2020: The tourism industry status due to coronavirus COVID-19
December 30, 20202021: The tourism industry status due to COVID-19
November 19, 2021Coronavirus cases in Mexico
August 26th Update
New cases per day: +21,250
Confirmed: 3,271,128
Suspects per day: +2,850
Total suspects: 491,651
Deaths per day: +986
Deaths: 255,452
Update: August 25th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Mexico registers highest number of deaths in third wave of Covid-19
- In just 24 hours, the country registered 986 deaths from Covid-19, the highest number of deaths so far in the third wave of the pandemic.
- Globally, the number of deaths rose to 255,452.
- In addition, in the last 24 hours, the number of infections rose to 21,250, for a total of 3,271,128.
- The states that have accumulated the highest number of positive cases are: Mexico City, Estado de Mexico, Nuevo León, Guanajuato and Jalisco.
Local Tourism
The summer season will be extended in the Mexican Caribbean
- The director of the Consejo de Promoción Turística de Quintana Roo (Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council), Dario Flota Ocampo, stated that the summer season could be extended until September with an occupancy rate of 60%, the maximum allowed.
- Flota assured Radio Fórmula that this year will be atypical and that September “will continue to be a good month”, with new flights and new arrivals.
Canada lifts suspension of flights to Cancun
- The Canadian government announced the opening of its borders as of September 7, with which at least one airline will resume flights to Cancun during that month.
- The director of the Consejo de Promoción Turística de Quintana Roo (Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council), Dario Flota Ocampo, announced that the first airline to resume flights will be Air Canada to Cancun from Toronto and Montreal.
Tourism Industry
Changes in the route of the Mayan Train announced
- The Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo (National Fund for Tourism Development) announced the modification of the route of the Tren Maya in the section that runs through San Francisco de Campeche.
- The head of the agency, Rogelio Jiménez Pons, informed that the tracks will no longer enter the center of the city, and the station will be built on the outskirts of the urban area.
- The decision was made based on an analysis of costs and time that the relocation process would take, so the new route of the Tren Maya route will allow economic and time savings.
Ixtapa Zihuatanejo will be boosted as a tourist destination
- Fonatur, the government of Guerrero and businessmen join efforts to promote Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, a development trust will be created to promote tourism projects in the CIP of Ixtapa.
- The purpose of this Development Trust is to design, urbanize, build and operate real estate lots for the development of tourism projects in the Centro Integralmente Planeado (Integrally Planned Center, CIP) of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo.
- At the moment, two real estate projects have been identified for the execution of this plan, which are: Medanos-Isla, Ixtapa and Majahua-Montecristo.
Airlines
Call to work in the new airline of the 4T is launched
- The Instituto Nacional de la Economía Social (National Institute of Social Economy) will launch a call for workers of the extinct Mexicana de Aviación who wish to work in the new airline of the government of the Fourth Transformation.
- The call will include workers who were active as of August 28, 2010, including independent workers. The airline considers a fleet of up to 60 airplanes in five years and 1,200 employees at the beginning.
- The company would be managed by a cooperative in which employees and investors would participate, the latter would contribute 60% of the estimated US$155 million to start operations.
- The remaining amount would be obtained from a loan granted through development banks.
Volaris flight attendants denounce unlawful workloads
- Volaris flight attendants accuse the airline of exceeding the limits established by law in their working hours.
- The dissatisfied passengers requested the intervention of their union to “improve working conditions and increase flight safety”.
- The airline has assured that it respects the limits of its crews’ schedules according to the rules set forth in the Civil Aviation Law and internal regulations.
- The flight attendants are seeking changes regarding working hours, per diems, contracts, mandatory courses, proper sanitation and complete manuals, among others.
Global Information
WHO sees stabilization in Covid-19 infections
- The World Health Organization said that, after a steady increase over the past two months, the number of new coronavirus cases reported worldwide appears to be stabilizing.
- The WHO also pointed to several recent studies showing that licensed vaccines protect against a severe form of the disease, but there is some evidence that they are less effective in preventing contracting the more contagious delta variant.
- Previous research concluded that vaccines were more effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths, not transmission of the virus.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
August 23rd Update
New cases per day: +7,658
Confirmed: 3,225,073
Suspects per day: -4,037
Total suspects: 486,726
Deaths per day: +228
Deaths: 253,155
Update: August 22nd, 2021, 7:00 pm
Population between 18 and 39 years of age account for the majority of active cases
- In the last 24 hours, Mexico registered 7,658 cases and 228 deaths due to covid-19, after reporting more than 20,000 daily infections for four consecutive days.
- According to data from the Ministry of Health, most of the infections are still present in the 18 to 29 year-old population, followed by the 30 to 39 year-old group.
- People between 40 and 49 years of age are the third most affected.
- At the moment, there are 142,109 active cases of the virus, with the highest number of infections still concentrated in the country’s capital, which accumulates 30,531.
Local Tourism
Cancun: hotel stay doubles to 3.5 days
- According to official data, occupancy levels in Cancun’s lodging centers are already over 60%, which indicates a recovery of their high figures.
- According to the Hotel Association of Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres, several properties registered close to 70% in lodging volume during the summer, mainly by national and American tourists.
- On the other hand, stays are lengthening, since travelers have gone from staying an average of one and a half days in the destination, now an average of three and a half nights is registered.
- Despite health restrictions in countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom, the destination still registers visits from travelers of both nationalities.
Puerto Vallarta will receive the first tourist cruise ship after more than a year
- This Tuesday the Carnival Cruises Line corporate vessel will arrive in Puerto Vallarta from Long Beach, California, and will remain docked for a few days in Jalisco.
- The vessel will continue its route to Mazatlan, Sinaloa, and then head to Los Cabos, Baja California Sur and finally return to its origin.
- As security measures, preventive measures were implemented, such as the mandatory testing of passengers to allow them to disembark.
- It was also decided to reduce passenger capacity to 70 percent of the vessel’s capacity.
Tourism Industry
IBTM Americas closes with 8,000 business appointments and 2,500 attendees
- After a year on hiatus due to the pandemic, the return of IBTM Americas in person brought a spirit of hope to the meetings industry in Mexico and the region.
- In its 2021 edition, IBTM Americas returned to the Centro Citibanamex in Mexico City and closed with close to 8,000 business appointments, out of 10,000 contemplated.
- During the two days of the event, 2,500 people attended, in line with forecasts, given the current pandemic conditions.
- The number of exhibitors reached more than 350, but only 400 out of the 1,000 buyers expected.
Posadas pledges hotels to prevent bankruptcy
- Grupo Posadas pledged 10 of its hotels to restructure a 393-million-dollar bond, due to mature in 2022, and avoid bankruptcy.
- The hotels included in the pledge are: “Fiesta Americana Reforma, Fiesta Americana Guadalajara, Fiesta Americana Villas & Grand and Fiesta Americana Hotel Los Cabos, Live Aqua Residence Club Los Cabos, 16 apartments in Puerto Vallarta, Fiesta Americana Acapulco, Explorean Kohunlich, Fiesta Americana Villas Cancun and Fiesta Americana Villas & Explorean Cozumel”, according to journalist Dario Celis.
Travelers choose to book All Inclusive accommodations
- According to an analysis carried out by Despegar, the most chosen accommodation by Mexicans during the first half of 2021 is All Inclusive between 4 and 5 stars.
- Being able to rest, relax and have access to all kinds of experiences in the same place, are characteristics that Mexicans look for when booking their accommodation and All Inclusive hotels respond to these needs.
- In terms of cost, although All Inclusive hotels have higher prices compared to other types of accommodations, for Mexicans the rates are compensated by the activities that can be carried out inside the hotel.
Global Information
Call to not take this COVID-19 drug
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration urged people to stop taking ivermectin, an animal dewormed that has gained popularity in the COVID-19 pandemic.
- According to experts, in addition to the fact that it has not been shown to work in all cases against COVID-19, unknowingly overusing this veterinary drug could cause serious health problems.
