Ambassador of Mexico to India, H.E Federico Salas Lofte spoke to HARSHVARDHAN BHATKULY; and discussed his plans for a strategic alliance with Goa in tourism, trade and culture
Your recent trip to Goa was your first official visit in your capacity as a diplomat. What was the purpose of this particular visit, and what are the takeaways for you?
This marks my first visit in an official capacity, despite having been to Goa on multiple occasions in the past, including a few visits during the G20 meetings. I was here then, but this time it was important to engage in more formal discussions, particularly with the Chief Minister. We also met with the Minister of Tourism, and it was equally significant to have Anisha Hassan, the Consul of Mexico in Goa, join us. She formally became the Honorary Consul during the pandemic, but for various reasons, I hadn’t been able to visit Goa in an official role until now. So, it was important for us to go together and meet the Chief Minister. One of our key objectives was to lay the groundwork for future initiatives. Anisha will be responsible for following up and maintaining official contacts with the people and government of Goa.
During your meetings with Goa’s Chief Minister and Tourism Minister, what were the main areas of discussion and potential collaboration?
There were several points we discussed with the Chief Minister. One of them involved increasing Mexico’s economic presence in Goa. There is considerable potential here, especially in sectors such as pharmaceuticals. This is an area of great interest to Mexico, and we see promising opportunities for collaboration.
Secondly, tourism is clearly of immense importance to Goa and Mexico. As I mentioned to the Tourism Minister, Mexico is a global leader in tourism; we are the fifth-largest recipient of international tourists worldwide. We have substantial experience in this area, and I think we can share valuable insights.
I brought this up specifically because I recall that tourism was a major area of focus during the G20 meetings. The Tourism Working Group met here in Goa, and we collectively adopted the Goa Roadmap for Tourism. This document contains several elements that are particularly relevant to Goa but also resonate with us in Mexico.
We believe there are ample opportunities for us to collaborate to enhance Goa’s tourism industry through knowledge exchange, best practices, and potentially increasing the number of tourist exchanges between Mexico and India. We would also like to encourage more Mexican tourists to visit Goa.
You mentioned the importance of improving connectivity. What are the specific challenges in travel between Mexico and India, and what steps are you taking to make the journey easier for travelers?
In that context, we discussed the need to improve connectivity between Mexico and India, and more specifically, with Goa. This has been an ongoing conversation with Indian carriers, such as Air India. While we can’t reduce the physical distance, we can certainly work on making the journey more seamless, comfortable, and less complicated for travelers. The goal is to ensure that, once you board a flight in Mexico or India, you know you will arrive at your destination without any hassle. We are evaluating potential new routes, perhaps Goa–Doha, for example, that could make travel between our two countries more seamless and attractive.
Beyond economic and tourism collaboration, you also touched on cultural exchange. What are your specific plans for cultural cooperation, particularly with events like the International Film Festival of India (IFFI)?
This was another important point raised with the Minister of Tourism was the potential for cultural cooperation. We spoke about Mexican participation in Goa’s various cultural events, such as the International Film Festival. Mexican artists have been visiting in the past, but we are keen to take it further, perhaps by being the guest country of honour at a future edition. We would also like to host other cultural exchanges, including the possibility of inviting Goan artists to Mexico.
In addition, we touched upon heritage preservation. Both Mexico and India are among the countries with the highest number of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Goa, of course, has its own remarkable heritage, and there is plenty we can do together in this space.
A particularly interesting idea that came up was a ‘sister city’ or ‘sister region’ agreement between the town of Tequila and the state of Goa. Could you elaborate on this initiative and what it hopes to achieve?
We are specifically looking at a relationship between the town of Tequila in Mexico and the state of Goa. Tequila, the birthplace of the iconic Mexican spirit, is a cultural symbol for us; it’s more than just a drink. It’s deeply tied to our identity, our cuisine, and our national image. And today, tequila consumption in India is rising rapidly. When people in India drink tequila, they think of Mexico, and that helps us a great deal diplomatically.
So we are exploring the idea of establishing a formal partnership between Tequila and Goa. It could increase visibility, support cultural exchange, and potentially open new trade and tourism avenues. Goa could serve as a launch pad for promoting Mexican products and culture across India.
You mentioned the importance of your new Honorary Consul, Anisha Hassan. What will be her key responsibilities, and how will her office in Goa support your initiatives?
Anisha, as our Honorary Consul, will be instrumental in making this happen. Her presence strengthens our ability to build meaningful relationships here and push these initiatives forward. Our vision for the Goa office includes several functions. Firstly, it will serve as a point of follow-up for the key initiatives we discussed during this visit, such as MoUs on tourism, cultural co-operation, and economic collaboration. Secondly, through Anisha’s goodwill and network with both the public and private sectors, we can foster more business opportunities, promote tourism, and identify new areas of co-operation. Crucially, the office will also be the first point of contact for any Mexican tourists in Goa.
You also visited a bottling facility in Goa. Could you tell us about that visit and the potential for a new business model involving tequila?
We visited a bottling facility called Blue Ocean. They specialize in producing bottles for a variety of alcoholic beverages. One of the interesting prospects we are exploring is the possibility of importing tequila in bulk to India, which can then be bottled locally. Some Indian importers have shown interest in this model, and we will be connecting them with the Blue Ocean team to explore a potential business arrangement. If it works, it could be another step forward in increasing the availability of tequila in India.
Finally, what is your overall assessment of this visit to Goa?
I would say that this has been a very productive and successful visit. We have set in motion several ideas and initiatives, and we now have the right people in place, like Anisha, to help us carry them forward. We are excited about the potential for Mexico-Goa co-operation and are confident that in the near future, we will see these projects materialize to mutual benefit
