Here comes the train!
The Maya train project, one of the main bets on tourism for the next six-year term, would move tourists from the Riviera Maya to Calakmul, Campeche, and aims to create new resorts in this area of the country.
In 1873, when the first train from Mexico to the port of Veracruz was run, a long dream was fulfilled whose foundation was the material progress of the nation. Since then, with the arrival of the railways to Mexican lands, it was possible to make long and pleasant trips because this means of transport was not only used as a cargo service, it also constituted a tourist route.
They had to spend many years of oblivion and several periods of serious deterioration of this means of transport so that again it was considered as a viable project of national liaison, valuing thus its tourist potential, because in addition to connecting destinations, the wagons with Its windows are also viewpoints from where the national landscape is observed.
Under this idea arises the concept of the tourist train of the southeast, one of the principal bets in matter of tourism for the next administration. With a route of 830 kilometers, in double way, starting from Cancun, Quintana Roo to Palenque, Chiapas, the train of medium speed (130 kilometers per hour) would make stopovers in Tulum, Bacalar and Calakmul. According to the initial proposal, this work would require an initial investment of 35 billion pesos (of which a part may be private resources). The total cost at all stages would be 64.9 billion pesos.
Miguel Torruco Marqués, proposed to lead the secretariat of tourism in the next federal government said that the project will cause a good development throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, including the state of Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas and Quintana Roo and that the Main objective will be to consolidate the existing, not to perform pharaonic works.
In the same way, he explained that the first stage of this railway project, which will comprise the Cancún-Tulum-Calakmul-Palenque route, is likely to materialize for four years.
Another objective of the forthcoming administration of tourism matters will be to eradicate the coexistence of tourist paradises with Hells of marginalization, which will be sought through coordination with state tourism secretaries to bring services of Basic needs to these areas.
Torruco recalled that 10% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) comes from tourism, but noted that it is important to diversify the tourist markets and contrary to increasing the number of visitors, it is aspired that tourists increase their time of stay and spending.
To say of Jorge Ramón Gómez, of the National Museum of the Mexican railways, exist in our country two stretches of routes in which they circulate passenger trains, of recreation, tourist, that offer more than travel souvenirs. At present, there are around 9000 km of out-of-use railways in Mexico, in which constructions of great historical cultural value are located. Hopefully your rescue will be considered in the next few years and return the train with its burden of progress and well-being to our country.