Tlaquepaque city fathers this week opened a new visitor center – the first of its kind in Guadalajara’s popular arts and crafts suburb.
While providing information to tourists will be the center’s main task, it also features a rest area, bathrooms, luggage storage and a crafts display.
The 227-square-meter facility is located to one side of the small plaza situated at the end of pedestrian Calle Independencia, across from the colorful “Tlaquepaque” lettering.
Although a sprawling suburb with a wealth of urban issues, Tlaquepaque is still a crafts hub at heart, Mayor Elena Limon pointed out at the opening, highlighting the importance of tourism to hundreds of working families in the municipality.
According to Tlaquepaque Tourism Director Vicente Magaña, tourists spend around 400 million pesos (approximately $US21.2 million) in the crafts hub each year. He said his department is exploring the possibility of obtaining “Pueblo Magico” (Magic Town) designation for Tlaquepaque, which would ensure a regular influx of federal funds to maintain and improve tourist infrastructure.
The 10-million-peso cost of the new visitor center was covered by state and federal funds earmarked for tourist purposes.