In the wake of Trump’s tariff chaos, Mexico’s economy needs a rethink: A perspective from our CEO, Part 3

Trump’s tariffs and accelerating trends successful robotics and AI should beryllium a wake-up telephone for Mexico.

Part 1: How did we get here?

Part 2: Why is simply a rethink of the Mexican system necessary?

Part 3: What could a rethink of the Mexican system look like?

The intent of this three-part bid is to bespeak connected the emerging trends of commercialized protectionism (tariffs), AI and robotics, see the imaginable impacts connected Mexico and foster a treatment connected imaginable solutions. Please stock your thoughts successful the comments conception and let’s person an inspiring and engaging treatment and debate.

Part 3: What could a rethink of the Mexican system look like?

As mentioned successful Parts 1 and 2 of this series, Mexico indispensable progressively look to grow beyond the manufacturing assemblage to guarantee that it tin proceed to supply economical maturation and employment opportunities for its people.

Mexico’s economical aboriginal hinges connected its quality to leverage the country’s galore unsocial strengths successful this epoch of geopolitical and technological transformation. Building connected the treatment and rationale established successful Parts 1 and 2, this last effort outlines actionable strategies for diversifying the economy, reducing dependency connected manufacturing, and embracing sectors wherever Mexico has wide opportunities.

1. Tourism: Elevating taste and biology strengths

Tourism is an country successful which Mexico already has created a tremendous economical operator and it already represents 9% of the Mexican economy. That being said, the country’s still-untapped tourism imaginable is massive, with countless beaches, assemblage cities, archaeological wonders and biodiverse landscapes inactive comparatively undiscovered. Each offers opportunities to pull travelers of each types. Mexico has the accidental to determination up the worth concatenation successful tourism, with an oculus connected attracting higher-spending and much adventurous travelers. I americium perpetually amazed astatine however galore radical who person traveled each implicit Europe person hardly near a Mexican all-inclusive edifice — this is simply a immense untapped opportunity!

The planetary request for experiential question — culinary tours, eco-adventures and taste immersion — aligns perfectly with Mexico’s 35 UNESCO World Heritage sites and vibrant Indigenous traditions. The precocious completed Maya Train has 20 large stations with 23 Maya communities on the way that connection important tourism opportunities.

Proximity to the U.S. provides an evident logistical benefit, with shorter question times and little costs compared to galore overseas destinations. Mexico’s beardown hospitality and work civilization is simply a earthy advantage. Strategic investments successful agrarian infrastructure — improved roads to Chiapas waterfalls oregon sustainable lodges successful Michoacán’s monarch butterfly reserves — could unlock underserved regions. Collaborations with platforms similar UNESCO to certify taste experiences would heighten planetary appeal. Mexico tin look to countries similar Croatia, Slovenia and Albania for tourism lessons learned connected however to vie and differentiate successful a crowded market.

The past metropolis of Calakmul, Campeche, and its lush situation forests are a premier illustration of Mexico’s unthinkable taste and earthy heritage.(INAH)

2. Medical Tourism: Positioning arsenic a determination wellness hub

Mexico’s aesculapian assemblage tin presumption itself overmuch amended to capitalize connected outgo disparities and prime care. Procedures specified arsenic dental work, cosmetic country and elective treatments often outgo little than fractional of what they would successful the U.S., with outcomes that conscionable oregon transcend planetary standards. Over the years connected flights to Mexico I person heard galore stories of formation attendants and pilots that are taking vantage of these types of services, but I deliberation that astir radical are inactive not alert they exist. Border cities similar Tijuana and different cities with casual planetary entree similar Monterrey, Cancún and Los Cabos already are gathering clinics that cater to overseas patients.

Mexico should look to Thailand arsenic a model. The Southeast Asian state present attracts implicit 3 cardinal aesculapian tourists annually by combining affordability with internationally accredited hospitals. The state standardized certifications and built “medical corridors” adjacent Bangkok and Phuket, offering betterment resorts with telehealth follow-ups. Many hospitals successful Mexico already people overseas patients, but scaling up would necessitate important and systemic upgrades from the world of today.

Standardizing accreditation crossed hospitals and clinics would physique trust, portion partnerships with U.S. insurers could streamline sum for cross-border care. Insurance companies would payment from overmuch little costs. Chronic illness management, specified arsenic dialysis oregon diabetes treatment, seems similar an evident opportunity. Clear processes enabling doc connection betwixt U.S. and Mexican facilities would assistance patients consciousness astatine ease. Establishing specialized clinics coupled with telehealth follow-ups would make a seamless diligent acquisition and presumption Mexico arsenic a person successful affordable, high-quality care.

3. Senior care: Addressing a planetary demographic shift

The aging U.S. (and global) colonisation presents different important opportunity. With elder attraction costs often exceeding $100,000 annually successful the U.S., Mexico’s little surviving expenses, little outgo attraction and temperate clime connection an charismatic alternative. Communities similar Lake Chapala and San Miguel de Allende show the viability of status enclaves, but request for assisted surviving and representation attraction acold exceeds proviso of specified services.

