Cancun Official Says Future Tourism Success Depends On Improving These 3 Things

Last Updated 3 years ago

The general director for tourism in Cancun, Jorge Luis Téllez Vignet, recently had a sit down with spanish travel news site Reportur. In it, he talked about the challenges that Cancun will have to conquer to remain a favorite tourist attraction of travelers from across the globe. According to Tellez Vignet there are 3 main issues that Cancun needs to be able to overcome to stay on top.

Being Able To Cope With The Large Number of Tourists Arriving In The Region

Tellez Vignet was clear to point out that virtually no one within the local government could have foreseen the success that Cancun has had over the last few years. It’s widely accepted that lax COVID protocols in the beach city throughout the pandemic drew plenty of travelers to the region in late 2020, and throughout 2021. The President of the Hotels’ Association of Cancun Jesus Almaguer had even mentioned that Cancun was receiving “borrowed tourism”, from cities with strict COVID protocols. 

For Tellez Vignet the challenge for Cancun is to be able to handle the number of tourists that continue arriving in the region. He recognizes that certain areas have been overrun by the many tourists who are choosing to vacation here. Such is the case of the Cancun airport, in this case he wasn’t referring to the long lines that have developed at immigration over the last year or so. Tellez Vignet mentioned, 

“Two years ago no one would’ve imagined Cancun’s current situation, frankly the entire state of Quintana Roo has seen incredible success. Due to this success we’ve come across some bottleneck traffic issues. A perfect example is the airport, on days when there are many operations in the airport the highway infrastructure is somewhat overrun. We thought it would be good enough as it is, but we’ve realized that’s not the case,”

The traffic issue is one that the Cancun Hotels Association, and other main players in the tourism industry want to see addressed. Many of these people have voiced their concerns to Mara Lezama, the former mayor of Cancun, who is set to officially become the governor elect of Quintana Roo in the coming days. 

María Elena “Mara” Lezama Espinoza (Morena, PT, PVEM, Fuerza México) adelanta la tendencia para convertirse en la próxima gobernadora de Quintana Roo, según datos de Consulta Mitofsky
https://t.co/YMdu2LHsvZ pic.twitter.com/XqgdAKLgkI

— Joaquín López-Dóriga (@lopezdoriga) June 5, 2022

Hotels Need To Be Operating Accordingly 

The staff shortage in Cancun hotels and other facilities that work within the tourism industry is a real concern for Tellez Vignet. He would go on to say that there’s essentially no offseason in Cancun. Hotels, and other lodging options are having to deal with over 70% occupancy rates even outside the typical peak season. They are having to do so while being understaffed in many cases. For the general director of tourism this is certainly a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity.

Security Concerns Still Rank High On The List Of Issues Cancun Needs To Deal With

Security concerns are still high up on the list of challenges that Cancun needs to deal with to remain a popular tourist destination. Director Tellez Vignet pointed out that this was an issue that any city that aims to be held as a favorite travel destination will have to deal with. In saying this he would go on to express confidence in the ability of local authorities to deal with major security concerns in the region. Tellez Vigent had this to say on the issue, 

“There’s a very strong alliance between private enterprises and local authorities (in regard to safety issues). In the next few weeks there will be a new administration at the state level, this represents a new opportunity. This is a new opportunity to figure out how to contribute so that security won’t be an issue in this tourism destination. For us it’s fundamental that tourists feel safe, so that from the moment they’re making the decision to book a trip they can be at ease knowing that this destination offers the necessary conditions for them and their families to have a good time.”    

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