- Through Twitter, the U.S. FDA called on the population not to take ivermectin as a remedy against COVID-19.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
August 19th Update
New cases per day: +28,953
Confirmed: 3,152,205
Suspects per day: +4,358
Total suspects: 487,822
Deaths per day: +940
Deaths: 250,469
Update: August 18th, 2021, 5:00 pm
Mexico reports the highest peak of contagion of the entire pandemic
- Mexico accumulated 28,953 infections in the last 24 hours, the highest number recorded since last August 12 when cases totaled almost 25 thousand infections in a single day.
- According to the technical report, the 10 entities that accumulate the highest number of cases are: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Nuevo León, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Tabasco, Puebla, Sonora, Veracruz and San Luis Potosí, which together make up 66% of all cumulative cases registered in the country.
- With these figures, Mexico ranks 14th in the world in the number of infections and fourth as the country with the most deaths from the pandemic, behind only the United States.
Local Tourism
Hurricane ‘Grace’ degraded to storm
- After landfall in Quintana Roo as a Category 1 hurricane, “Grace” was downgraded to a tropical storm on Thursday as it passed through the boundaries of this entity with Yucatan.
- The Governor of Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquín González, ordered the resumption of work and suspend the dry law throughout the state as of 12:00 p.m., and also reported on the reactivation of air operations at Cancun airport.
Cancun: they clarify that it will not be required to be vaccinated in hotels
- Dario Flota, director of the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council, clarified that although, for the increase of security in restaurants and hotels, people could be asked to be vaccinated, this is not mandatory.
- Flota pointed out that there are protocols or requirements of this type, for some specific events depending on the number of attendees.
Tourism Industry
Launch new website to facilitate consultations to tourists in Cancun
- The City Council of Benito Juárez integrated and developed a new site that provides cultural content, gastronomy and attractions in Cancun as a destination.
- This is to provide useful information to tourism that includes care in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The new www.cancungob.com site is available in English, Spanish, Italian and German, and features the sections of: Things to do in Cancun, Beaches, Covid Test, Discover Cancun App, Honorary Consulates, Sister Cities and contact.
6 thousand Britons affected by flight cancellations
- Around 6 thousand British tourists would be stranded as a result of the three weekly flights that the airline British Airways has suspended.
• Virginia Messina, Senior Vice President and Acting CEO of The World Travel & Tourism Council regretted the situation and detailed that approximately 6 thousand Britons are trying to return immediately to the United Kingdom.
• The above because the mandatory quarantines take effect on Sunday morning.
Airlines
US funds struggle to finance aeromexico’s bailout
- Aeromexico will have to select from three U.S. funds and banks that are vying to finance its bailout.
- The airline will have to choose from the committee of common makers led by Bank of America Merrill Lynch and chaired by Brian Moynihan; BlackRock and Cerberus, and finally the third would be Apollo Global.
- Recently the pilots and carriers of the airline decided to sell their shares, through their respective union associations, in the midst of the restructuring process of the Mexican company.
Global Information
Canada will require all travelers to be vaccinated
• The government of Canada announced that all people traveling between provinces by air, train and cruise ship will soon be vaccinated against COVID-19.
• The plan to implement the mandate has not yet been revealed, but the requirement will likely go into effect in the coming months, possibly as soon as the fall and no later than the end of October, according to Canada’s Treasury Department.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
August 16th Update
New cases per day: +9,295
Confirmed: 3,101,266
Suspects per day: -5,460
Total suspects: 481,249
Deaths per day: +213
Deaths: 248,380
Update: August 15th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Tourism in Mexico City recovers in orange traffic light
- Mexico’s city Minister of Tourism, Carlos Mackinlay Grohmann, said that, in the “last weeks”, the CDMX has grown in capacity and working hours for tourist activities.
- The official said that keeping Mexico City in orange epidemiological traffic light gave the sector the opportunity to continue with its reactivation.
- According to the latest economic report, the tourism sector reached the highest level of the year, reaching 146,754 jobs, which represented a recovery of 70% of the work observed for the same month of 2019.
Local Tourism
Cancun will lose occupancy in October
- The president of the Cancun Hotel Association, Roberto Cintron, said that the occupancy that is expected for October will be less than the current levels that the Mexican Caribbean has experienced.
- On the other hand, Citrón projected that by November this drop will be reversed and previous levels will be recovered despite the Delta variant.
Quintana Roo’s archaeological zones reopened
- State authorities reopened under strict sanitary measures the Archaeological Zone of Coba, located in the municipality of Tulum, Quintana Roo.
- The area can be visited from Monday to Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last access at 3:30 p.m. and a maximum capacity of 2000 people per day and 230 simultaneously.
Cancun resumes tourist caravans
- Through a caravan, with more than 18 tourism companies, Quintana Roo resumes the promotion of its destinations in Mexico’s central states.
- The caravan will visit Mexico City, Leon, Guadalajara and Monterrey, thus attracting local tourism, which is the second most important after the United States.
Tourism Industry
Fematur plans to attract 3% of Chinese tourism to Mexico
- The Mexican Federation of Tourism Associations announced a strategy for the country to capture three percent of Chinese tourism.
- The association signed an agreement with Weilai, a company specialized in the formation and training of Hispanics with an interest in developing business and entrepreneurship projects linked to China.
- The agreement proposes to work on the training and teaching of the Mandarin Chinese language and gradually address other factors that limit Chinese tourism in Mexico.
Airlines
British flight suspension will bring losses in Cancun
- The Minister of Tourism, Miguel Torruco, said that the suspension of flights from the United Kingdom announced by British Airways will bring great losses to our country which will no longer receive an economic spillover of 15.1 million dollars.
- Torruco explained that during 2020 the Gatwick-Cancun route operated by British showed a flow of 73 flights with a volume of 19,300 passengers, which represented 9.7 percent of the total arrivals at the destination.
- He pointed out that between January and June of this 2021, this route accumulated a total of 38 British flights, with 7 thousand 629 passengers, equivalent to 6.2 percent of the total international tourists to Cancun.
Alaska Airlines will resume direct route to Ixtapa Zihuatanejo
- The airline will resume its direct flight from San Francisco, California to Ixtapa Zihuatanejo for the winter season, which will operate from December 18, 2021 to April 16, 2022.
- The seasonal route will have a weekly frequency on Saturdays, with departure at 8:00 to arrive at 14:15, the return will be the same day leaving the destination of the Mexican Pacific at 17:25 and arriving in San Francisco at 20:11 hours.
Global Information
Record of children hospitalized by Covid-19
- The number of children hospitalized with Covid-19 in the United States reached a record 902 on Saturday.
- Currently, children account for about 2.4 percent of Covid-19 hospitalizations in the US. Children under the age of 12 are not eligible to receive the vaccine, making them more vulnerable to infection with the new variant than before in the pandemic.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
August 11th Update
New cases per day: +19,555
Confirmed: 2,997,885
Suspects per day: +5,870
Total suspects: 478,751
Deaths per day: +786
Deaths: 245,476
Update: August 10th, 2021, 7:00 pm
AMLO puts CDMX on orange traffic light despite the fact that Health has it red
- During his morning press conference, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador supported the local government in its decision to put Mexico City on an orange traffic light.
- This despite the fact that the Ministry of Health informed last Friday that the city had been placed on a red epidemiological traffic light by COVID-19.
- AMLO assured that there are no fundamental differences between the federation and the Government of the CDMX, therefore, the decision corresponds to the city.
- The President pointed out that, although there are differences within the Government, discrepancies are allowed, because his way of governing is not authoritarian. He also reiterated that there will be no restrictions on economic activities.
Local Tourism
Archaeological zones in Quintana Roo are closed due to Covid
- In attention to the sanitary dispositions for the prevention of contagion by Covid-19, it was informed that the Archaeological Zone of Cobá closes its doors to the public as of this Wednesday, August 11 and until further notice.
- The Ministry of Culture and the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History) are asking visitors, for the time being, not to visit the archaeological zone until the necessary conditions are in place.
- It is worth mentioning that this archaeological site had just reopened its doors, after being closed from Friday, July 30 to August 4, due to a confirmed case of Covid-19 among its collaborators.
Germany and England quarantine Mexican travelers
- The governments of Germany and the United Kingdom placed Mexico on their red list of contagion risk as a result of the increase of Covid-19 cases in our country.
- The government of the United Kingdom announced that all travelers who have been in our country (or who wish to visit the United Kingdom from Mexico), including British citizens, will have to undergo a mandatory quarantine.
