- Air connectivity, more hotel infrastructure, and open businesses are the result of a successful tourism recovery.
- Private sector and government efforts were essential to re-open destinations
- The destinations maintained Key Health Prevention Protocols for a safe return
This week the Mexican Caribbean celebrates one year of reopening to tourism after the health crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that forced a stop to a large part of the activities worldwide, tourism included.
In June 2020, the Cancun International Airport registered only 32 operations, of which 16 were arrivals: 12 national and 4 international (June 2). However, a year later, there is a record of 470 operations, of which 235 are arrivals: 82 national and 153 international (June 5).
Regarding hotel occupancy, there was an average of 2.5% in the Riviera Maya during May 2020, and 5.69% in the Cancun and Puerto Morelos Hotel Zone for the same period. In May 2021, the Riviera Maya reports an average of 53.3% hotel occupancy and Cancun, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres reported an average of 58%.
The Mexican Caribbean Clean & Safe Check Certification (CPPSIT), developed by the Quintana Roo Tourism Secretariat, allowed tourist companies to adapt the necessary measures that included a change in hygiene habits such as the application of alcohol gel and the use of face masks and social distancing, to reduce the risk of virus transmission between people, in addition to a State Epidemiological Traffic Light which determines the allowed capacity by activity and segment. These actions, taken by the government of Quintana Roo and carried out by the private sector and the citizens, as well as the declaration of tourism as an essential activity by Governor Carlos Joaquín, allowed for the Mexican Caribbean destinations to start welcoming visitors in June 2020.
“A year has passed, and it is a great satisfaction to witness that the combined effort of businessmen, workers, and the government has resulted in the great tourism recovery that the state of Quintana Roo has experienced,” said Darío Flota Ocampo, general director of the Quintana Roo Tourism Board (QRTB).
With 42 routes from the United States, air connectivity with Europe from Germany, France, Spain, Great Britain, Portugal, Russia, Poland, Turkey, flights from Latin America such as from Belize, Colombia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, in addition to domestic flights to the three airports of Quintana Roo, in Cancun, Cozumel and Chetumal, the Mexican Caribbean is today synonymous with strength and successful tourism recovery.
For its part, the QRTB implemented tourism promotion strategies through the Mexican Caribbean campaign “The Best of Two Worlds”, which developed specific actions for the segments of vacation rentals, golf, wellness and meetings tourism. In addition to virtual seminars with travel agents from May to December 2020 and thus far this year, along with meetings with airline representatives, tour operators, participation in virtual fairs and several efforts focused on promoting the destinations of the Mexican Caribbean worldwide.
According to information from the Strategic Planning Directorate of the QRTB, in the year since the beginning of the tourism reactivation, over 7 million passengers have visited Quintana Roo and, thanks to the strategies, actions and measures carried out during the tourism recovery, it is possible to estimate the arrival of another 6 million passengers in the next six months of 2021.
