Poza Azul is an oasis in the middle of the impressive Coahuila desert. (Photo Credit: Ministry of Tourism of Mexico, Sectur)
There is nothing like enjoying the taste of some of the best wines on the American Continent, but it is better to make it between dinosaurs.
This experience comes true in Coahuila, a Mexican state located on the border with Texas. It was once inhabited by antediluvian giants and has a geographical richness that allows the traveler to enjoy a range of options in mountains, forests and one of the most spectacular deserts in the world.
"We don't have a beach, but we have all the experiences that the tourist is looking for; we offer personalized experiences in nature, taking advantage of our resources," Blas Flores, Chief of the Cabinet and Strategic Projects of the Government of the State of Coahuila, tells TravelPulse.?
He emphasizes that the state's vocation is business tourism, given that the prominent U.S. car builders are established in the region due to its proximity, excellent connectivity and being the safest state in Northern Mexico.
This business tourism is joined by visitors searching for adventure, recreation and cultural experiences, such as enology, since the region produces wines of the highest quality.
In Coahuila, visitors can tour areas with dinosaur fossils and vineyards that produce the finest wines in the American continent. (Photo Credit: Valentn Fuentes)
"We are the cradle of viticulture in America, with Casa Madero, the first vineyard in the American?Continent. We have the best quality of wines and more awards, and, in addition, we enhance it with one of the paleontological areas with more richness, but also better preserved," explains Flores.
Wine & Triceratops
Here, the wines have made the perfect pairing with the giant creatures that inhabited this land millions of years ago, and it is that the oenological and paleontological tourism joins in the route called?Vinos y Dinos?(Wines and Dinos).
"When we analyzed which tourist product we could sell, we realized that, in the areas where the vineyards are, paleontological remains have been found," says this tourist expert, explaining that each wine factory settled on prehistoric vestiges has a paleontological icon that distinguishes it. "Each vineyard tells you how they produce their wine, with the experience of tasting, but also explains the paleontological history surrounding that area. We have achieved a historical and cultural experience through these two great strengths."
Visits to the vineyards include tastings and tours of the wine cellars. (Photo Credit: Ministry of Tourism of Mexico, Sectur)
In addition to this successful tourist tandem, Coahuila has developed other products for visitors interested in camping and glamping experiences that take advantage of the tranquility offered by the area's nature. "During the pandemic, we realized Coahuila was an option for people who wanted small-group outdoor tourism, so we became the ideal destination."
At the same time, an accommodation offer focused on wellness has been developed, where visitors seek peace and tranquility in extraordinary natural environments with excellent quality services.
"We are so?wellness?oriented that God chose us to enjoy the eclipse, which caused astronomical tourism because the best place to observe it is the desert and the mountains that we call virgin places. We dont want to exploit them but to conserve them, and allow visitors to live it responsibly," says Flores. He adds that, in the regions, there is an increasing availability of rooms in boutique hotels and cabin rentals.
Coahuila is experiencing a tourism boom in which the union between government and private industry critically engages tour operators, restaurants, hotels, and agencies. "The state drives a promotion strategy, and private industry executes. We have made this dumbbell and detected how we can best sell to the state because, in the end, we are interested in economic development and providing job opportunities to the people. A promotional campaign generates economic spillover, investors do more projects, and there is more income."
The ruins of Mission San Bernardo in Guerrero, Coahuila, are one of the most critical sites from Mexico's colonial era. (Photo Credit: Ministry of Tourism of Mexico, Sectur)
While the seasons with the most significant influx of national and foreign visitors are Easter and Summer, the harvest season (August-October) is beautiful for those who seek to tour the area's vineyards and enjoy a memorable winemaking experience.
To this are added more offers because "each region has a great event that causes there to be tourist movement, for example, the Rodeo Festival in the southeast region, in La Laguna we have the Coahuila 1000, which is a Baja 1000 type race, as well as the Horseback Riding in the Carbonfera," says Flores.
In addition, visitors to the Magical Towns of Coahuila have the opportunity to enjoy ancient cultural traditions, unique gastronomy, and ecotourism.
Magical Towns
- Arteaga (mountaineering)
- Candela (flora and fauna observation)
- Cuatro Cinegas (swimming in natural pools)
- Guerrero (colonial past)
- Melchor Mzquiz (ethnicities)
- Vineyards of the Fountain (wines)
- Viesca (dunes)
- General Cepeda (dinosaur fossils)
Flores concludes that the way forward for the government of Coahuila is to focus on security and continue to team up with private industry "to be able to outline the strategies that allow us to continue promoting the state and innovate in tourism products."
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