- The government will require that vaccinated travelers must demonstrate that they have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by taking one of the vaccines approved by the World Health Organization or a mandatory five-day quarantine (in case of European citizenship or residency).
Tourism Industry
How much Mexico will lose by being on the UK’s “Red List”
- Due to Mexico’s recent inclusion on the UK’s “red list” of nations with the highest risk for travelers, the World Travel and Tourism Council stated that Mexico will lose more than 60 million dollars a month.
- According to the most recent Economic Impact Report, the European market is considered a key piece for the reactivation of tourism in Mexico, which translates as a benefit to its economy, as well as for the recovery of millions of jobs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mexico receives more international tourism revenues in June than before Covid
- Mexico already receives more income from international tourism than before the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to the fact that the arrival of flights from any nation is not prohibited.
- The country captured 1,978 million dollars (39,618 million pesos) from the expenditure made by visitors from abroad during their travel and stay in June of this year, according to the results of the International Traveler Surveys that Inegi released this morning.
Tourism still not rebounding even in summer
- Although tourism activity is already showing signs of reactivation, travel-related transactions are still low compared to the beginning of the year.
- According to a study by Nu Mexico, only between 2 and 3 percent of users consumed in the tourism sector.
- For the company, this means that people are still not traveling as they used to before the pandemic.
Airlines
Aeromexico to operate direct flight from Guadalajara to Madrid
- Starting December 15, the airline will connect Guadalajara and Madrid directly with three weekly flights.
- The route will be operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliner equipment and customers will be able to travel directly from Guadalajara to Spain without having to make a stopover in Mexico City.
Global Information
Sputnik V would be effective against Delta variant
- The Russian vaccine is about 83 percent effective against the Delta variant of the coronavirus, lower than previously thought, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said Wednesday.
- However, he boasted that the effectiveness is higher than Moderna’s (76%) or Pfizer’s (42%) estimates.
- The vaccine developers in June said Sputnik V was about 90 percent effective against the Delta variant.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
August 09th Update
New cases per day: +7,573
Confirmed: 2,971,817
Suspects per day: -2,438
Total suspects: 475,319
Deaths per day: +172
Deaths: 244,420
Update: August 08th, 2021, 7:00 pm
No restrictions in CDMX despite Covid risk
- Mexico City, in addition to the states of Nuevo León, Sinaloa, Guerrero, Jalisco, Nayarit and Colima returned to Red Traffic Light due to high rates of Covid-19 infection.
- The Ministry of Health stated that the measure will be in effect until August 22, however, the head of government, Claudia Sheinbaum, contradicted the announcement and declared the city an orange traffic light.
- Sheinbaum pointed out that her decision is based on the expansion of hospital capacity and to have “the situation under control”, as there is a stabilization of cases.
Cansino recommends Mexico to apply booster doses
- The Chinese pharmaceutical company informed that the antibodies generated by the vaccine against Covid-19 from a single dose of Cansino are maintained at 70 percent after the first six months; however, it recommended applying a booster injection.
- The information, which has already been notified to Cofepris, reveals that, if a booster dose is applied six months after the first dose, the antibodies are multiplied by eight.
- Cansino’s biologic was used in Mexico to vaccinate educational personnel, taking advantage of the fact that only one injection was needed.
Local Tourism
Bars and nightclubs will be closed in Guerrero
- In order to stop Covid-19 infections in Guerrero, state authorities implemented 25 measures including the closure of bars, cantinas and nightclubs starting this Monday, August 9.
- State authorities reiterated that Guerrero’s beaches will remain open, but only from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and with a 40 percent capacity.
- The use of masks will be required on the beaches and parties and camping in those areas will be suspended. Live music bands will also be suspended.
- Hotels will be open with a 40 percent capacity.
Hoteliers and businessmen reject suspension of tourism in Huatulco
- The Asociación de Hoteles y Moteles de Bahías de Huatulco (Association of Hotels and Motels of Bahías de Huatulco) pronounced itself against the closing of this destination, the one that leaves the greatest economic revenue to the entity.
- This is due to the fact that the municipal authority considered that the measure seeks to cut the chain of contagions and deaths caused by the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Through a brief communiqué, the Association informed that they reject the bulletin issued by the municipal government of Huatulco “since it goes against the economy of thousands of families and the future of the tourist destination”.
Bacalar Lagoon offers excellent water quality
- The Comisión Nacional del Agua (National Water Commission) and the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources) published the results of the water quality monitoring carried out on July 23rd in Laguna Bacalar, when it was at its most critical point.
- Conagua’s analysis showed that the water quality was in “excellent” condition, despite its brownish color.
- Melina Maravilla, from the organization Agua Clara Ciudadanos por Bacalar, stated that, although it is not possible to speculate with the data, the results are “not to be believed”.
Tourism increases 40 percent in Hidalgo
- The head of the state Ministry of Tourism, Eduardo Javier Baños Gómez, the state of Hidalgo expects to reach 40 percent of visitors and tourists arriving to the entity this summer holiday season, compared to 2019.
- The official revealed that more than 200 thousand people have visited the entity, which have left an income of 113 million pesos.
Tourism Industry
Acapulco and United Airlines join forces in promotional strategy
- The airline will join the destination’s tourism promotion efforts to boost the arrival of U.S. tourists through the Houston route operated by the airline.
- The campaign ‘Acapulco, a classic reinvented’ includes several actions such as inserts in the main United Airlines in-flight magazines.
Global Information
Canada reopens border to U.S. vaccinees
- This Monday, Canada lifted its ban on Americans crossing the border for shopping, sightseeing or visiting.
- S. citizens and legal residents must have completed their vaccination and tested negative for Covid-19 three days prior to entry.
- They must also fill out a detailed form before crossing. Although travelers are required to register in advance, the Canadian Border Services Agency, did not say how many people were expected for the reopening.
Travelers from Mexico to Germany and England must quarantine
- Due to the increase of covid-19 cases in our country, Germany and the United Kingdom put Mexico on their red list of contagion risk.
- This has led to new travel restrictions for people wishing to travel to these two European nations.
- The new changes went into effect as of 4 a.m. Sunday morning, which means that hundreds of British travelers who were in Mexico will have to cut short their vacations to avoid a mandatory quarantine in a hotel set up by the government.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
July 28th Update
New cases per day: +17,408
Confirmed: 2,771,846
Suspects per day: +3,853
Total suspects: 462,724
Deaths per day: +484
Deaths: 239,079
Update: July 27th, 2021, 7:00 pm
These persons are no longer considered vulnerable to COVID-19
- The Ministry of Health informed that people who have completed their vaccination schedule against COVID-19 will no longer be considered vulnerable.
- This was announced in the Gaceta Oficial de la Federación (Official Gazette of the Federation), which also informs about the new methodology of the traffic light by regions to evaluate the epidemiological risk posed by the serious priority disease.
Local Tourism
To reactivate, CDMX bets on tourism and massive events
- The head of the Mexico City Government, Claudia Sheinbaum, said that even with the pandemic, the closure of activities in the city will not be optional.
- During the presentation of the Economic Reactivation Plan, Sheinbaum explained that the main objective is to reactivate without risking, so they will accelerate the vaccination.
- In the next two weeks, she said, it is expected to reach a coverage of 85% of the population, with at least one dose, and that in October 100% will be immunized.
Epidemiological orange traffic light will slow down tourism reactivation
- Juan Carlos Mondragón, president of the Asociación de Hoteles de Jalisco (Jalisco Hotel Association), pointed out that the return of Jalisco to the orange epidemiological traffic light could slow down the reactivation of tourism in the state.
- Due to the fact that this affects people’s mobility, tourism could be affected despite the fact that in summer the sector had a constant growth in occupancy, reaching almost 50 percent, he said.
Mazatlan follows Cancun in requiring proof of vaccination
- Due to the increase in the number of infections caused by the third wave of Covid in Mexico, the municipal government of Mazatlan announced that as of August 2, all persons will be required to show proof of vaccination upon entering stores, entertainment centers, restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
- The destination, which has been in the eyes of both national and international tourists, after hosting the Tianguis Turístico and undertaking precise actions for its positioning.
