Gay Nagle Myers
The curtain rises March 17 on the 38th Tianguis Turistico, Mexico’s annual travel marketplace event, taking place for the first time in Puebla, a World Heritage Site and one of Mexico’s Spanish colonial cities.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto will declare Tianguis formally open during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Puebla Exhibition Centre.
More than 1,500 domestic and international buyers from 33 countries will meet with suppliers in a series of scheduled appointments to talk business and deals.
Colorful stalls and exhibits will tout Mexico’s sun and beaches, history, heritage, cuisine and culture with costumed dancers and performers as backdrop to the displays. 
The music of mariachi bands will fill the air and, if years past are any indication, trays of tequila shots will be close at hand.
The selection of Puebla for the Tianguis venue marks the first time the event has not been held at a beach resort destination (Acapulco had it for 36 years; Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit shared the venue in 2012).
Tourism officials say the selection of Puebla helps consolidate the market diversification strategy that Mexico has been pushing for, part of an effort to highlight the country’s offerings beyond sun-and-beach tourism.
Tianguis events are not limited to the Exhibition Centre. The government of the State of Puebla will host a reception at the Cholula Pyramid, and event organizers have lined up city tours.