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Government’s Bold Entry Stance Pays Off For Tourist Reliant City
The Cancun Tourist Sector finished the year off with an estimated 83% recovery compared to pre-covid numbers.
In what has been a massive year for Mexico’s tourism as a whole, Cancun has catapulted itself to the top of the global market for tourism, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Dubai and New York.
Even as the Omicron variant laid a speed bump in the plans for what is looking like a record breaking year for Cancun, occupancy rates are high, and the Cancun International Airport is breaking operations on a weekly basis.
Compounding the success is long term gains in the form of a massive influx in foreign investment in the forms of brand new hotels, new flight routes, and tour companies.
Cancun hopes to end the year with over 12 million tourists, which represents 83% of the total number welcomed back in 2019, before COVID-19 decimated the tourist industry.
Andres Aguilar, dispatch manager for the Quintana Roo Tourism Secretary, is hopeful for the future stating “For next year, if we maintain the same trends in terms of contingency, the levels of certification in health protection and prevention, and the vaccination schemes in the local population, not only will the activity be reestablished compared to what we had in 2019, which were a little more than 16 million tourists, but, in addition, a slight increase is expected.”
The hotel sector in particular is finishing strongly, with those figures coming within five percent of the 2019 figures. The end of year figures, through Christmas and New Year are suggesting 85% occupancy and in certain weeks, as much as 100%. A stunning figure highlighting the bounce back for the resort town.
Cancun was recently listed as the second most visited destination in the world, with Dubai taking the top spot.
The worry moving forward is the concept of “borrowed tourism”. Mexico’s bold stance to remain open as much of the world kept their doors closed has brought in new tourists from across the world. These visitors are seeking more freedom throughout their trips, and although those from the likes of the US and Canada may wind up as loyal return visitor to the region, the European market is much more speculative.
With many of the major tourist spots in Europe still closed or heavily restricted depending on the country, the longer Atlantic flights are a necessary frustration for then to enjoy their vacation. But as the rest of the world emerges from any future outbreak, the more typical destinations for the European market may take back many of those who enjoyed Mexico this year.
The tourist department are anticipating this, despite the reported 75% of flight reservations for the start of 2022. Infrastructure spending in the form of the Maya Railway system, a brand new airport in Tulum, and the brand new bridge being built to help ease congestion in Cancun are all positive developments that will help attract visitors from further afield.
The railway system in particular provides a wonderful addition, allowing visitors to Mexico an opportunity to venture further afoot than the resort towns to enjoy other cities and the large number of ancient ruins scattered across the country.
The airport in Tulum will allow a large increase in traffic to the area, with some airlines already committing routes to the unfinished hub.
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