Playa del Carmen’s New Food Scene Unveiled

Playa del Carmen, Q. Roo — During the Fourth Ordinary Session of the Playa del Carmen Gastronomic Committee, the municipal government, led by Mayor Estefanía Mercado, provided updates and announced new projects as part of its strategy to maintain the destination's worldwide positioning.

The session included presentations on the progress of gastronomic projects by Daniel Bellamy, manager of the City Brand, and Roberto Lepe, president of the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (Canirac).

Cultural and Economic Initiatives Gain Momentum

In her address, the Secretary of Tourism and Committee President, Estefanía Hernández, highlighted that "Las Noches del Carmen" is a program that, in coordination with the Institute of Culture and the Arts, promotes the cultural wealth of Quintana Roo. Its successful first edition, featuring Chetumal as the guest city, attracted over six thousand attendees and generated an economic spillover exceeding 950 thousand pesos. The next edition will be announced by Mayor Estefanía Mercado.

For his part, Daniel Bellamy emphasized that the successful synergy with the business sector has allowed for the positioning of various events that promote the state's culture and gastronomy.

New Programs and Expanded Events

The session also outlined the projection for the program "La Experiencia de México en Playa del Carmen," which will launch soon with the participation of invited states from across the country, strengthening the destination's cultural and tourist offerings.

Updates were also provided on the "Playa Spice" program. By decision of the Committee, it will now be held twice a year, between March and May, and again between September and October, expanding participation to over 100 establishments. This initiative aims to incentivize local consumption during low seasons and continue promoting local cuisine.

Furthermore, the committee approved the second edition of the Festival del Jocho, scheduled for November 29 and 30 in the Parque Fundadores, with Bacalar as the guest destination.

The "Encuentro de Naciones" event was also announced, to be held on December 18 in the Parque Fundadores. This initiative emerged after a meeting with consuls from Germany, Russia, France, Belgium, and Canada, who would be invited to install representative stands from their countries, consolidating Playa del Carmen as a cosmopolitan epicenter that is home to over 100 nationalities.

Returning Programs and Upcoming Celebrations

The Committee authorized the return of the "Playenses Choice" program, which in its previous edition registered over 580 citizen votes to recognize the best restaurants across 20 selected categories. This culinary catalog will function as a tool for tourist promotion for the destination.

Finally, an invitation was extended to join the Hanal Pixán activities: the "Mega Catrina" with over 3,000 pieces of pan de muerto crafted by Universidad Vizcaya on November 1 at the Plaza 28 de Julio, and the Catrina Parade on November 3 along Quinta Avenida, as well as the other activities that comprise this traditional celebration.