Hurricane Dean blows up promotional storm

Recovery came quickly after the treacherous winds of Dean and some businesses were immediately using the light-hitting hurricane as a promotional tool to bring in more tourists.

Just a day or so after the most dangerous Atlantic hurricane in two decades made landfall on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, hotel and restaurant owners, shops and vendors were reporting only minor damage despite winds as strong as 160 mph.

That was particularly the case because the region’s billion-dollar tourism industry is critical to its economic success.

Artemio Santos, CEO of the Mexico Tourist Board told Travel Agent hotels in all major tourists areas are up and running with an average occupancy of 30%, a number he considers impressive.

“To have this number just a few days after a hurricane, and during this season it is considered very good,” he told the AP.

He credited strong preparations and smarter building construction as reasons why Dean was far less destructive than 2005’s Hurricane Wilma.

He said tour operators and agents were better prepared as well, informing their clients of their resorts’ hurricane preparedness plan, which includes detailed information on shelters and transportation. 

No deaths or serious destruction were reported.

Among companies tying tourism promotions to the hurricane:

• The Canadian-based Sunwing says it is introducing a Hurricane Threat guarantee free of charge on every one of its holidays booked to travel between 20 August and 30 November.  The guarantee allows travelers to move their vacation to another date later in the fall, as well as other options.
• AMResorts launched a new Mexican Rivera Celebration package to “welcome guests back to the Cancun and Riviera Maya region following the passing of Hurricane Dean over the Yucatan Peninsula.” The package includes $100 worth of spa coupons per booking plus one room category upgrade at any of the company’s four properties in the Riviera Maya area. The package is valid for four-night direct bookings only and there are other stipulations.

The area hardest hit by Dean was Mexico’s 6-year-old Costa Maya, a popular cruise port that was built from the ground up in a lightly populated area. Dean’s eye passed near Costa Maya with sustained winds of 165 mph.  Reconstruction of Costa Maya’s infrastructure and cruise pier is expected to take at least six months.

Report by David Wilkening