- The government calls on the population to go and get vaccinated, taking advantage of the stipulated dates that the vaccination program maintains or lags behind.
Tourism Industry
8 out of 10 Mexicans say they will go on a road trip
- According to a survey conducted by Booking.com, 87% of Mexican travelers said they are likely to make a post-pandemic road trip using their own car (62%). And restaurant food along the way (64%) and tourist stops (65%), will be the motivations that will lead them to venture out.
- The vast majority of those surveyed said they want to visit Magical Towns and entities such as Veracruz, Puebla, Guadalajara, Guerrero, Sinaloa, Michoacán, Acapulco, Oaxaca and Mexico City.
Airlines
Rescue of Mexicana, but the way to do it is still to be determined: AMLO
- The President of Mexico, Andres Lopez Obrador, announced the rescue of Mexicana de Aviacion, although he has yet to specify how he will do it. The president stated that he needs time to be able to inform on the matter.
- The president has expressed his interest in supporting the airline’s former workers to resume operations, but what is not known is whether he will inject public resources, when he has refused to rescue other airlines such as Interjet.
Global Information
England lifts restrictions on vaccinated people from the U.S. and the EU
- England announced Wednesday the end of travel restrictions for fully vaccinated people from the United States and the European Union.
- Those who wish to do so will be able to enter British territory without quarantine as of August 2.
- New cases of coronavirus have been declining in the UK recently, despite the Government relaxing all restrictions in England last week.
- Under current rules, a person vaccinated in the UK does not have to comply with isolation when returning from most “amber list” countries. However, that exemption does not apply to those vaccinated outside the UK.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
July 26th Update
New cases per day: +6,535
Confirmed: 2,748,518
Suspects per day: -888
Total suspects: 461,653
Deaths per day: +108
Deaths: 238,424
Update: July 25th, 2021, 7:00 pm
AMLO: Third wave of COVID-19 is of less intensity and less damaging
- Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) assured that the third wave of Covid-19 is less intense and less harmful.
- The president pointed out that this third wave is affecting young people more, because older adults have already been vaccinated, which proves that the decision to vaccinate older adults first was the right one, he said.
- The president said that the vaccination will continue and again asked the seniors who have not been vaccinated to go and get it.
Local Tourism
Delta strain threatens Cancun and Los Cabos
- Although the tourist reactivation of Cancun and Los Cabos has been successful, the increase of infections has been imminent with the Delta variant of covid-19, which predominates in the majority of cases of the third peak.
- According to statements from the supervision of the H1N1 epidemic in Mexico in 2009, covid-19 infections are increasing in Quintana Roo and Baja California, where the Delta variant is the predominant one with a presence of 80% of the cases.
Tourism Industry
Global recognition of all approved Covid-19 vaccines urged
- The World Travel and Tourism Council said the resumption of international travel could be delayed without global reciprocal recognition of all approved COVID-19 vaccines.
- The body issued its warning following concerns that tourists face being turned away at borders because countries do not have a common list of recognized and approved vaccines.
Mexicans prioritize interest-free travel
- According to an analysis carried out by Despegar, close to 70% of its users in Mexico purchase their trips for the summer in months without interest.
- The practice is not a recent phenomenon, since 5 years ago it has begun to gain strength and the summer vacation period is a good opportunity to remeasure the payment preferences that Mexicans are looking for.
Demand for cruise travel is growing
- So much is demand for cruise travel growing that Carnival Cruise Line has announced it will add four more ships in October, bringing the total number of ships to 15, as the line’s restart of operations continues to ramp up.
Airlines
These are the 20 best airlines in the world
- com, the world’s safety, product and covid-19 rating website, named the world’s best airlines for 2021.
- The Airline Excellence Awards combine safety criteria with 11 key criteria including: fleet age, passenger reviews, investment rating, product offerings, and staff relations.
- The airline of the year is Qatar Airways, based in Doha beat Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines for the top spot, followed by Qantas, Emirates and Cathay Pacific.
- The list of winners is:
- Qatar Airways
- Air New Zealand
- Singapore Airlines
- Qantas
- Emirates
- Cathay Pacific
- Virgin Atlantic
- United Airlines
- EVA Air
- British Airways
- Lufthansa
- ANA
- Finnair
- Japan Air Lines
- KLM
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Alaska Airlines
- Virgin Australia
- Delta Air Lines
- Etihad Airways
- VietJetAir
Global Information
Covid hospitalizations increase in 45 U.S. states
- In 45 of the 50 U.S. states, Covid-19 hospitalizations are on an upward trend, although levels remain well below previous peaks.
- In parts of the country with relatively low vaccination rates, such as Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Nevada, hospitalizations have increased more rapidly.
- Hospital staff and health officials in those states say the increase has been rapid and unexpected, driven by the more contagious Delta variant.
- Also, because of low vaccination coverage and the return of communities to pre-pandemic social activities.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
July 21st Update
New cases per day: +13,853
Confirmed: 2,678,297
Suspects per day: +5,295
Total suspects: 454,593
Deaths per day: +341
Deaths: 236,810
Update: July 20th, 2021, 7:00 pm
16 states concentrate 85% of active Covid cases
- According to the Ministry of Health, in the third wave of Covid-19, 85 percent of the 79,828 active cases in the last two weeks were concentrated in 16 states of the country.
- Due to the number of inhabitants concentrated in their metropolitan areas, Mexico City, the Estado de Mexico, Jalisco and Nuevo Leon are among the states with the highest number of active cases.
- Tourist-oriented states such as Sinaloa, Veracruz, Quintana Roo, Baja California Sur, Yucatán, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Nayarit are also among them.
Local Tourism
Cancun’s General Hospital suspends services due to Covid
- As a result of the wave of Covid-19 infections in Cancun, the Hospital General de Cancun announced that it is suspending its outpatient consultations, internal medicine services and all scheduled surgeries until further notice, in order to concentrate its staff on the care of Covid patients.
- In the communiqué, the hospital users are asked for their understanding for the temporary closure of non-Covid medical services.
- According to reports from the Ministry of Health, there are currently more than 400 Covid-19 positive cases per day in the destination.
Hilton signs two new hotels in Tulum
- Hilton maintains its investment commitment in Mexico by announcing the signing of three new resorts, two of them in Tulum, Quintana Roo and one more in Riviera Nayarit, as part of its expansion strategy in the region.
- Conrad Tulum and Hilton Tulum All Inclusive Resort are the hotel chain’s new projects in the Mexican Caribbean, along with Hilton Vallarta Riviera All Inclusive Resort.
- Hilton currently has more than 70 hotels in Mexico and more than 30 under development, reinforcing its confidence in the reactivation of tourism.
Tourism Industry
Canada announces reopening to Americans
- Beginning August 9, Canada will officially reopen its borders to vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
- Americans (along with any other travelers entering Canada, regardless of vaccination status) will be required to show proof of a negative PCR or molecular test within 72 hours of applying for entry.
- As of September 7, Canada will reopen to other international travelers, provided that “the epidemiology of COVID-19 remains favorable,” the Canadian government said in a statement.
- Entry to Canada remains prohibited for all foreign travelers who are not fully vaccinated.
US extends border closures with Mexico and Canada
- The U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least August 21, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said.
- The 30-day extension came after Canada announced Monday that it will begin allowing fully vaccinated U.S. visitors into the country on Aug. 9 for non-essential travel.
Sectur expects more than 20 million tourists for the summer season
- Miguel Torruco Marqués, Mexico’s Minister of Tourism, stated that for the current summer vacation season, hotel occupancy rates are expected to increase significantly with respect to last year.
- He reiterated that SECTUR has prepared probable expectations where, in a “conservative” scenario, the arrival of 20,200,000 tourists is projected.
- Likewise, it foresees an economic income from lodging of 49 thousand 39 million pesos, 48.5 percent more than in 2020; and an average hotel occupancy of 52.2 percent, equivalent to 36 percentage points more than the previous summer.
Airlines
Aeromar encourages vaccination tourism
- Aeromar is encouraging Mexicans to travel to the United States to get the covid-19 vaccine, with two promotions that will allow them to get vaccinated free of charge at the Laredo International Airport and without prior appointment.
