Released on = December 21, 2006, 4:34 pm

Press Release Author = Erick Laseca

Industry = Human Resources

Press Release Summary = Lopez Mena was appointed the MTB's CEO by incoming president
Felipe Calderon. He succeeds Magdalena Carral, who occupied the position since early
2006.

Press Release Body = Tourism veteran Francisco Xavier Lopez Mena will be heading up
the Mexico Tourism Board (MTB), Mexico 's tourism promotion agency, focusing his
efforts on consolidating the strong growth that has positioned Mexico as one of the
top travel destinations worldwide.

Mr. Lopez Mena brings with him decades of public and private sector experience in
tourism and related sectors in Quintana Roo State, home to such important tourism
destinations for Mexico as Cancun, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, the Mayan Riviera and the
Costa Maya cruise port.

Lopez Mena's past positions in the tourism industry include President of the Cancun
Tourism Board and President of the Chamber of Deputies' Tourism Commission, as well
as President of the Board of both the ground transportation company Autocar Cancun
and the travel agency Excell.

In addition to a distinguished career in tourism, Lopez Mena has also been
recognized for his work with the Mexican Red Cross, high-level positions at La Salle
University and Board positions at several banks, including Banamex, Inverlat, Banco
Internacional and Bancomer.

A native of Merida, Lopez Mena received an undergraduate law degree from Mexico's
Iberoamerican University and also completed additional coursework at Harvard and
Tulane Universities in the United States as well as at the Instituto de Empresas in
Madrid, Spain.

About the Mexico Tourism Board
The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) brings together the resources of federal and state
governments, municipalities and private companies to promote Mexico\'s tourism
attractions and destinations internationally. Created in 1999, the MTB is Mexico's
tourism promotion agency, and its participants include members of both the private
and public sectors. The MTB has offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia and
Latin America.

About Chichen-Itza, the World Wonder
Swiss-based New7Wonders Foundation is revising the original seven ancient wonders of
the world, and Mexico's Chichen-Itza in Yucatan State is one of 21 finalists to
become a new Seven World Wonder. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998,
Chichen-Itza is considered to have been one of the greatest Mayan centers of the
Yucatan peninsula, and today is one of the largest and most impressive
archaeological sites in Mexico.

FOR PRESS ONLY: For additional ideas, help with a story or general travel and
tourism information about Mexico, please contact the MTB's North American Press Room
directly at 1-800-929-4555, by e-mail at northamericanpress@visitmexico.com.

# # #

Erick Laseca
Mexico Tourism Board
312-228-0517
erick.laseca@bm.com
http://www.visitmexico.com


Web Site = http://www.visitmexico.com

Contact Details = Erick Laseca
Mexico Tourism Board
312-228-0517
erick.laseca@bm.com
http://www.visitmexico.com