Tourists ‘can’t stand’ the heat in Yucatán; they prefer to stay on the cruise ships

More than 4,500 passengers aboard the Carnival Valor cruise ship were surprised by temperatures exceeding 37 degrees Celsius during their stop at the port of Progreso. The majority of the visitors chose other destinations outside the city or opted to stay on the ship to avoid suffocating in the intense heat of Yucatán.

The Administration of the National Port System, based in Progreso, announced through its official channels that this cruise ship had one of the earliest arrivals of the year, docking just after six in the morning. A few hours later, a smaller percentage of the 4,509 people disembarked, including 3,397 vacationers and the remaining workers.

The morning passed without incident for those working in the tourism industry, as very few families chose to spend their day on the beaches of this port. As a result, several palapas and restaurant facilities remained empty, although this situation has been described as common.

In a survey conducted with employees of establishments along the Romeo Frías Bobadilla boulevard, it was established that the heat drives the cruise passengers away, especially considering that Yucatán has experienced heat index values of up to 50 degrees Celsius in recent days. This is particularly challenging for the visitors, most of whom come from the United States and Canada.

Ambulatory vendors and self-service stores throughout the surrounding area, where international visitors tend to circulate, confirmed that cold products, particularly electrolyte beverages, are preferred by these tourists.

Inside the taxi station, where dozens of artisans and members of the CTM union of drivers gather, a group of young African Americans decided to return to the fiscal dock where the ship brought them, unable to tolerate the heat they felt from their first minutes in this municipality.

On the other hand, visitors from different parts of Mexico did bring profits to the workers in the tourism sector and showed better tolerance for the heat, which has reportedly affected the arrival of cruise ships at the port terminal since mid-April.

It is worth mentioning that just last week, foreigners witnessed an elderly person suffering from heatstroke on the corner of 80th Street and 27th Street in the city center. On the same day, another elderly person succumbed to the temperatures in the western part of the city. The last reported case of someone being affected by this condition was the previous Sunday, although they received medical attention and were stabilized by the Red Cross in Progreso.

TYT Newsroom