Tourism is getting back to normal in Mexico’s storm-battered Yucatan, but that area and other major Mexican stopovers are still in various states of readiness, according to a major new study.
“It’s perfectly ok to travel to the Yucatan right now, but be prepared to encounter re-building efforts — it’s a work in progress to varying degrees,” said Jennifer Catto, who was part of a team of Travelocity employees sent to assess recovery efforts.
The best place with the least impact: the Mayan Riviera.
Other areas and their status:
- Construction is evident in some of Cozumel, but some beaches on the island gained sand as a result of hurricane Wilma. Diving is also said to have improved. By May, hotels and beaches are expected to be 100% recovered.
- Cancun is on the point of a peninsula, so it was exposed to the harshest effects of Hurricane Wilma. Travelocity reported many hotels there are under construction. Some wider beaches have been reduced.
- The Mayan Riviera has rebounded quickly and operations are expected to be fully restored by the end of this month.
- Mexico’s Central Pacific Coast including Puerto Vallarta are maintaining normal operations.
The Mexican government now requires travelers departing the country to arrive at the airport three hours in advance of flight times. Checked baggage is hand-screened, which is time-consuming.
Report by David Wilkening
