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With the official start of summer only three weeks in, Cancun is nearing capacity in its hotel zone with occupancy reaching close to 90%.
As forecasted to break records this summer, Cancun seems to reign supreme in its popularity, with Cancun International Airport reporting a total of 1789 flights on Saturday alone.
This number is expected to continue to grow until the end of summer vacation, with the influx of national and international tourists all traveling to the Mexican Caribbean at the same time, meaning hotel occupancy could reach its limit before the end of the high season.
The Secretary of Tourism of Mexico, Miguel Torruco Marqués, released report findings that Mexican tourism GDP (Gross Domestic Product) grew 8.4 % in the 1st quarter of 2023, a surefire sign that the area’s predicted popularity is indeed on track.
This weekend alone saw the presence of 84,702 visitors in Cancun, with hotel occupancy reaching 87.2%
The secretary for tourism Bernardo Cueto Riestra noted that the main contributor to this rising popularity is due firstly to national tourism accounting for 36.85 %, followed by tourism from the United States accounting for 32.22 % of the overall occupancy.
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Cancun International Airport welcomes flights from over 120 cities worldwide, with over 40 of them departing from the U.S., so it comes as no surprise that it makes up a large percentage of holiday goers.
This record-breaking year for Cancun can be attributed to many factors: the post-pandemic boom in vacation bookings, increased air connectivity to the area, and the ever-growing hotel infrastructure that boasts more than 128,00 rooms throughout the territory.
Major hotel companies such as the Hilton and the Ritz-Carlton are renovating locations in Cancun to keep up with the demands of tourism in the area, with all-inclusive hotels skyrocketing in popularity in the past year.
This comes down largely to the fact that AirBnB prices in the area have risen to eye-watering levels, and reports suggest that American tourists prefer their meals and drinks to be inclusive of their hotel prices when vacationing.
Cancun’s ever-growing popularity has meant that authorities have had to double their security efforts to keep tourists safe, as well as reopen and expand other offerings to vacationers, from archaeological sites to the construction of the new Maya train which connects Cancun International Airport to the rest of the Mexican Caribbean, set to open December 2023.
The number of visitors is set to exceed the goal of 1.8 million by the end of the period and can be seen as a positive for the state and its citizens, with job and economic growth on the rise.
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Blue Flag Beaches. Cancun was just recently awarded the most number of Blue Flags in Mexico for its beach locations, which proves that no matter how busy its golden sands and turquoise seas get, the city is serious in its environmental efforts to preserve the beauty of its coastline.
Safety. With the launch of the 2023 Vacation Security Plan now in full effect, beaches now have increased numbers of lifeguards, busy tourist areas such as shopping malls and nature areas have 24-hour surveillance, and Cancun is regaining its once-held title of the safest place in all of Mexico.
Culture. Cancun isn’t only famed for its award-winning beaches, and with so many tourists looking for more, authorities have worked tirelessly to implement additional tourist attractions so that everyone has the opportunity to experience the full culture of the region.
A doorway to the Mexican Caribbean. If the busyness of the area gets too much, the surrounding locations near Cancun will offer an amazing alternative, with historical towns, breathtaking cenotes, and ancient ruins all within your grasp!
With airlines already announcing more flights to Cancun this winter to meet the growing demand from tourists, Cancun seems like it will continue to be the number one destination for vacationers and could soon be seeing full capacity if its popularity doesn’t slow down.
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