- The airport administration indicated that both Laredo residents and passengers will be able to receive first and second doses of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines without prior registration.
Aeromexico to receive 12 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft despite controversy
- Aeromexico announced the incorporation of 12 new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to its fleet, which will arrive in October.
- This model was controversial and was long vetoed by the authorities after suffering two accidents in a short period of time due to computer errors in its system.
Global Information
Tokyo infection record broken 2 days before the Olympics
- Positive cases of Covid-19 in Tokyo reached a six-month high on Wednesday, with 1,832 new cases two days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
- The World Health Organization issued an alert for the situation and stated that the risk of contagion was unavoidable, but that infections must be properly managed.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
July 19th Update
New cases per day: +4,438
Confirmed: 2,659,137
Suspects per day: -678
Total suspects: 452,132
Deaths per day: +91
Deaths: 236,331
Update: July 18th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Covid hospitalizations in CDMX increase 97%
- Mexico City surpassed the 2,000 beds occupied by covid-19 patients last Saturday, according to official figures.
- Of the 2,037 accounted for, 1,466 are in general care and the remaining 571 in intensive care, according to the statistics.
- In 12 days, the increase in hospitalizations has been 97.95 percent.
Third wave of Covid-19 would delay economic recovery: Inegi
- The Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (National Institute of Statistics and Geography, Inegi) announced that economic activity presented a deceleration of 14.7% in June, compared to the same month of the previous year.
- Through a report, Inegi revealed that in the main Large Activity Sectors of the Global Indicator of Economic Activity (IGAE), for secondary activities an annual increase of 14.4% was calculated last June, and for the tertiary sector the annual advance was 14%.
- Considering the main Major Activity Sectors of the IGAE, Inegi pointed out that for secondary activities a monthly decrease of 0.7% is estimated, while for the tertiary sector there was an estimated monthly increase of 0.4% in June.
Five Covid-19 patients who had already been vaccinated die from the disease
- In the state of Nuevo León, five people out of a total of 625 who had already been vaccinated with one or two doses have died.
- According to the deputy director of the Metropolitan Hospital of the State Health Ministry, Amalia Becerra Aquino, one characteristic of the deceased is that they had several comorbidities.
- The official alerted the population in this condition to maintain the already known prevention measures to avoid contagion, such as keeping a healthy distance, using masks and not exposing oneself in places with high concentrations of people.
Local Tourism
Acapulco to reduce occupancy for the rest of the season
- The government of Guerrero reduced the hotel occupancy limit to 60 percent due to the third wave of Covid-19.
- Despite the fact that the state epidemiological traffic light remains green, contagions have shot up to 300 percent in one week in Acapulco alone.
- For this reason, the schedules and capacity of non-essential activities have been limited until August 18.
Cancun and Riviera Maya exceed 60% occupancy rate
- Thanks to the permits to operate above the capacity allowed by state health authorities, the northern zone of Quintana Roo remains above the levels allowed by the epidemiological traffic light.
- Cancun started the week with 67% occupancy, while the Riviera Maya reported 64%, while the island of Cozumel registered 52.8% and the Costa Maya (south of Quintana Roo) remains at 31.8%.
- So far, 141,083 guests have stayed in one of the more than 100,000 rooms in the state and these levels are expected to be maintained throughout the summer.
Tourism Industry
Third wave of Covid exerts pressure on tourism
- Braulio Arsuga, president of the Consejo Nacional Empresarial Turístico (National Tourism Business Counci, CNET), said that the third wave of Covid-19 in Mexico, while putting pressure on the sector, assures that learning from past experiences will avoid strong repercussions.
- The business leader exposed that the duration of each of these ‘waves’ has been observed to be shorter and shorter. “The first wave of Covid-19, the curve was longer, in the second it was less time, we are confident that this third one will be even shorter,” he said.
- The president of CNET sees a greater risk for the restaurant sector, since according to Canirac estimates, a third wave of Covid-19 that would lead to the closure of activities, would put 50 percent of the establishments at risk.
Mexico generated almost 1 million travelers to the United States for vaccines
- According to a study conducted by the Universidad Anahuac, between the months of March and May 2021, Mexicans made some 905,487 trips to the United States for the purpose of receiving vaccinations against Covid-19.
- The Center for Tourism Research and Competitiveness of the Universidad Anahuac pointed out that, in the more than 900,000 to the US to get vaccinated, Mexicans generated an expenditure of some US$ 325 million in three months.
U.S. issues health advisory for travel to Mexico
- This Monday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control issued a level 3 travel advisory for Mexico.
- The advisory warns citizens about high rates of Covid-19 infections and cautions them to reconsider traveling to Mexico.
- Coronavirus cases have skyrocketed in Mexico, with more than 11,000 new cases reported Tuesday as the third wave of the pandemic continues to grow.
Governor of Quintana Roo seeks new tourism Minister
- Marisol Vanegas, who served as head of Quintana Roo’s Ministry of Tourism, will be presented as the new rector of the Universidad del Caribe.
- Due to this, she will leave Andrés Gerardo Aguilar Becerril, Undersecretary of Planning and Tourism Development Northern Zone, in charge of the state’s Secretary of Tourism, until the new Secretary of Tourism is appointed.
Global Information
UK lifts restrictions over Covid
- England on Monday lifted almost all restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic despite the increase in infections that worries many scientists and politicians.
- As of midnight in England, venues and stadiums can reopen at full capacity, nightclubs can once again accept people, pubs can resume bar service and there is no longer a limit on the number of people who can gather.
- In addition, face masks will no longer be mandatory, but are recommended in transport and stores, and teleworking will no longer be the norm.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
July 14th Update
New cases per day: +11,137
Confirmed: 2,604,711
Suspects per day: 4,169
Total suspects: 446,079
Deaths per day: +219
Deaths: 235,277
Update: July 13th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Highest number of Covid cases recorded in 5 months
- The Ministry of Health informed that there are currently 2,604,711 confirmed cases of Covid-19, 11,137 more than yesterday.
- This is the highest number of infections since February 11, when 10,677 cases were reported.
- He estimated that, of the total number of cases, there are 63,93 active cases, that is, those people who presented symptoms in the last 14 days and may be contagious.
Local Tourism
Cancun reports one thousand positives in 2021
- Among the several million tourists who visited the state so far this year, Quintana Roo has one thousand positive cases of covid-19.
- The State Secretariat assures that the epidemiological traffic light of the area has not changed from orange despite the increase of positive cases.
- The agency assured that they are not only considering the increase in the number of cases, but also the speed of infection and the capacity of the hospital service.
Cancun hires 10% more staff in anticipation of the vacations
- Hoteliers in the destination opened their labor exchanges to hire 10% more personnel in view of the arrival of the vacations and the reactivation of the economic activity.
- The general secretary of Confederación Revolucionaria de Obreros y campesinos (the Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Farmers, Croc) in the municipality of Benito Juárez, Mario Machuca Sánchez, commented that of the 50 thousand jobs lost since March 2020, only five or seven thousand remain to be recovered.
- Every week the Croc hires at least 500 workers and the hotel workforces are not 100 percent covered, he explained.
198 out of 199 beaches tested declared suitable for vacations
- According to the results of the Playas Limpias verano 2021 (Clean Beaches Summer 2021 program), 99.5 percent of the country’s beaches can be classified as suitable.
- Almost all Mexican beaches meet the safety levels for enterococci established by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- However, the commission emphasizes that the water quality measure does not mean that the beaches are open or safe to be visited, considering the health emergency declared by COVID-19.
Tourism Industry
Tianguis de Pueblos Mágicos 2021 will be virtual due to third wave of Covid
- Although it was scheduled to be held in person next October, the Ministry of Tourism and the government of Hidalgo confirmed that the third edition of the event will be virtual due to the new wave of Covid-19 infections.
- The Pachuca Magical Towns Digital Tianguis will take place from October 29 to 31 and is open to the general public.
- The governor of Hidalgo, Omar Fayad Meneses, warned that the decision was taken to avoid a new collapse in the hospital system due to the appearance of new variants of the virus, and the increase of active cases that have been presented.
Road tourism, key to recovery: Visit México
- As vaccination progresses in Mexico, road tourism is beginning to gain strength, especially in the magical towns.
