Nearly 10 million people visited Cancun and Riviera Maya in 2016, according to the Tourism Secretariat of Quintana Roo (SEDETUR).
SEDETUR also reported that, so far this year, the state has seen an increase of 4.6 percent in visitors and sustained hotel occupancy of over 80 percent. These figures give Quintana Roo a record-high in the gross volume of tourists. More impressive was the distribution between Cancun and Riviera Maya has been evenly split—4.8 million visitors to each destination.
The cities have withstood the global economic slowdown due to the selection of hotels, theme parks, golf courses, nature, marinas, archaeological zones, and tours. According to one report by SEDETUR, over the Easter holiday, the region registers hotel occupancy at 87.9 percent with 629,271 tourists, bringing in a value of $439.7 million.
Carlos Gosselin Maurel, president of the Cancun and Puerto Morelos Hotel Association said that April saw a five percent increase in hotel occupancy compared to the same period in 2016. With the last three years as a whole increasing, 2017 looks promising to continue the trend.
Perhaps partially responsible for the region’s increase in hotel occupancy is the important of sustainability in 2017. Notably, five hotels in the region were awarded Green Key status for “excellence for responsibility and sustainable management.” The awardees began with three in 2015, and now total nine.
The new hotels include: Hotel Ahua, Hotel Alaya, Villa Pescadores Hotel, Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun, and Live Aqua Cancun. Previous awardees include: Green Mexico Camp in Veracruz, Hotel Sheraton Buganvillas in Jalisco, Fiesta Americana Hacienda Galindo in Queretaro and Pennsylvania Suites in Mexico City.
Canadians travelers looking to head to Mexico this year will have new airline options. Interjet will begin offering seasonal non-stop flights from Montreal to Mexico City and Cancun. Service begins July 13 and runs through January 20. Tickets for the routes are available for purchase.