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Cancun hotels are quickly filling up as millions of travelers visit the tropical destination for their summer vacations. Americans are especially keen on vacationing at the popular destination, and they make up 6 out of every 10 visitors in the area. Meanwhile, hotel bookings show no signs of stopping despite rising prices.
Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean have for long been among the top international travel destinations for U.S tourists. This summer is no different, and with countless Americans eager to travel to their favorite destinations, Cancun is seeing hotel demand surge. As a result, prices have increased by up to 30% in comparison to previous years, but this doesn’t appear to be putting a dent in America’s travel plans this summer.
Hotel occupation rates have been quickly increasing throughout the region. Popular destinations such as Playa del Carmen and Isla Mujeres have already warned that they are expecting nearly 90% of their hotel rooms to be fully booked over the next few months. Meanwhile, some districts may be close to reaching 100% occupancy as travelers take advantage of the first restriction-free summer in two years.
To ease rising prices, new hotel openings are on the horizon, and Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean are home to 75% of all new accommodation establishments in the country. Many of the new hotels, such as Royal Resort’s Hotel Royal Uno All Inclusive Resort & Spa which opened earlier this year, have more than 500 rooms.
According to Rebeca Bravo Carranza from the Cancun, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres Hotel Association, prices have risen considerably in the wake of record-shattering demand. Based on recently-published data, the most common source of origin for tourists in the area is by far the U.S, followed by Mexico and Colombia.
Although prices have generally risen, some areas have seen fares skyrocket whereas other destinations have seen slower increases. The areas which have seen prices swell include popular, central areas such as Cancun’s hotel zone, which is better equipped to deal with mass tourism and has a stronger presence of law enforcement personnel. On the other hand, areas seeing less demand include far-away regions that are more prone to criminal activity and lack tourism infrastructure.
Some of the factors behind Cancun’s surging popularity include its famed all-inclusive resorts as well as top-notch beaches. In addition to its remarkable qualities, the location is increasingly well-connected to major North American and European destinations. Compared to before the pandemic, there are more flights to large U.S cities, a total of 44, and new flights are constantly being announced for the fall and winter season.
Late-summer bookings are still possible, with hotel prices ranging from $150 to $400 per night on average, with luxury resorts costing up to $1000 per night. A 4-night stay in late August in the 4-star Renaissance Cancun Resort & Marina currently costs $734 for two people. Cheaper options include the Capital O Cancun Ocean View, Cancún where a 4-night stay costs just $245 for two. All-inclusive hotels tend to be priced higher due to luxury amenities, private beach access, as well as higher ratings.
Crime still remains an issue for the area, but this too doesn’t seem to worry Americans who have their eyes set on the destination. Although crime rates have seen a general increase, violent crime rarely affects tourists, who can take simple steps to protect themselves while vacationing in the Mexican Caribbean.
With that being said, 2022 will go down as a year of record-shattering tourism for the Mexican Caribbean. Only in July, an average of 400,000 people were vacationing in the state at any given time, and Cancun International Airport also reported new traffic high for the year as 17 million people walked through its doors.
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