- This was revealed by Carlos González, general director of Visit México, who said that “practically speaking, national tourism, as vaccination progresses, is starting to take vacations today,” he explained.
- Since March 7, 2021, the search or reservations in Mexican destinations grew more than 300% compared to the same period in 2020.
Airlines
AMLO offers presidential plane to Aeroméxico for travel and parties
- President Andrés Manuel López Obrador held a meeting with the directors of Delta and Aeroméxico and proposed the presidential plane to be used for executive trips or parties.
- The president said that weddings at 10,000 feet are very common, which, he pointed out, is very common in the Caribbean.
- López Obrador assured that the directors are thinking about the proposal, and jokingly pointed out that “other possible clients” would be considering the proposal.
Global Information
Canada, still no leisure travel
- Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, maintains his stance of not allowing leisure travel to its population.
- This means that the second most important market for the Mexican Caribbean remains “frozen”.
- Canada has no plans to reopen its border with the United States to leisure travel. In fact, it has no plans, for the time being, to reopen to international travel either, Trudeau acknowledged.
- The Canadian government continues to discourage non-essential travel outside its borders.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
July 7th Update
New cases per day: +7,989
Confirmed: 2,549,862
Suspects per day: -468
Total suspects: 440,530
Deaths per day: +269
Deaths: 233,958
Update: July 6th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Third wave of Covid is already in Mexico
- The undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, confirmed that Mexico is going through the third wave of COVID-19 coronavirus infections.
- The official presented some graphs which clearly show an increase in the number of contagions of the disease.
- Despite the bad news, Lopez-Gatell affirmed that hospitalizations and deaths as a consequence of the virus are relatively under control thanks to the percentage of vaccinated people.
How to obtain the Covid vaccination certificate
- The Ministry of Health enabled the registration for the Covid-19 Vaccination Certificate with QR Code.
- Those interested should go to the web page cvcovid.salud.gob.mx to obtain their official general certificate.
- To generate the certificate, the CURP must be on hand and subsequently the information will be sent to the e-mail address indicated during the vaccination registration.
Local Tourism
Student trip causes massive Covid infection
- A trip of 500 students from Puebla to Cancun has caused massive Covid-19 infections.
- So far, it is known that 30 infected students have been detected and are in isolation.
- Puebla authorities reported that the students were staying at the same hotel. The case will be followed up to avoid a massive contagion.
Acapulco resumes promotion strategy
- Acapulco announced the launch of its new tourism promotion campaign for the summer season.
- The Acapulco Hour shows the best version of the destination with aspects of all tourist areas from Pie de la Cuesta to Tres Palos Lagoon.
- The campaign presents the destination with a fresh and renewed image that seeks to capitalize on the tourist potential and reactivate the sector.
Tourism Industry
New travelers from the U.S. and sanitary protocols reactivate tourism
- The Minister of Tourism, Miguel Torruco, affirmed that the proximity to the United States and the implementation of sanitary protocols have boosted the reactivation of international tourism to Mexico.
- The official reiterated that the World Tourism Organization (WTO) will soon make it official that Mexico ranked third in international arrivals last year “due to cyclical issues”.
- According to data from the Ministry of Communications and Transportation, the international route with the highest number of passengers to Mexico is Dallas/Fort Worth-Cancun, with 365 thousand travelers, and the third is Houston-Cancun with 316 thousand tourists.
Sectur prepares vaccination phase in eight tourist destinations
- Miguel Torruco, head of the Ministry of Tourism (Secretaría de Turismo, Sectur), announced that there are eight tourist destinations that will enter the first phase of vaccination of workers in tourism establishments.
- They will start with Cancun, Quintana Roo and Los Cabos, Baja California, to continue with Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico City and Playa del Carmen.
Airlines
Aeromar will add frequencies to three destinations
- The airline will focus this summer season on beaches, so in July and August it plans to operate 12 additional frequencies to Puerto Vallarta, Ixtapa Zihuatanejo and Puerto Escondido.
- This summer looks very encouraging for the airline, as compared to last year, the number of passengers transported has grown 181 percent.
- The airline will be focused on taking advantage of the Monterrey to McAllen route, the airline’s most successful route, to enjoy the attractions and shopping in the Texan city.
Global Information
WHO calls for ‘extreme caution’ when lifting restrictions
- The World Health Organization on Wednesday called for “extreme caution” for countries to lift restrictions against Covid-19.
- The organization said transmission of the virus will increase regardless of high vaccination rates.
- WHO’s director of emergencies, Michael Ryan, called for extreme caution in the complete lifting of social and public health measures at this time, as “it will bring consequences”.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
June 30th Update
New cases per day: +5,711
Confirmed: 2,513,164
Suspects per day: 3,389
Total suspects: 441,123
Deaths per day: +195
Deaths: 232,803
Update: June 29th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Covid-19 variants are driving in Covid-19 cases in some parts of the country
- These are specifically the B.1.1.7 lineage, now known as Alpha, which was originally identified in the United Kingdom, and the P.1 lineage from Brazil, now known as Gamma.
- Comas García belongs to the analysis group that launched the platform www.mexcov2.ibt.unam.mx, where an interactive map allows the distribution of the different variants to be visualised.
- So far, the site concentrates 12,126 sequences, among which B.1.1.519 accumulates the largest number of records, with 6,401 (75.4 percent of the total), followed by the 995 of Alfa (8.2 percent).
- Behind are B.1.1.222, formerly also one of the most prevalent, with 582 sequences (4.8 percent), and Gamma, with 358 (3 percent).
Local Tourism
Covid contamination prevents relaxation of restrictions in Cancun
- Cancun tops the list of areas with the highest number of active positive cases during the week of 20-26 June.
- The high number of infections, reaching 300 positive cases per day, has prevented the relaxation of sanitary restrictions.
- The Governor of Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquín González, said that the measures put in place to avoid reaching the red colour on the State Epidemiological Semaphore are to control and reduce the number of cases of infection.
- He also indicated that sanitary filters will be reinforced in the streets from 11 pm and road and space closures will be continued to avoid crowds.
Los Cabos records record occupancy, but contagions soar
- The destination has reported record hotel occupancy for the last 10 weeks, the highest in Mexico.
- On the other hand, covid-19 infections are also on the rise, but despite this and the restrictive health measures in the area, tourist arrivals continue to grow.
- According to data from the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Los Cabos registered the highest occupancy in the week of 14-20 June, reaching 78.5%, above Cancun with 62.4% and Puerto Vallarta with 62.2%, a destination with a green traffic light.
- However, the area is at the worst peak of Covid-19 infections since the pandemic began.
- Vaccination in Los Cabos is at just 11.39%, while nationally it is at 30% with at least one dose.
Riviera Maya reaches 60% hotel occupancy rate
- The Riviera Maya has reached its best numbers since the health contingency began with an average hotel occupancy rate of 60% during the month of June.
- According to data from the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council, on Saturday, May 12, the destination reached an occupancy rate of 67.62%, which is the highest figure since the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic began.
- Likewise, the lowest occupancy so far this month occurred on the 1st of June, with 54.39%, i.e. the figures are still on the rise compared to the decline a year ago.
1,100 cruise passengers from the United States arrive in the Mexican Caribbean
- After more than a year of suspended operations, the Celebrity Edge cruise ship docked in Mahahual on 29 June, with 1,100 passengers to Costa Maya.
- The Celebrity Edge becomes the first cruise ship to sail from the United States, embarking on a seven-night voyage with stops in Mexico and the Bahamas, with Costa Maya being the first stop.
- The ship, which normally carries about 3,000 passengers, reached 30 per cent capacity, with 100 per cent of the crew and all age-eligible passengers vaccinated.
Tourism Industry
Travel search on Google increases 270%
- Google has released figures revealing consumers’ intent to travel again.
- The company says that demand for travel searches in May increased by 270% compared to May 2020 and that the figure is likely to increase.
- In addition, searches for the term “beach holiday” have steadily increased in 2020, but “city breaks” have yet to recover compared to 2019 levels.
- Activities also seem to be on consumers’ minds, as the term “nearby rentals” has seen an overall growth of 100% year-on-year.
Global Information
Global infections rebound after two months of decline
- Global cases of Covid-19 increased last week compared to the previous week, after two months of declines.
