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Seeking a beach paradise? Cancun continues to shatter records for a reason!
February was an amazing month for international travel to Cancun as the airport hit record levels of tourists heading to the sand, surf, and sun on a beach vacation in the Mexican Caribbean.
Strong February Visitor Levels
According to Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.B. de C.V., the publicly traded owner of Cancun International Airport, more than 2.7 million tourists passed through the airport in February.
This was a 4.9 percent increase over the number of travelers using the airport in 2023.
However, most of the increase in passengers at Cancun International Airport in February came not from domestic passengers, but a significant jump in international travelers during the month.
Big Jump in International Tourism
If travelers thought the international flights were very full in Cancun during the month of February, they are absolutely right.
International visitors using Cancun International Airport in February grew 10.1 percent during the month, outpacing the increase in total passengers.
A record level of more than two million international passengers used the airport in February. This well surpassed the 1.85 million international visitors in February 2023.
Nearly 4.1 million international travelers have hit the shores of Cancun through the airport so far in 2024. This easily makes Cancun one of the top travel destinations in Mexico this year.
Why the Jump in Numbers?
There are a number of factors contributing to the sharp increase in international travelers during the month of February.
It is true that the passenger counts were definitely influenced by the fact there was an additional day, February 29, in 2023.
However, that only accounts for part of the overall gain in international passengers at Cancun International Airport.
There has also been an increase of publicity and interest from travelers from the United States due to the excitement of the Maya Train system launch in Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean.
Many visitors have come to the region to try the new train network and take advantage of the opportunity to get around the area much more easily than in the past.
The increase in flights to the area, the affordable airfares and the excitement about the new international airport in Tulum has also contributed to the overall increase in international traveler counts in the Mexican Caribbean.
Tips for Travelers
The debut of nonstop flights to Tulum will not only increase the number of travelers to the entire Mexican Caribbean region, but it will also hopefully create more competition for passengers and lower the overall airfares to the area.
While the added number of travelers and more flights to the area can positively impact the cost and additional flight routes for passengers, it will put more pressure on hotel occupancy and room rates in the area.
Increasing the overall demand for resort and hotel rooms without increasing the number of available rooms will likely increase visitor room rates.
Also, many of the more popular resorts are more likely to sell out during peak travel periods, such as the upcoming spring holiday travel season.
Unfortunately, the increase in room rates may offset the lower flight fares tourists will enjoy after the new Tulum International Airport opens.
However, it should make it even more affordable to fly to Cancun International Airport, which means even more records should be on the way in upcoming months.
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