The Governor and Mayor of San Antonio, Texas, witnessed the signing of the International Aviation Collaboration Agreement
Governor Mauricio Kuri, acting as an honorary witness at the signing of agreements for the Alliance between the San Antonio-Querétaro International Airports and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Alamo Colleges District and the Technological and Polytechnic Universities of the state, stated: Today, San Antonio and Querétaro are taking off to the next level in their international cooperation.
At the facilities of the Aeronautical University of Querétaro (UNAQ), the state leader advocated for continuing to work on the trade bloc with the United States and Canada; he stressed that the three nations are a great complement and considered that this collaboration should be exploited, where each entity with its competitive advantages attracts prosperity to its people.
“I think that the three nations are a great complement. We have to continue working on security issues, economic issues, social issues, addiction issues, and of course immigration issues, but the most important thing we can do is work in academia so that the three countries can have development, innovation and technological development like never before,” he said.
Kuri González predicted that the establishment of this air bridge of friendship and collaboration in aviation matters will increase connectivity between international airports; connecting opportunities for tourism, trade, business and culture. He reiterated that Querétaro is committed to education; in addition, it offers human talent and with these new alliances that we have with sister cities such as San Antonio, we can continue growing, working and learning.
“Our relationship with our neighbors, with the United States, is not just a logistical relationship or a commercial relationship, it is a relationship that goes much further, that goes into the political part, because we not only share three thousand kilometers of borders, but also a great deal of trade with the United States, and I think it is very important to say that we have to continue working together,” he said.
The Governor also stressed that this historic alliance in the field of education opens doors to academic and cultural exchange between prestigious educational institutions, thus opening up a whole new horizon of opportunities for students and educators.
During his speech, the Mayor of San Antonio, Texas, Ron Nirenberg, celebrated the continuation of the history between the citizens of both cities with the signing of these collaboration agreements between Alamo Colleges and the international airports of San Antonio and Querétaro, which through the airline Viva Aerobús provides the direct connection.
“This is going to help us in research and development and it is going to benefit us all (…) We are going to continue expanding the relationship between our cities and we are going to have important opportunities and partnerships so that all of this is not just in our imagination and that San Antonio does not just come from Querétaro, but goes to Querétaro, to show the world the strong unions that can exist between the United States and Mexico,” he said.
During his message, the Secretary of Sustainable Development, Marco Antonio Del Prete Tercero, stressed that the agreement between airports represents the establishment of an air bridge of friendship that will generate more passenger aviation traffic, both in terms of tourism and cultural exchange, as well as strengthening trade, business and the arrival of new investments. That is why, he indicated, that, beyond being an element of connectivity, the Querétaro airport represents competitiveness, as it allows the entity to link with major destinations such as San Antonio.
He announced that the Querétaro airport is ranked 15th nationwide in terms of passenger transfers. During the period from January to August of this year alone, it has registered a cumulative transfer of 1,311,543 passengers, which represents a growth of more than 17 percent compared to the same period last year.
In this regard, he reported that there are currently 24 direct commercial routes, 18 of which are domestic and six international destinations, serving the main business and vacation hubs in Mexico and the United States. Regarding cargo, he commented that 6,494 tons were transported in August, and 50,286 tons have been accumulated for the period from January to August. In this area, he reported, the Querétaro International Airport is ranked fifth nationally.
“Without a doubt, with these collaboration agreements we not only strengthen the ties of unity with the country that is our first commercial partner, but we also increase connectivity between these two aviation ports, which opens new opportunities for economic growth. Thank you for trusting Querétaro. This synergy will bring us many good news. You can count on us to continue strengthening ourselves,” he said.
San Antonio International Airport Systems Executive Director Jesus Saenz predicted that this collaboration will increase aviation traffic between both airports, in addition to generating more tourism, investment, and cultural and educational exchanges between existing communities. He is confident that these practices will generate a positive experience for all passengers who travel and contribute to the continued growth of both regions.
The Secretary of Education, Martha Elena Soto Obregón, stated that this action strengthens the ties between the educational institutions of San Antonio, Texas, and Querétaro; she added that the agreement between Alamo College and the technological universities; as well as the polytechnic universities is a clear example of collaborative work and international cooperation; she recognized the work of the Rectors for their work in this consortium that after three years is now materialized.
Alamo Colleges President Mike Flores said that the vision shared by both regions with the signing of these agreements is to strengthen communities by providing better opportunities and growth. He explained that together they are building the future; the collaboration between the institutions is a very powerful example of what can be achieved when working together, crossing borders, and sharing objectives.
Prior to the celebration of this event, the head of the state Executive Branch witnessed the signing of a collaboration agreement between the mayor of San Antonio, Texas, Ron Nirenberg and his counterpart in the city of Querétaro, Luis Nava Guerrero, in order to deepen ties of cooperation in areas such as culture, tourism, air connectivity, trade, investment and education.