- Meanwhile, the Delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading to almost 100 countries, with significant increases in Africa and countries such as Russia, Brazil and the UK.
- According to the World Health Organisation’s weekly epidemiological report on Wednesday, 2.6 million cases were reported from 21-27 June, an increase of 2 percent over the previous seven days.
- Three of the five countries with the most cases last week globally were Latin American: Brazil, Colombia and Argentina.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
June 23rd Update
New cases per day: +4,233
Confirmed: 2,482,748
Suspects per day: +2,532
Total suspects: 436,738
Deaths per day: +261
Deaths: 231,505
Update: June 22nd, 2021, 7:00 pm
SSA warns of 18% increase in Covid-19 infections
- The undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo López-Gatell, warned that this weekend there could be an increase of between 15% and 18% in coronavirus infections.
- The federal official urged the population to observe health measures in the face of this possible upturn. He urged people to keep a healthy distance, to sneeze in a formal manner and to wash their hands frequently.
- The undersecretary called on the population between the ages of 30 and 39 to register for vaccination against Covid and assured that the procedure on the website mivacuna.salud.gob.mx takes less than a minute and a half.
Local Tourism
World2Fly will bring 55,000 tourists to Cancun and Punta Cana this year
- The airline will initially fly to Cancun twice a week from Madrid on Mondays and Fridays, and from 11 July from Lisbon on Sundays on Airbus A350 aircraft. However, the aim is to increase frequencies, especially in the high season to the Mexican Caribbean.
- According to the projections of the new Spanish airline, they expect to move at least 28,500 people to Cancun and 27,000 to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, so the airline expects to move more than 55,000 passengers before the end of the year.
Cancun: sargasso would return to its 2018 level without AMLO’s help
- The Governor of Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquín González, pointed out that both the increase in covid-19 infections and sargasso are complicating the summer season for the area.
- He believes that the cleaning of sargassum on the beaches should be redoubled or tripled, and that although it should be done by the municipalities, there should also be help from the three levels of government to invest the necessary resources.
- The accumulation of sargassum is affecting Playa del Carmen and Tulum in particular, while in the case of Cancun, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres it is less so.
Tourism Industry
Lack of vaccines delays immunisation of tourism staff in Cancun
- The vaccination campaign for tourism workers has been delayed due to a lack of vaccines, confirmed Darío Flota, director of the Quintana Roo State Tourism Board.
- Flota specified that there will not be a specific plan for these workers but that it will be given as part of the vaccination process according to the age range that is being carried out in the state.
- This is in contrast to the words of Marcelo Ebrard, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, when he announced that due to the importance of tourism in the country’s economy, there would be a vaccination plan for key tourist areas, which would include Quintana Roo and Baja California.
Visit Mexico opens its first international office in New York
- The country’s tourism promotion platform will have a physical presence in New York, with the opening of a privately funded office in Midtown Manhattan.
- The opening is part of the next step in Mexico’s public-private partnership in tourism promotion to attract visitors from around the world.
- Visit Mexico USA arrives to market and promote Mexico’s tourist attractions in the main country of origin of tourists to our country, and in one of the most relevant destinations.
Airlines
Vaccination certificate validated by Lufthansa
- The German airline has started to validate vaccination certificates for a quick check-in and to avoid any kind of studies.
- The digital certificate must certify full protection with complete inoculation.
- In Mexico, the only proof that we citizens have of having been vaccinated is not officially valid, as it consists of two sheets of paper, one for each dose acquired.
- In order for the document to be recognised by the airline, it must have a QR code that will be digitally identified for validation. According to information from Lufthansa, a printed copy can be presented at check-in at the airport.
Global Information
Canada and the US urge border reopening
- Lawmakers and business leaders in the United States and Canada are urging the reopening of the border for non-essential travel that has been in place since March 2020.
- According to a report in The Washington Post, several figures have stepped up the pressure ahead of the summer, fearing the loss of holiday season revenue for a second year.
- The US and Canada currently have some of their lowest numbers of daily Covid cases since last autumn: the countries recorded around 15,000 and 1,000 Covid cases in the last day, respectively.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
June 21st Update
New cases per day: +1,578
Confirmed: 2,477,283
Suspects per day: -853
Total suspects: 435,100
Deaths per day: +36
Deaths: 231,187
Update: June 20th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Mexico City returns to epidemiological yellow traffic light
- After being green for two weeks, Mexico City has returned to yellow traffic lights.
- The change was ordered by the federal health ministry and comes into effect today without any additional restrictions, as the change to green did not involve the total opening of any activity.
- Regarding the capacity of places, up to 60 percent will apply to aquariums, libraries, drive-in cinemas, historical archives, billiards, bowling alleys, restaurants, casinos, gambling houses, shopping centres, gyms and amusement parks.
Six people vaccinated against Covid-19 die of Covid-19
- In Sonora, six people who had been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 have died from the virus, in addition to 24 others who had received a single dose.
- State Health Minister, Enrique Clausen asked Sonora’s people not to give up because no vaccine provides total immunity, the level of protection is enormous, but not 100 percent.
- Clausen stressed that currently the statewide average positivity of Coronavirus cases is at 38%, so it is essential that preventive actions such as the use of masks, healthy distance, hand hygiene and, above all, avoiding crowds, are observed.
Local Tourism
Cancun returns to pre-Covid operations
- For the first time since 21 March last year, Cancun International Airport surpassed the barrier of 500 daily air operations.
- According to Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR) staff, 506 operations were scheduled on Saturday, with 253 arrivals and the same number of departures.
- There were 86 domestic landings and 167 international landings, with 79 take-offs to the interior of the country and 174 to foreign countries.
AMLO urged to solve six problems for tourists
- Sergio González Rubiera, president of the Asociación Mexicana de Agencias de Viajes (Mexican Association of Travel Agencies, AMAV) of Quintana Roo, urged the Mexican president to resolve six problems affecting tourists visiting the state.
- The letters demand solutions to the government on the sargasso issue, security, repair of federal highways, the law of Islands for Cozumel, integral sustainability, international tourism promotion, open-air dumps and archaeological zones.
Tourism Industry
Blow to Mexico: U.S. worsens travel alerts for several states
- The United States has updated its travel alerts, worsening them for several Mexican states.
- The American country raised the warning to two Mexican states, Baja California, Guanajuato, which include tourist destinations such as Tijuana, Mexicali and Ensenada.
- The category for these destinations has been upgraded from Level 2, where they are advised to “Exercise extra caution”, to Level 3, where they are asked to “Reconsider travel”.
Agencies warn of increasing fraud
- As part of the negative consequences of Covid-19, fraud in digital media has skyrocketed.
- Agencies have been detected offering trips worth 150,000 pesos when in reality they cost 30,000 pesos, to mention just one example.
- The most vulnerable destinations for this type of fraud are the beach destinations, however, the one that has been most affected throughout the country is the Mexican Caribbean.
- The president of the Grupo Mexicano de Asociaciones de Agencias de Viajes y Empresas Turísticas (GMA), Roberto Trauwitz, showed the concern of the guild, in particular of the 1065 companies that make up the 14 associations that make up the association.
Airlines
Interjet leaves millions of unpaid bills to small Mexican agencies
- The president of the Grupo Mexicano de Asociaciones de Agencias de Viajes y Empresas Turísticas (Mexican Group of Travel Agencies Associations, GMA), Roberto Trauwitz, affirmed that there are 70 million pesos of unpaid debts that Interjet leaves only to its affiliates, for pre-purchases.
- To the 70 million are added the so-called “monederos” (purses), which were supposed commissions from Interjet that are part of the debt to the agencies.
- The current administration of Interjet, headed by its largest shareholder, Alejandro Del Valle, filed several lawsuits against the Alemán family, both commercial and civil, for alleged tax evasion for five years, in addition to other irregularities detected.
Global Information
Biden boasts 300 million doses administered
- President Joe Biden celebrated the United States reaching 300 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine and urged people to continue to access the vaccines.
- He warned that a highly transmissible variant of the virus could cause more deaths.
- Covid-19 cases have plummeted in the country, prompting a resumption of pre-pandemic activities.
