pride PUERTO VALLARTA - A member of the local LGBTIQ+ community has gone missing under mysterious circumstances, inciting deep concern within the community and calls for immediate action from local authorities. Rubén Michel Castro Guizar, 32, a deaf individual, was last seen on the night of Thursday, May 25th, attending the Vallarta Pride march. His disappearance…
  • American Tourist In Critical Condition in Puerto Vallarta After Wave Breaks His NeckAmerican Tourist In Critical Condition in Puerto Vallarta After Wave Breaks His Neck Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - "Experiencing your sibling in critical care, confessing your love to him, anticipating the worst... it's a nightmare no one should have to endure," shared Adam Griffis. Adam's younger brother, Evan, is struggling for survival in a medical facility located in Puerto Vallarta. The 30-year-old experienced a freak accident while swimming last…
  • Trans Fats Ban in Mexico Will Prohibit the Sale of Cookies, Chips, Pizzas, and More in SeptemberTrans Fats Ban in Mexico Will Prohibit the Sale of Cookies, Chips, Pizzas, and More in September Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - The Chamber of Deputies in Mexico has taken a critical step in the battle against heart disease, approving a decree that reforms the General Health Law to restrict the use of trans fats and oils. The move is predicted to save more than 13,000 lives per year, with these substances currently…

Compare Listings

Title Price Status Type Area Purpose Bedrooms Bathrooms