Anyone visiting Tequila from now on will need to keep abreast of the rapid changes taking place in the town that gives its name to Mexico’s famed fiery liquor.
Since being designated one of Mexico’s Pueblos Magicos (magic towns), Tequila has been desperately trying to shake off its image as a slightly seedy provincial backwater.
A new government/private sector initiative, Tequila, Espíritu de Mexico, promises to pump 800 million pesos into the local economy this year, creating around 300 jobs.
The grandest project is the construction of a commercial mall with space for at least 30 vendors selling crafts and locally produced items. The mall is scheduled to open later this year in conjunction with an exhibit space measuring 2,000 square meters. As well as hosting temporary shows, the gallery will house a permanent display of pre-Hispanic art, sources say.
In addition, leading tequila manufacturer Casa Cuervo has announced the August opening of a new events salon with capacity for 1,000 guests. The hall will compliment its 93-room, four-star hotel, the Solar de las Animas, which opened in April 2015. This hotel features a gourmet restaurant, pool, spa, gym and relaxing grounds. The tastefully decorated rooms start at $US130 a night.
Buoyed by federal funding thanks to its pueblo magico status, the municipal government is now developing digital platforms to further promote the town on smartphones and other devices. Another project to beef up town’s annual cultural festival is taking root. And last year, city hall financed the nighttime illumination for the town’s premier church, the Templo Santiago Apóstol.
With the numbers of tourists to Tequila increasing steadily each year, local authorities say they aim to attract around one million visitors a year by 2020.
A large part of Tequila’s recent development can be attributed to the investments and forward thinking of Casa Cuervo. Thanks to the Cuervo Express tourist train, hundreds of visitors from Guadalajara flock to the town each weekend to tour its elegant Mundo Cuervo attraction and La Rojeña distillery.
A significant portion of the funding for Tequila, Espíritu de Mexico is coming from Casa Cuervo coffers.