What is a magic town? and 7 characteristics required to be one

Magic towns have recently stood out for their stories and beauty, but not every town can be considered one. Discover the features required to acquire this name.

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Characterized by their architectural beauty as well as landscapes and for being places that remind us of Mexican traditions, magical towns have become the new points of interest for National and International travelers.

The concept emerged in 2001 as a program of the Ministry of Tourism that sought to take travelers throughout Mexico and not only in large cities; as well as preserving the traditions of the country, demonstrating that certain localities have sufficient attributes to attract all those interested in the history and culture of the Mexican territory expressed in each of its streets.

That same year, Huasca de Ocampo, in the state of Hidalgo, was named the first magical town in the country. By 2020, 121 magical towns spread across the 32 states of the country are considered.

However, not all towns can be considered to bear that name. For that to happen, there must be a series of aspects to consider.

We will explain the requirements that SECTUR needs so that a locality can be called “magical town”

CRITERIA TO BE A MAGIC TOWN

• Have a minimum population of 20 thousand inhabitants
• Establish a Tourism Development Program for the destination that meets a period of 3 years and establish the magic town committee.
• Maximum 200km away from a main tourist destination
• Designate an administrative area that is specifically dedicated to the local tourism sector
• Have the right conditions in terms of communication with other places: accessible public transport
• Guarantee health and public safety services for tourists
• Demonstrate the symbolic or cultural attraction of the town
• Also detail the tourist spots that could have to be named historical monuments

CRITERIA TO KEEP THE NAME

Annually, localities designated as magic towns must demonstrate that they meet the aforementioned requirements. That is why SECTUR establishes certain criteria to consider to allow its permanence in the list.

If this does not happen, the title to the location will be revoked and in order to return it the interested part will have to go through the integration process again.

Discover now, what is needed to renew the title:

• The Magic Town committee previously established must remain in force and keep up to date the resolutions related to the magic town.
• The tourism plans and programs considered for the next 3 years must be properly implemented.
• Maintain the logistics, health and safety services necessary to protect tourists
• Have a Statistical Information System that is currently in operation
• Establish guidelines to weigh the impact of tourism development in the community
• Increase the catalog of available tourist products, seeking to offer tourists a greater experience in the locality
• At the end of the year, an annual report of activities should be presented with details, containing the growth, projects and approaches of the project.

Finally, it is also important to follow up on any other aspect considered by the Committee and, at the same time, be approved by the State Congress and the local Cabildo to proceed with the renewal of the title.

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The Magical Towns project has had a great positive impact not only at the National level, but also internationally. Foreign countries have already requested the Ministry of Tourism, advice to carry out similar projects in their countries.

Tell us what magical towns you know and how many have you visited?