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Chances are that if a traveler is planning a vacation getaway to Mexico this year, they are most likely heading to the beach resort destination of Cancun.
That’s the finding of a recent analysis by the Mexico Ministry of Tourism.
That number’s not expected to change much this year as Cancun skyrockets in popularity among travelers.
Tourists Flock to Cancun
More than ten million travelers, or about 48% of the 21.8 million tourists that visited Mexico in 2023, passed through Cancun International Airport.
That number included 5.6 million Cancun visitors from the United States alone.
That was the highest number of United States travelers in history, outpacing the numbers from 2022 by 170,000 tourists.
That accounted for more than 41 percent of the total visitors to the beach resort destination.
Cancun was also the destination for a majority of the travelers to Mexico during 2022.
Why Cancun?
Cancun is a close-to-home travel destination that essentially has something for every traveler in one convenient location.
First and foremost, travelers head to Cancun to enjoy the soft white Mexican Caribbean sand. Enjoying a vacation getaway with the sun, sand and surf, along with a drink in hand, is what most visitors come to seek when visiting Cancun.
The town also has plenty of tourist attractions to see, such as the amazing archaeological complex of nearby Chichen Itza, the family-friendly fun at nearby Xcaret, and plenty of water activities to enjoy.
Cancun is also an amazing starting point for island hopping, including great places such as Cozumel and Isla Mujeres.
Luxury travelers will find plenty to do when visiting Cancun, such as being pampered in a resort spa or getting a deluxe massage out by the pool.
We don’t want to forget about the foodies with plenty of fantastic restaurants that fuse the popular tastes of classic Mexican cuisine with the traditional Maya cultures all on one single plate.
Affordable Travel
Another reason why Cancun has become so popular with travelers, especially from the United States is the relative affordability of visiting Cancun.
While prices of resorts and hotels have gone up in the past year, Cancun still remains relatively affordable for travelers, especially compared with the other popular resort destinations in the nation.
There are a large number of accommodations to choose from to meet every budget – from all-inclusive and beachfront resorts to more affordable city center hotels and, of course, plenty of vacation rentals.
The abundance of flights from ultra-low-cost airlines to Cancun International Airport also makes travel to the area affordable and very convenient.
Prices will most likely be even more competitive next month when nearby Tulum International Airport opens to nonstop international flights.
What Travelers Need to Know
The popularity of Cancun is only expected to grow as the Mexican Caribbean becomes more affordable and accessible to more travelers.
As more hotels and resorts come online in the next couple of months, hotel rooms should hopefully remain flat and not jump incredibly as the demand increases for rooms.
However, travelers will need to plan their vacations more in advance, especially for vacations during the peak spring and winter holiday travel seasons.
Those who wait will face higher airfares and hotel room night prices, along with decreased availability of some of the very popular resorts and hotels, especially along the beach.
The good news is as the popularity of Cancun increases, more services and amenities will become available to travelers to enjoy their vacation getaway to the Mexican Caribbean even more.
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