Pandemic “sinks” cruise tourism in Quintana Roo

The reactivation of the cruise industry in Quintana Roo is going to take a long time and could take place until the end of this year. This is an urgent situation mainly for Mahahual, which depends almost one hundred percent on cruise ships.

While Cozumel could receive the first ship in July, according to information issued by the cruise line companies, in the case of Mahahual the first one would not arrive until October, which would complicate too much the economic recovery of businessmen and inhabitants.

The concern in the case of the southern zone, whose Costa Maya port is the second in national importance; is that despite the previous schedules there is still the possibility that this will not materialize, and it will be until December when the ships start to arrive again.

Gerardo Pérez Zafra, leader of the hoteliers in Mahahual and representative of the Coparmex, announced that while that happens, national and local tourism will be the only hope for this destination.

The economic activity of the town will depend entirely on local tourism, that is, people who travel to Mahahual from the interior of the state, especially municipalities and nearby cities such as Chetumal, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Bacalar, or from other states in Southeast Mexico.

“The Mahahual businessmen are ready to receive visitors from our state and from all over the country, everybody is welcome and the all the people are prepared to provide an excellent service. This pandemic has helped us to join efforts and create the conditions for all visitors to enjoy this wonderful place more than ever, “he added.

For this reason, hotel and restaurant owners work throughout this contingency to prepare and have everything ready for the reactivation of activities, cleaning the beaches, and even offering promotions in lodging centers, to encourage tourists to visit Mahahual.

“There are hotels launching specials to motivate tourists, offering promotions and packages, for example, “enjoy three nights and pay only one”, in hotels of excellent quality and with all sanitary measures necessary to keep their guests safe,” Pérez Zafra concluded .

Quintana Roo has two cruise ports that received between January and February one 1,115,771 passengers:

-766,053 arrived in Cozumel.
-349,718 arrived in Mahahual.