Mexico City Bets on MICE, Formula 1, Concert Tourism and Air Connectivity to Extend 2026 World Cup Momentum

Written By: Debomita Dutta

Debomita Dutta

As a debater, researcher and writer I have always been passionate about making complex global developments accessible, accurate and impactful. It has always been my aim to combine a strong analytic approach with incredible storytelling - and here at Travel and Tour World I get to do just that! Bridging research, public discourse and meaningful communication through informed and engaging narratives.

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August 28, 2026 6:20 PM |

Mexico City is betting on MICE, Formula 1, concert tourism and stronger air connectivity to extend the international tourism momentum created by the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Speaking exclusively to Diego Alberto Delgado González, Correspondent from Travel and Tour World, reporting live from IBTM Americas 2026, held on 18–19 August at Centro Banamex in Mexico City, Jaime Rascon, Director of Promotion, Communications and Brand Defence at Mexico City Tourism, outlined how the capital is strengthening its position as a destination for congresses, conventions, major sporting events, concerts, culture and international leisure travel.

During the exclusive interview with Diego Alberto Delgado González, Correspondent from Travel and Tour World, Rascon discussed Mexico City’s recovery of convention and congress activity after the World Cup, its major event venues, Formula 1, international concerts, sports tourism, gastronomy, cultural attractions and the importance of global connectivity. He also highlighted international tourism promotion, mobility, sustainability and the city’s longer-term ambition to attract major events as Mexico City looks beyond the immediate impact of the 2026 World Cup.

IBTM Americas 2026 Puts Mexico City’s Business Tourism Offer on Display

IBTM Americas 2026 provided Mexico City with an opportunity to present its business events infrastructure directly to international buyers, organisers and tourism industry partners.

Rascon described the event as particularly important for the city because it brings thousands of participants into Mexico City while creating opportunities for meetings, partnerships and future event business.

The capital’s tourism delegation used the event to showcase venues, hotels and other organisations involved in the local visitor economy.

For Mexico City, IBTM Americas is therefore more than a trade exhibition.

It provides a platform to demonstrate how the wider destination can support conferences, congresses, exhibitions and corporate events while giving delegates an opportunity to experience the city’s food, neighbourhoods, culture, transport and attractions.

Mexico City Rebuilds MICE Momentum After the 2026 FIFA World Cup

One of the strongest themes from the interview was Mexico City’s renewed focus on MICE tourism after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Rascon explained that the World Cup temporarily changed the city’s event mix as attention shifted towards football and the large number of visitors arriving for the tournament.

With that period completed, Mexico City is increasing efforts to attract congresses, conventions and other organised business events again.

The strategy involves destination promotion, international trade engagement and improved connectivity.

Rather than treating the World Cup as an isolated tourism peak, Mexico City is seeking to use the global visibility created by the tournament as a foundation for future event demand.

Business tourism therefore forms an important part of the capital’s strategy for extending tourism activity beyond 2026.

Major Venues Strengthen Mexico City’s MICE Tourism Position

Large-scale venues remain central to Mexico City’s ambition to compete for major congresses, conventions, exhibitions and corporate gatherings.

Rascon highlighted facilities including Expo Santa Fe, Centro Banamex and the World Trade Center Mexico City as important components of the destination’s business events infrastructure.

These venues give organisers different options for meetings, exhibitions and large gatherings.

However, Rascon emphasised that Mexico City’s proposition extends beyond the venue itself.

Delegates can combine business events with hotels, restaurants, cultural attractions, nightlife and neighbourhood experiences.

This wider destination offer is increasingly relevant within the MICE sector because organisers are looking not only at meeting space but also at the complete experience available to participants.

Mexico City is positioning that combination as one of its competitive strengths.

Formula 1 Remains a Powerful Tourism Engine for Mexico City

Formula 1 represents another major component of Mexico City’s event-led tourism strategy.

Rascon described the Formula 1 weekend as one of the most important periods of the year for the city’s tourism economy, pointing to the significant visitor activity generated around the event.

The race attracts spectators while also supporting demand for accommodation, restaurants, transport, nightlife and other visitor services.

Its value extends beyond motorsport.

Major international events give Mexico City global media visibility and provide travellers with another reason to visit outside traditional holiday periods.

Formula 1 therefore supports the city’s broader strategy of using high-profile events to create recurring tourism demand.

By combining motorsport with culture, food and entertainment, Mexico City can encourage visitors to experience more of the destination during their stay.

Concert Tourism Expands Mexico City’s Year-Round Visitor Appeal

Concerts are becoming another important part of Mexico City’s tourism proposition.

Rascon highlighted the scale of international music events being staged in the capital and referred to major global artists appearing at large venues across the city.

He pointed to performances associated with artists including Harry Styles, AC/DC, Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny as examples of the international entertainment demand Mexico City can attract.

Large concerts can generate travel from other parts of Mexico as well as international markets.

Visitors attending a performance may also spend on hotels, restaurants, transport, shopping and nightlife.

This gives concert tourism a wider economic role.

For Mexico City, a strong entertainment calendar can help maintain tourism activity between major business events and sporting occasions while attracting younger and experience-driven travellers.

Sports Tourism Gives Mexico City a Broader Global Events Calendar

Mexico City’s sporting appeal extends considerably beyond Formula 1 and football.

Rascon highlighted a diverse calendar that includes international American football, basketball, baseball, tennis, golf and other sporting activities.

This breadth gives the destination an opportunity to attract different visitor segments throughout the year.

The strategy also reduces reliance on a single sport or major event.

A traveller arriving for an NFL game may have different interests from a Formula 1 spectator or an international football supporter, but all can generate additional tourism spending across accommodation, food, transport and entertainment.

Mexico City’s ability to host different sporting formats therefore strengthens its position within the global sports tourism market.

