AeroMexico will begin operating new daily flights between Boston and Mexico City marking an important milestone in expanding trade relations and increasing tourism in the Commonwealth. Seats are already being sold for the new Boeing 737 flights which begin on February 13, 2004 and offer continuing service from Mexico City to Cancun.
"The inauguration of flights between Boston and Mexico City will bring mutual benefits in trade opportunities and travel and tourism," said Governor Mitt Romney. "Massachusetts already represents $560 million of the $97 billion in US trade to Mexico. This new relationship with AeroMexico will further enhance the economic impact of trade with Mexico."
"Logan Airport will soon add another non-stop destination when AeroMexico begins connecting New England travelers directly to Mexico City," said Massachusetts Port Authority CEO Craig P. Coy. This new service will strengthen the business and cultural ties between Massachusetts and Mexico, and reinforce Logan Airport's position as New England's premier international gateway.
New Trade and Export Opportunities
Massachusetts and Mexico-based representatives from the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment (MOITI) worked in collaboration with the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) to bring AeroMexico to Logan. Fernando Hanhausen, MOITI's trade representative in Mexico said, "The new direct air service between Boston and Mexico City will serve as a major catalyst to expand exports, including high-technology and medical and educational services, already highly recognized in the Mexican market."
Mexico is the second largest market for Massachusetts' products in the Americas, with exports currently growing at a 25% annualized rate and solidly gaining market share of US total exports to Mexico. Leading export products represent a blend of the state's high-technology and traditional industries. Medical products including pharmaceuticals and diagnostics are a significant component of Massachusetts exports to Mexico with more than $130 million in sales through the third quarter of 2003. Other top export categories include computers, electronics and non-electrical machinery.
New Flights Set to Increase Tourism and Business Travel
We are very proud to open our 18th U.S. gateway and introduce service to Mexico from the Boston / New England area, said Rolf D. Hoehn, Vice President, U.S. Division, AeroMexico. We are expanding our service to Boston because of the area's significant demand for travel to Mexico from both the leisure and business travel segments. Boston and New England area-based corporations and institutions will now find it easier to travel to Mexico on AeroMexico's new nonstop service to Mexico City while experiencing our airline's superior product. Business travelers in particular will appreciate our unmatched on-time performance. For the last 15 years Aeromexico has achieved the best on-time arrival record of any major carrier between the U.S. and Mexico.
Tourism is recognized as the Commonwealth's third largest industry with an economic impact of more than $18 billion. Paul Sacco, Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism embraced the partnership with AeroMexico as a positive sign for the travel and tourism industry. Direct service from Mexico City will substantially increase Massachusetts' share of the 1.5 million air travel visitors the US receives from Mexico each year.