Cancun, Q.R. — Although reactivation for the Cancun, Riviera Maya tourism sector is slow, the head of state tourism says they are still hopeful at ending the year with a 60 percent occupancy rate. Marisol Vanegas Pérez, the Secretaria de Turismo Quintana Roo, acknowledged that the reactivation is slow for the northern region of Quintana Roo due to the maximum 30 percent capacity rate for the current orange epidemiological light.
However, she does say that the agency is anticipating an occupation rate of at least 60 percent for year end.
Vanegas Pérez says to date, more than half of the Cancun, Riviera Maya hotels have reopened, and that during the month of June, over 91,200 visitors arrived at the Cancun International Airport. She says the main national arrivals were from Mexico City and Monterrey, while the international tourists arrived mostly from Dallas and Miami.
She mentioned that nine international airlines continue to operate from the United States, Canada and Cuba including Delta, American and Jetblue, while national airlines into Cancun International include Viva Aerobus, Aeroméxico and Volaris.
Hotel occupancy in the northern region of Quintana Roo (Cancun, Riviera Maya) has averaged 23.5 percent, which is equivalent to the stay of 23,835 tourists, reported Marisol Vanegas. She pointed out that occupancy rates in Cancun were 24.6 percent and in Riviera Maya 21.7 percent for an average of 23.5 percent.
Alberto Solís Martínez, president of the Association of Vacation and Tourist Complexes said “we thought that the occupation rate would be less, but people are responding. It gives the impression that they are eager to travel, to get out of the stress of the pandemic,” adding that for August, they anticipate a 30 percent occupancy rate.
The current 30 percent cap on hotel occupancy is the limit due to the orange epidemiological light for the northern region of the state. The orange light is forcing some hotels to delay their reopening or to open in phases to accommodate demand in order to reduce operating costs.
The Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres Hotel Association reports 55 hotels (more than 12,000 rooms) remain closed.
