cultural comparison 2 spanish speaking countries puertorico and mexico

Alycia Philogene

University of Phoenix

Tourism is most often a large industry in most countries. In Mexico, the government has promoted the tourism industry since the 1960’s as “an industry without smokestacks” given the high rates of drug use and abuse. According to the World Tourism Organization, Mexico is one of the most visited countries in the world and the second most visited country in the Americas (William, 2015). The natural reserves, ancient ruins and colonial cities in Mexico are part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites that attract foreign visitors. The beach resorts and the cultural festivities also attract visitors. Mexico has a temperate climate and a unique culture that comprises of a fusion between the Mesoamerican and the European cultures (Nelson & Graburn, 2016). Mid-summer and the month of December are the periods during which tourism is at its peak in Mexico. There are also brief surges of tourists over Spring break and over Easter where many college students from the U.S.A visit the Mexican beach resorts.

In 2016, Puerto Rico attracted approximately 6.8 million visitors up from 5.4 million visitors in 2014. For a long period of time, Puerto Rico has generated income from the tourism industry. Some of the tourist attraction sites include concerts and sporting events, natural wonders, historical buildings and cultural richness. Visitors arriving from the USA mainland do not need passports to travel into Puerto Rico and this attracts many tourists each year. Some of the groups of tourists that visit Puerto Rico in the largest numbers include the Brazilians, Spaniards, Venezuelans, Canadians, Asians, French and the Mexicans. The tourism board in Puerto Rico has been using funds to feature celebrities who advertise the tourism industry. In 2017, a popular song by two Puerto Ricans called “Despacito” led to a tourism spike in La Perla, an area in San Juan that is featured in the song’s video.

The 2017 Travel and Tourism Competitive Index report (TTCI) that measures the factors the contribute to development of business in a country’s tourism and travel industry ranked Mexico 22nd in terms of the most visited place in the world and its infrastructures and tourist service being ranked as position 43 in the world. In terms of price competitiveness, it was ranked position 63 and 113 for safety and security. Recent studies have also showed that there has been an increase rate of single female visitors who go to the western state of Jalisco to meet potential handsome Mexican husbands. Men also go to meet women in Jalisco. Puerto Rico on the other hand is most famous for its casinos that are mainly located in the capital city of San Juan. Rincón is favored for its surf and Cabo Rojo for the beautiful beaches. The Bacardi factory, which is the largest rum distillery in the world, is located in Cataño. The tourism industry in Puerto Rico has risen consistently since 2014 due to the introduction of airfare activity as weel as new cruise lines (Shawn & Fukuda, 2014). The development of new hotels has also contributed to the ncrease of visitors visiting the country. There are nonstop flights from Atlanta, Madrid, Frankfurt, Miami, New York and London to Puerto Rico.

References

Nelson, H. & Graburn, H. (2016) Ethnic Tourist Arts: Cultural Expressions from the Fourth World. Berkeley

Shawn, D. H. & Fukuda, C. (2014). Day of the Dead: When Two Worlds Meet in Oaxaca. Berhahn Books.

William N. T. Ph.D. (10 February 2015). Gambling in America: An Encyclopedia of History, Issues, and Society, 2nd Edition. ABC-CLIO. pp. 340