Expedia And Guillermo Ochoa Encourage U.S. Latinos To Travel To Mexico City

In the last three years, Expedia has tripled its media spend for Latino travelers in the United States. Now, through two new marketing campaigns focused on the Latin American audience in the United States, the leading travel company hopes to engage this segment of the population to travel and discover everything Latin America has to offer. And at the heart of the campaign is our love of food.

The first campaign launched yesterday with a 30-second advert titled Passion fruit. Recognizing that passion fruit has different names in Latino communities, the short film shows a montage of travel moments with the fruit as the central element, voiced by Mexican actress and producer Salma Hayek Pinault.

The next campaign, launching today in honor of Mexican Independence Day, features futbol legend Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa, goalkeeper of Mexican team Club America and the Mexican National Team, in a project called Travel with Memo.

“Traveling is a constant in my day to day life, it’s something I do every 3 or 4 days, and when they told me that Expedia was interested in doing something with me, I was thrilled,” says Ochoa. “It is an application that I already use. They told me that they wanted me to be like an ambassador for Mexico City, and I was delighted. I was born in Guadalajara, but I grew up in Mexico City, so I consider myself another punishment.”

The Viaja con Memo campaign centers on Ochoa showing people outside of Mexico City what Mexico City really is. “When people think of traveling from the United States to Mexico, they rarely come to Mexico City,” says Ochoa. “They prefer the beaches of the Mayan Riviera, or Los Cabos. They may want to explore and get to know Mexico City, but might hesitate because obviously it is a big, unknown city, and they think visiting won’t be easy. This caught my attention, so that’s where the Viaja con Memo initiative was born.”

An itinerary curated by Ochoa and Expedia highlights his favorite places in the great metropolis, from where to eat stuffed churros in Coyoacán to finding the best views of the city at the St. Regis Hotel.

Memo Ochoa’s favorite places in Mexico City

Favorite restaurant in Mexico City: San-Tō

“This is one of my favorite restaurants. It’s a small Japanese bar in colonia Roma, which I love because you can walk around and find lots of diverse restaurants. This one is small, intimate, and has great quality.”

A restaurant that has a special meaning in its heart: Tortas Don Polo

This venerable institution, owned by Ochoa’s father, serves the best tortas in the city, alongside traditional Mexican fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A killer pozole, snacksand house-made pastries are some of the highlights. “Ask for the Torta Suiza,” says Ochoa. “It’s something I used to request, made with four cheeses. It became so popular that they added it to the permanent menu.”

Favorite place in the city that hardly anyone knows: Mizrahi Meats Asador

“I love steaks. This is a small meat market specializing in grilled cuts. It’s in Santa Fe, an area of the city where most visitors never go.”

The best tacos in Mexico City: El Remolkito

This popular taqueria in the south side, not far from Azteca Stadium, is frequented by footballers who are happy to sign jerseys for the owner to display. The grilled sirloin tacos are legendary, but you can’t go wrong with anything you choose here.

The place with the best view of Mexico City: Hotel St. Regis

In the heart of Reforma Avenue’s financial district, this glass tower boasts amazing views.

The place to take someone who has not visited Mexico City: Coyoacán

“I grew up near Coyoácan, and I used to go to school there. I love it because it’s very typical Mexican. There are many parks and plazas, and for food, you find all kinds of street antojitos like tacos and quesadillas. There’s the market, and mezcalerías, breweries, and cafeterías with nice outdoor areas, and it’s not very expensive. It is a Colonial place, iconic Mexican – Frida Kahlo, the Cathedral, the Coyote Fountain. Colorful, right?”

Favorite place to go as a family: Coyoacán for stuffed churros

Sold by street vendors in simple carts, these traditional fried pastries abound in the streets of Coyoácan well into the night.

Best place to watch a game while not playing: Estadio Azteca

The cathedral of Mexican futbol is also the home ground for Ochoa’s Club América.

As part of the campaign, Expedia will take two lucky winners to “Travel Like Memo” and visit the sites in his itinerary, as well as get to meet the soccer idol in person. The contest will start on September 20; for further information, travelers should visit Expedia Mexico’s profile on Instagram.