Set connected the enactment of Lake Chapala, the municipality of Ajijic is simply a fashionable destination for planetary retirees. (Somniphobiac/Creative Commons)

Mexico’s familial civilization and accent connected assemblage align with seniors’ needs for societal transportation — particularly successful a satellite wherever children progressively unrecorded acold from their parents. Public-private partnerships to make accredited elder surviving facilities, staffed by trained caregivers, could make thousands of section jobs portion providing dignified care. Collaborating with U.S. insurers to admit Mexican providers would legitimize the assemblage and pull investment. Reputable instrumentality firms are captious to supply advice, guidance, and assistance safe-guard patients against fraud.

4. Expat communities: Fostering integration and innovation

The emergence of distant enactment has created a caller demographic: professionals seeking affordable, culturally affluent environments. Cities similar Mérida and Querétaro blend historical charm with modern amenities, appealing to integer nomads, families and retirees alike. Success hinges connected integration — ensuring expats lend to section economies without displacing communities.

Municipal initiatives to streamline visas, spot regulations and bilingual acquisition would pull semipermanent residents. “Innovation districts” with co-working spaces and startup incubators could foster cognition speech betwixt expats and section entrepreneurs, driving economical diversification. Purpose-built communities with expats successful caput are an evident opportunity.

5. Food: Globalizing Mexico’s gastronomic legacy

Mexico’s culinary heritage, recognized by UNESCO arsenic an Intangible Cultural Heritage, is simply a cornerstone of nationalist individuality — yet its planetary imaginable remains underdeveloped. While tacos and tequila person achieved planetary fame, determination dishes similar Oaxaca’s mole negro has yet to execute the planetary acclaim of Italian oregon French staples.

Oaxacan mole, a analyzable condiment that tin instrumentality days and dozens of ingredients to prepare, inactive doesn’t person the aforesaid designation arsenic good European cuisines. (File photo)

Los Cabos’ farm-to-table scene, pioneered by destinations similar Flora Farms, demonstrates that determination is monolithic request for culinary tourism. Expanding this exemplary to states similar Michoacán, Puebla, Oaxaca oregon Guanajuato — cardinal cultivation regions successful Mexico — could assistance alteration agrarian economies. Imagine agro-tours wherever visitors harvest Mexican bluish maize alongside section farmers, followed by cooking classes with Michelin-trained chefs. Such experiences align with question trends, wherever tourists are progressively prioritizing food-focused adventures.

This would spell a agelong mode successful softening the still-negative perceptions galore foreigners person astir Mexico. Peru’s gastronomic emergence is an illustration of however nutrient tin reshape nationalist perception. Strategic campaigns, specified arsenic a Netflix docuseries connected Mexico’s culinary diverseness oregon partnerships with planetary chefs, could beryllium hugely impactful.

6. Cultural wellness: Exporting traditions of well-being

In a satellite grappling with burnout and anxiety, Mexico’s past wellness practices connection respite. The planetary wellness tourism marketplace progressively values holistic, culturally rooted experiences. Mexico’s temazcal ceremonies, herbal medicine remedies and communal rituals supply alternatives to accepted retreats, blending spirituality with science.  Luxury resorts successful places similar Tulum, Los Cabos and the Riviera Nayarit person begun integrating these elements. Yoga retreats, addiction clinics, meditation and soundless retreats are each increasing areas of wellness with important opportunities for Mexico with the close organization, support, and investment.

7. Infrastructure: Enabling sustainable growth

Mexico’s infrastructure gaps — often substandard roads, unreliable vigor and spotty integer connectivity — clasp backmost the country’s economical potential. Infrastructure, which should enactment arsenic an enabler and accelerator, acold excessively often successful is simply a resistance connected growth. President Sheinbaum’s Plan México does person important accent connected infrastructure and energy, but overmuch enactment remains to supply the backbone to enactment and alteration maturation connected a broader scale. If the immense bulk of foreigners don’t consciousness comfy renting a car oregon taking a autobus oregon bid successful the country, countless economical opportunities volition not beryllium realized.

Sheinbaum unveils an adjacent much ambitious mentation of her transformative Plan México

So what is the bottommost line? Mexico’s manufacturing epoch isn’t ending — it’s evolving. Mexico volition proceed to supply a important relation successful the planetary manufacturing proviso chain, but the state indispensable look to further diversify its system to guarantee continued economical and employment maturation successful the years ahead.

Mexico’s way guardant requires bold imaginativeness and pragmatic collaboration. The 7 sectors outlined present — tourism, aesculapian services, elder care, expat integration, food, wellness and infrastructure — are interconnected pillars of a modern, resilient economy. Each leverages Mexico’s geographic, taste and demographic strengths portion promising to make occupation opportunities crossed the country. As manufacturing automation increases astir the world, possibly Mexico’s way guardant is to go the hemisphere’s hub for experiences, attraction and culture.

The modulation volition necessitate alignment crossed government, backstage manufacture and section communities. Regulatory reforms to incentivize sustainable tourism, healthcare accreditation and expat-friendly policies are captious archetypal steps. Equally important is storytelling — showcasing Mexico not conscionable arsenic a manufacturing hub, but arsenic a person successful the 7 areas mentioned.

The squad astatine Mexico News Daily volition proceed to show developments successful these areas, and we are committed to highlighting stories of success, advancement and partnerships. The challenges are significant, but the opportunities for the state could beryllium transformative.

What bash you think? Please stock your comments, and convey you for speechmaking MND.

Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, moving oregon playing successful Mexico for astir 30 years.