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Over 1000 Ships Will Pass Through The State’s Ports In 2022
Quintana Roo can expect regular influxes of huge amounts of cruise ship passengers at its popular ports of Cozumel and Mahual. Over 4 million are anticipated to pass through the state in 2022.
Mexico as a whole will be receiving 2113 cruise ships along with six million 776 thousand passengers. The ports of Cozumel and Mahual will be receiving 58% of that total between them. Cozumel will take in 962 cruise ships while Mahual will welcome another 386 ships.
Estimates suggest that the passengers could bring in as much as $480 million over the course of the year.
After a terrible couple of years for the cruise industry, it is approaching full steam once more, and with it Quintana Roo can enjoy a massive financial bolstering in the form of foreign currency and higher than average daily spending.
On the other hand, hotels and regular tourists in the state may not take the news in as pleasant a light. Hotels in the region are not fond of the day tourists that flood their towns as they rarely spend in their own establishments and crowd the popular areas making them less popular with the regular tourists.
There is also the concern that cruise ships draw tourists away from hotel-based vacations. They may not wish to visit only Cozumel or otherwise if they are able to make two or three effortless stops at multiple locations.
For tourists, the sudden surge in visitors can be an intimidating sight. Just recently, the world’s largest cruise ship docked in Cozumel. The gargantuan ship is capable of holding as many as seven thousand passengers on top of another few thousand crew members. Seeing thousands of day-trippers swarming off the boat towards someone’s favorite restaurant or bar is enough to dampen most tourists’ day.
The cruise industry suffered disproportionately compared to many other sectors of the travel industry. It found itself at the center of the COVID crisis globally when several ships became micro-societies that highlighted the potential for the virus’ spread. Complete calamity ensued in the wake of several high-profile super-spreader events that left guests stuck on ships for as long as a month.
The unfortunate situation immediately drew suggestions that cruises were the least safe form of travel, and for the best part of a year and a half, the industry was unable to function in most parts of the world.
Upon its return, the industry marketed itself as the safest way to travel, citing its strict vaccination and COVID testing requirements. However, once again, the micro-society style of life onboard a cruise ship functioned as an experiment showing that transmission was still possible, although most cases were not serious. The US government placed more advisories on the cruise industry after multiple ships reported outbreaks, and it suffered once more.
But the restrictions have now been lifted and the industry is set to make a comeback fin 2022, and Mexico will reap the benefits of that. Luxury and all-inclusive travel are in high demand after two years of nothing, and the restrictions limiting passengers have been removed allowing the ships to function at full capacity.
There is even talk of adding a new port in Playa del Carmen, much to the ire of the hoteliers in the region. Whether the plans will go ahead or not is unclear, but the President of Mexico is keen to use a piece of land that is available in the area. That would also place a port extremely close to Cancun and other major tourist spots in the area.
Those hoping to travel to Cozumel or other port cities in Mexico should check in on the schedules if they want to avoid the crowds where possible.
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