Cancun will not host any of the 2026 World Cup matches played in Mexico, but that does not prevent the region from taking advantage of the context of the event to apply as a tourist destination for the next season. Sport and the great international event articulate the campaign that Cancún Tourism has presented to apply as an entry point for European fans who want to enjoy the tournament.
A group of Mayan warriors and Mexican soccer players have danced and acted
It does so with the campaign “Cancún, the Gateway to the World Cup”, worked together with the Galician agencies Miraveo and Cecubo Group and the Mexican communication consultancy Elemental. With it, a storytelling is developed that connects the historical legitimacy of Mexico as one of the direct antecedents of soccer; the country’s current role both in the World Cup and in contemporary football; and tourism promotion at an international level.
This is materialized in a 360º campaign that had as its epicenter the creation of a video of a flashmob carried out in the center of Madrid. With the Santiago Bernabéu stadium and other Madrid landmarks as a backdrop, a group of Mayan warriors and Mexican soccer players have danced and performed, capturing the attention of passersby, and connecting the ancient Mayan ball game with modern soccer.
“Cancun is not only a sun and beach destination, it is the gateway to a comprehensive experience that combines sport, ancient culture and first-class entertainment.“, commented Juan Pablo de Zulueta, Municipal Secretary of Tourism of Cancún, in a statement. “We want European fans to discover that they can experience the World Cup from a Caribbean paradise with all the comfort and services they expect, while immersing themselves in the fascinating heritage of the Mayan civilization.”.
After a tour through social networks, the video has been presented at Fitur, the international tourism fair held at IFEMA between January 21 and 25. The presentation at the fair is strategic, since it allows the message of the destination to be conveyed directly to professionals in the European tourism sector, tour operators or specialized media.
Cancún has represented with the participation of Josefina Rodríguez, Secretary of Tourism of Mexico; lMara Lezama, Governor of Quintana Roo -state in which Cancuín is located-, and Ana Patricia Peralta, Municipal President of Cancún. They have presented the concept “All you Cancún”, of which the action carried out in Madrid is a part, and which establishes a play on words between its name and the English expression “All you can”, with which it evokes all the possibilities of discovery, culture and leisure that the destination offers.
In addition to the flashmob, the video and the presence at Fitur, Cancún Tourism has also deployed other executions of social content or street marketing, such as installing Cancún letters in the city to reinforce the brand. With this, the campaign conceptually associates the destination with the cultural moment of global football.
