Despite some flight cancellations triggered by the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant in the United States, Mexico’s tourism sector ended 2021 on a high, with visitor numbers closing in on pre-pandemic levels.
The most popular destination proved to be the Riviera Maya, where average hotel occupancy reached 80 percent during the first two weeks of December. By the end of the year that figure was expected to rise to 85 percent, only five percent less than in 2019, according to Toni Chaves, president of the Riviera Maya Hotel Association.
Hotel operators recognize that Mexico, and the Riviera Maya in particular, has benefitted considerably from the federal government’s decision to welcome tourists unconditionally, not requiring them to present negative Covid tests or proof of vaccination.
And U.S. visitors have continued to flock to Mexico’s beach resorts despite repeated warnings from the U.S. Department of State about coronavirus concerns and some areas having increased risk of crime and kidnapping.
Please login or subscribe to view the complete article.