Two of the main attractions of the Queretaro tourist sector are far from the hustle and bustle of the metropolitan area: the five Magical Towns and the Art, Cheese and Wine Route.
Such destinations cover 12 of the 18 municipalities of the state, and in the cases of Tequisquiapan, Ezequiel Montes and Cadereyta, the “magical” appeal is combined with the cheese and wine producing centers.
The five Magical Towns in Queretaro are:
- Bernal (in the municipality of Ezequiel Montes)
- Tequisquiapan
- Cadereyta
- San Joaquín
- Jalpan de Serra
While the Route of Art, Cheese and Wine has its origins in Querétaro and El Marqués, Huimilpan and Amealco, but its greatest splendor congregates the area of Pedro Escobedo, Colón, Ezequiel Montes, Tequisquiapan, Tolimán and San Juan del Río.
According to data from the State Secretariat of Tourism, the Magic Towns and the Art, Cheese and Wine Route were the most demanded tourism products during the summer season 2018 in Querétaro, with an attendance of more than 300,000 tourists.
Art, Cheese and Wine Route
The cheese factories and vineyards extend through the semi-desert territory of the state. The tour covers not only locations, but also customs, traditions, recipes and experiences.
This route is made up of 26 vineyards or wineries and 11 artisanal dairies, as well as a tourist infrastructure consisting of 231 hotels and 4, 851 rooms throughout the region.
According to data from the State Secretariat of Tourism, Queretaro represents the second most important wine region in the country, with an area of just over 500 hectares planted with vines, of which 80% is used for wine production.
Currently, the wine production in the state is 3 and a half million bottles a year, with more than 150 labels.
In addition, Querétaro is the number one exporter of sparkling wine made with traditional method, annually about 60 thousand nine bottle boxes are exported to the United States, Asia and Europe.
An average of 800 thousand tourists staying at hotels within the Route of Art, Cheese and Wine is registered every year, which generate an economic income of approximately 3, 3 billion pesos.
Magic towns
At the national level there are 111 Magic Towns, and although Querétaro has five, it is one of the 11 states with the largest resource. Querétaro receives annually, from the federation, 33,190, 295 pesos, for this concept.
BBVA Bancomer published in 2016 information on the average spending of a visitor to a Magic Town, which varies according to the destination visited; however, the amounts range from 458 pesos per day spent by a Mexican to 899 pesos a day by a foreigner.
Queretaro is looking to obtain a new appointment, which this time would favor Amealco or Pinal de Amoles. The new appointments will be announced from October 11 to 14, in Morelia, which will host the 2018 edition of the Magic Towns Fair.
Source: amqueretaro.com