High Numbers Of Flights And Hotel Bookings Suggest A Strong Recovery
Cancun and the rest of Quintana Roo are seeing strong numbers over the coming months as COVID cases continue to decrease. The state moved back into the green zone last week and will continue for at least one more week.
As many as 15 million seats are already confirmed by the end of the year and hotels are already showing signs of approaching capacity. Towns like Playa Del Carmen are forecasting for 100% over the popular easter period. At this moment there are over 350 thousand tourists already in the state, spread across cities like Tulum, Cozumel, and of course, Cancun.
The return to the green zone removed virtually all the restrictions placed upon businesses in the region. In recent weeks, hotels and restaurants were forced to operate at a reduced capacity. Tourists may not have noticed a huge difference as many of the hotels were granted special dispensation to host a higher percentage. But with those restrictions gone, and all hotels and other establishments now at full functionality, tourists should expect some crowding.
Cancun is currently sitting at just over 80% occupancy. Tulum is much further behind at 60%, although the city has never drawn the same kinds of crowds that Cancun has. Its market is very different and it is likely to rebound soon, especially when it receives its new airport in 2023.
Previous restrictions didn’t deter too many visitors, but with the city now almost back to normal surges in tourists could be expected. With spring break now upon the region, the rest of February and most of March could be a busy one. April welcomes Easter break and yet another surge. A small lull may occur between then and summer, but from there it should be full throttle for the area.
Cancun does face some obstacles moving forward, however. The uptick in organized crime-related violence has been drawing negative headlines across the world and instilling some justifiable concern among potential tourists. Although it hasn’t impacted numbers as much as anticipated, there is no doubt that it has impacted the decisions of some travelers.
Tourists are still very safe in Cancun and have little to worry about. The violence is shocking when it occurs but generally speaking, it has little direct impact on the visitors. Statistically speaking, Paris and Las Vegas pose more of a threat to tourists than Cancun. Most tourists are obviously able to keep this in context, but it will continue to be a point of concern for the tourist industry moving forward.
The US ambassador to Mexico added some reassurance to the equation this week by stating publicly that he believed Cancun was extremely safe and he would have no issues taking his family there. This comes just a month after the US placed a travel advisory on Quintana Roo relating to the increase in violence.
As the rest of the world begins to loosen its restrictions tourists will have a decision to make as to whether Cancun is still for them. Mexico’s relaxed stance on the pandemic was a huge pull for visitors, even those from across the Atlantic. Pulling tourists from Europe when everything is back to normal will be tough. An extremely long flight is enough of a deterrent. But for the American and Canadian crowds, 2022 will be the year for Cancun to make them loyal return customers.
Those hoping to travel to Cancun in the near future should keep on top of any restrictions change both in Mexico and in their home countries. These rules are dynamic and may change quickly. Announcements regarding Quintana Roo’s status are made every Thursday.
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