The top beach destinations of Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum in Mexico’s Riviera Maya officially started reopening for international travel in limited capacities on June 8th, after announcing a phased reopening plan to welcome sun seekers back to its gorgeous white sand shores. Air travel to and from the Cancun International Airport is also gearing back up, with Southwest Airlines resuming flights from Houston, Denver and Baltimore to Cancun this month.
“At first, tourism is likely to be centered around conventions and weddings,” stated Dario Flota Ocampo, who serves as Tourism Director for the state of Quintana Roo, which includes Cancun and the Riviera Maya hotspots of Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras and Tulum, among others.
Traveling to Mexico After the Coronavirus Pandemic
The state of Quintana Roo recently launched the “Mexican Caribbean Clean & Safe Check Certification” program for hospitality service providers, which requires everyone from hotels and resorts, to spas, water parks, golf courses, restaurants, bars, travel agencies, tour operators and transportation outlets to abide by certain health and safety protocols that will help combat the spread of COVID-19… And be able to prove it!
Recent online hotel search data from Expedia shows that travelers are ready to return to Mexico after COVID-19 wrecked more than just travel plans over the last few months. In fact, Expedia users overwhelmingly favored Mexico, with Cancun and Playa del Carmen snagging the top two search spots.
“Americans are ready to return to Mexico,” wrote Travel + Leisure. “Those looking to travel internationally this year have Playa del Carmen, Cancun and Isla Mujeres on their minds as top vacation spots.”
Over the coming months, would-be travelers can expect to see a real push to attract international tourism to Cancun and the Riviera Maya, including two-for-one deals, deep discounts and other specials on everything from resort and hotel accommodations to car rentals, activities and more. To start with, hotels will only be permitted to operate at 30 percent of their regular capacity to avoid overcrowding, but the numbers will steadily increase, with some properties hoping to reach 50 percent occupancy by mid-July.
Travelers can also expect to face health screenings like temperature checks upon arriving in Mexico. At the Cancun International Airport, for example, thermographic cameras will register travelers with fevers, who run the risk of being sent home or asked to quarantine in Mexico.
Do you have questions about traveling to Mexico’s Riviera Maya? Ask us in the comments!