The 2026 World Cup has increased international attention, but the city’s wider sports calendar provides opportunities to maintain that visibility.

Gastronomy Turns Business and Event Trips Into Wider Mexico City Experiences

Food is another major element of Mexico City’s destination identity.

Rascon emphasised both Michelin-recognised restaurants and the city’s extensive street-food culture as reasons visitors can experience Mexico City beyond conferences, concerts and sporting events.

The combination is important for business tourism.

A congress delegate may initially travel because of an event, but restaurants, neighbourhoods and local experiences can encourage additional spending and potentially longer stays.

Areas including Condesa and Roma form part of this wider visitor experience, offering dining, cafés, nightlife and distinctive urban environments.

This creates an opportunity for Mexico City to connect MICE tourism with leisure activity.

Rather than promoting conference facilities independently, the tourism strategy can position the entire city as part of the event experience.

Chapultepec, Museums and Historic Mexico City Add Cultural Depth

Culture further strengthens Mexico City’s ability to appeal to international visitors.

Rascon highlighted Chapultepec Forest, museums, architecture and historic areas as important parts of the city’s tourism offer.

The capital provides visitors with experiences covering different periods of Mexican history, from pre-Hispanic heritage to colonial architecture and contemporary urban culture.

This diversity is particularly valuable for international event organisers because delegates can combine professional programmes with cultural itineraries.

Visitors attending conferences or major events can explore museums, historic neighbourhoods, public spaces and cultural attractions without leaving the city.

The result is a destination proposition combining business infrastructure with substantial leisure content.

For Mexico City, that combination can help differentiate the capital from destinations competing primarily through convention facilities alone.

International Promotion Targets More Congresses and Conventions

Mexico City is also taking its tourism proposition directly to international markets.

Rascon described promotional activity involving destinations and industry events in markets including Japan, China, Germany, the United States and Argentina.

Participation in international tourism and meetings-industry events gives Mexico City opportunities to engage with planners, associations, buyers and potential partners.

This international presence is particularly important as the city seeks to rebuild congress and convention activity following the World Cup.

Winning major business events often requires relationships to be developed years before delegates arrive.

International promotion therefore becomes part of a longer sales cycle.

By presenting its venues, accommodation, connectivity, culture and visitor experiences together, Mexico City can compete for organisations looking for destinations capable of supporting both large events and attractive delegate programmes.

Air Connectivity Supports Mexico City’s Global Tourism Ambitions

Connectivity is another important part of Mexico City’s long-term tourism strategy.

Rascon identified stronger aviation links as a priority for maintaining the capital’s position as one of Mexico’s principal international gateways.

The wider metropolitan airport network gives travellers different points of access while Mexico City’s geographical position supports onward travel within Mexico, to the United States and towards other Latin American markets.

This connectivity is particularly significant for MICE tourism.

International congresses and conventions depend heavily on convenient air access because delegates may arrive from numerous countries over a relatively short period.

The same principle applies to Formula 1, concerts and major sporting events.

Improving connectivity can therefore support several tourism segments simultaneously while reinforcing Mexico City’s role as a gateway to the wider country.

Mobility and Electromobility Become Part of the Tourism Strategy

Rascon also connected Mexico City’s future tourism development with mobility and sustainability.

The government is continuing to work on transport, connectivity and electromobility as part of its longer-term plans for the capital.

These areas have direct relevance for tourism.

Large international events place additional pressure on transport networks as visitors move between airports, hotels, convention centres, stadiums, neighbourhoods and attractions.

Efficient urban mobility can therefore influence the overall visitor experience.

Sustainable transport is also becoming increasingly relevant as destinations examine how tourism growth can be accommodated while improving environmental performance.

For Mexico City, investments in mobility can support residents and visitors simultaneously.

This gives transport development a wider role within the city’s effort to remain competitive as an international events and tourism destination.

Mexico City Looks Beyond 2026 to Major Future Events

Mexico City’s tourism strategy is increasingly focused on what happens after the World Cup.

Rascon referred to future international forums, sporting events, conventions and other large gatherings that could continue bringing visitors into the capital.

The city is also looking towards opportunities extending into 2028 and beyond.

This longer horizon matters because major international events are often secured several years in advance.

The World Cup has demonstrated Mexico City’s ability to operate on a global stage, but maintaining momentum requires a continuous pipeline of reasons to visit.

Business events, Formula 1, concerts, sports and international forums can provide that pipeline.

The objective is therefore not simply to replace World Cup visitors, but to build a more diversified events calendar capable of generating demand throughout the year.

MICE, Formula 1, Concert Tourism and Air Connectivity Extend World Cup Momentum

Throughout the discussion, Rascon presented Mexico City as a destination seeking to convert the international exposure of the 2026 FIFA World Cup into longer-term tourism growth.

MICE tourism is returning to the foreground as the capital pursues congresses and conventions, while Formula 1, major concerts and a diverse sporting calendar provide additional reasons for international and domestic visitors to travel.

Strong venues support business events, while gastronomy, neighbourhoods, museums, Chapultepec and historic attractions add experiences beyond the event itself.

International promotion, air connectivity, mobility and sustainability form the longer-term foundation of the strategy.

The wider message from IBTM Americas 2026 is that Mexico City is betting on a diversified visitor economy in which business events, Formula 1, concert tourism and global connectivity can extend the momentum created by the 2026 World Cup well into the future.

This article is based exclusively on an interview conducted by Diego Alberto Delgado González, Correspondent from Travel and Tour World, with Jaime Rascon, Director of Promotion, Communications and Brand Defence at Mexico City Tourism, during IBTM Americas 2026, held on 18–19 August 2026 at Centro Banamex, Mexico City. All information reflects statements made during the interview.