TULUM TO BECOME LAUNCH BASE FOR SPACE TOURISM: A GAME-CHANGER FOR MEXICAN CARIBBEAN TOURISM INDUSTRY.
If you’ve ever dreamed of venturing into space, your dream may soon become a reality. The Mexican municipality of Tulum is set to become the starting point for space tourism trips, according to Kemel Kharbachi, the founder and CEO of the EOS-X Spaceship Company. In an exclusive interview, Kharbachi confirmed that the official announcement of this investment, which is set to revolutionize the tourist industry of the Mexican Caribbean, will be made in the coming weeks.
EOS-X Spaceship Company is planning to launch three bases in different parts of the world: between Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, Seville in Spain, and Tulum in Mexico. The Tulum base will generate between 500 and 1000 highly skilled jobs in the municipality, including engineers and experts in marketing and tourism.
According to Kharbachi, “This is the decade of space tourism.” Although professional astronauts went into space in the 1960s, it was a multimillion-dollar investment that was only available through government space programs. But now, with the likes of Elon Musk and Richard Branson reducing the operating costs of space tourism, the possibilities for space tourism are expanding.
EOS-X Spaceship Company is offering a five-day package that includes a high-level personalized experience on the ground, including simulators, immersive themes, and space programs, as well as a five-hour trip to the stratosphere in a pressurized capsule with room for seven people. The company uses a helium balloon rather than a rocket, making it a zero-emission and sustainable option. Kharbachi emphasizes that anyone who can travel on an airplane can take part in this experience without special training.
The capsules reach the limit of the stratosphere, which is 40,000 meters, and travelers can see the curvature of the Earth. In the case of the Tulum base, travelers will be able to see the entire Yucatan Peninsula, parts of North and Central America, and parts of South America.
The first unmanned tests will begin in Seville in April 2023, followed by professional pilots at the United Arab Emirates complex in November 2023, and finally, commercial flights will take place.
This tourist package will not be sold through traditional travel agencies. Instead, it will be sold either directly through the EOS-X Spaceship Company platforms or through a specialized agency for this type of customer, such as Nuba in Mexico and the United States. Kharbachi explains that they do not delegate to third-party companies, and the hotels within the complex are theirs.
Due to weather conditions, the different bases will not operate throughout the year, only in months with better wind. During the time they operate, trips will be made daily, between two and three capsules per day. “We use destinations where there is little rainfall or stable climate. The theme of the tourist complexes is adapted to each area of the globe; in the Emirates, everything is very futuristic, and here we want to highlight the sustainability aspect,” said the businessman.
Kharbachi also highlighted the enormous evolution of the tourism industry over the years, from airlines in the 1950s to tour operators in the 1980s, and the entry of technology in the 1990s and 2000s, changing the way of marketing. “Now people are not only aware of sustainable tourism but also increasingly seeking a much more personalized experience. Projects like EOS-X are for completely sustainable tourism, and for me, tourism is going to change: it will be much more experiential, personalized, and sustainable.”