- However, a large swathe of Americans, particularly in the politically conservative south, have rejected vaccines despite warnings from health officials.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
June 16th Update
New cases per day: +4,250
Confirmed: 2,459,601
Suspects per day: 901
Total suspects: 434,241
Deaths per day: +239
Deaths: 230,424
Update: June 15th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Alert in six states due to an increase in the number of infections: SSA
- The undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo López-Gatell, reported an 8% increase in the number of infections in Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Sinaloa and Veracruz.
- After 21 weeks with a decrease in cases, hospitalisations and deaths from Covid-19, Gatell said that in order to reduce this rise, a call has been made to reduce certain activities where people congregate in these six states.
- The official added that Baja California Sur, Campeche, Sinaloa and Veracruz are also on the rise, and with less intensity, but with some increase.
Local Tourism
Canadian airlines bring forward their return to Vallarta and Nayarit
- Canadian airlines Air Canada, Swoop and Transat have announced their return to Puerto Vallarta and Nayarit after four months of suspension.
- Westjet resumed operations on June 5, while ultra-low cost Swoop plans to resume operations from October 5 with routes from Hamilton and Edmonton to Puerto Vallarta.
- On November 3, it will resume flights between Abbotsford and Puerto Vallarta and between Toronto and Puerto Vallarta. It will also inaugurate the Winnipeg to Puerto Vallarta route on November 4.
- Air Canada will return with the Vancouver to Puerto Vallarta route from August 1. Transat from Toronto and Montreal in November.
First cruise ship arrives in Cozumel after more than a year of pandemic
- The island of Cozumel received the Adventure of the Seas, which will also make port in Mahahual, after a year and three months without receiving cruise ships.
- The ship, belonging to the Royal Caribbean shipping company, embarked in Nassau, Bahamas, all its crew members over 18 years of age have already been vaccinated, while the sanitary measures inside the ship were renewed and strict protocols are maintained to avoid contagion.
- At the Cozumel dock, all safety protocols were also taken to prevent the spread of the virus.
Tourism Industry
Cancun tourism workers do not know which vaccine they will receive
- Although the Federal Government has authorised the vaccination of tourism workers, neither the starting date nor the laboratory for the doses to be administered to Quintana Roo personnel is yet known.
- The authorities designated the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social to carry out the immunisation process. According to the Ministry of Tourism, more than 140,000 workers in the state will receive the vaccine.
Airlines
Aeromexico launches Covid passport on flights to Chicago and Madrid
- Starting 21 June, Aeromexico will implement a pilot test of the IATA Travel Pass, a digital application that will be available initially on routes from Mexico City to Chicago and Madrid.
- The IATA app will allow travellers to store, manage and validate documentation required by various countries for travel, such as proof of Covid-19 and/or vaccination certificates.
US airlines consider weighing travellers
- The Federal Aviation Administration has sent a circular to US airlines warning that airlines will soon have to update the average weight of passengers.
- To update this data, airlines may have to start weighing passengers before they board a plane.
- This is because airlines must calculate the weight of passengers and their luggage to ensure safety during the flight.
Global Information
New York reaches 70% vaccination rate, lifts restrictions
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he is lifting all state-imposed restrictions on the coronavirus.
- This after reporting that 70 percent of New York adults have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
- What does 70 percent mean? It means we can get back to life as we knew it,” Cuomo said.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
June 14th Update
New cases per day: +1,707
Confirmed: 2,454,176
Suspects per day: -1,145
Total suspects: 434,331
Deaths per day: +53
Deaths: 230,148
Update: June 13th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Mexico donates vaccines to three countries
- The Mexican government donated 400,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Bolivia, Belize and Paraguay.
- The biological vaccine, produced by AstraZeneca and packaged in Mexico, was transported by the Mexican Air Force and delivered by personnel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- According to the agency, Mexico has purchased 45 million 106,655 doses of vaccine from different laboratories (Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, CanSino, Sputnik V).
Local Tourism
Cancun Airport breaks records in one weekend
- According to ASUR (Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste) figures, Cancun International Airport registered 911 flights in a single weekend.
- The airport registered 479 operations on Saturday and 432 on Sunday, which represents a record in flight arrivals so far this year.
- With this activity, it is expected that for the summer the reactivation of flights from Canada will begin, and with this, the destination will recover the tourism arriving from one of its main source markets.
Tourism Industry
Mayan Train will strengthen tourism along its route
- The Minister of Tourism, Miguel Torruco Marqués, presented President Andrés Manuel López Obrador with a proposal for 62 package options and tours along the 19 stations of the Mayan Train.
- Tourists travelling on the Mayan Train will be able to opt for stays of one to three nights in each of the stations where they will be able to enjoy Pueblos Mágicos (Magic Towns), World Heritage Sites, archaeological zones, and a wide variety of cultural and natural attractions.
- With these actions, it is hoped that economic revenue will be boosted, the flow of tourists will be recovered and their average level of spending will improve.
- One of the aims of the Tren Maya project is to strengthen and integrate the tourism product of the Mexican southeast and the five states along its route: Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Campeche, Tabasco and Chiapas, with an offer of 112 attractions.
Santa Lucia airport must operate within the law
- The new Felipe Ángeles International Airport must be certified by the Federal Civil Aviation Agency before it can begin operations. If it does not do so, it would be outside the current legal framework, said Carlos Smith Picco, an airport specialist.
- According to the Airport Law, concessionaires or permit holders of public service aerodromes must provide information on the construction, administration, operation and exploitation of civil aerodromes and related services in order to obtain certification.
- The Law foresees sanctions for non-compliance with the conditions of construction, operation and exploitation of civil aerodromes, building or operating a civil aerodrome without the corresponding concession or permit, or for not complying with the corresponding report in accordance with the verification powers of the authority, among others.
Virtuoso Travel Week to be held in hybrid format
- Luxury travel network Virtuoso is returning with its Virtuoso Travel Week conference, to be held August 8-13.
- The event, which will operate as a hybrid function this year, is expected to attract 2,000 attendees for the in-person portion to be held at Bellagio Resort & Casino, Aia Resort & Casino and Vdara Hotel & Spa in Las Vegas, with several thousand more joining remotely.
Airlines
Air Canada rehires employees
- The airline will rehire more than 2,600 employees in an effort to rebuild its network and meet demand generated by the decline in Covid-19 cases, the lifting of restrictions around the world.
- Air Canada laid off 16,500 in March 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic crisis began.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
June 9th Update
New cases per day: +3,449
Confirmed: 2,438,01
Suspects per day: -1,702
Total suspects: 433,649
Deaths per day: +4,272
Deaths: 229,100
Update: June 8th, 2021, 7:00 pm
US lowers travel alert to Mexico
- The US government changed the “Do Not Travel” warning to Mexico to “Reconsider Travel”, which represents an improvement from the highest health alert level in the country.
- This update from the State Department places Mexico at a level 3 alert after placing it at the highest level of 4.
- At level 3, Americans are advised to avoid travel “due to serious safety and security risks”. In contrast, level 4 “advises U.S. citizens not to travel to the country or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so”.
Local Tourism
New mega-hotel north of Cancun with 745 rooms
- A new property of the Caribbean Island Resort firm is already in environmental assessment.
- This new mega-hotel will be built north of Cancun with 745 rooms, with an investment of 90 million dollars.
- The project is designed under the regulations of the Partial Urban Development Plan of the Chacmuchuch Peninsula, on the mainland of Isla Mujeres.
Tourism Industry
Travellers deterred by COVID-19 are betting on travel as early as 2022
- According to findings from Travel Advisors’ COVID-19 Sentiment Barometer (Wave II), travellers are being cautious about international travel by booking seven or more months in advance.
- Meanwhile, there is still limited appetite for travel in the more immediate future, but the shift in interest to domestic and outdoor travel continues.
- On the other hand, there has been a slight increase in the percentage of travellers booking travel to North America in the next 30 days, from 10% in June to 16% in July.
France reopens its borders to international tourists
- From 9 June, international tourists will be able to enter France after the reopening of its borders, depending on their country of origin and health status.
- France has classified Mexico as orange, allowing Mexicans to enter the country with certain restrictions.
- Vaccinated tourists must present a negative test for Covid-19, if PCR 72 hours prior to travel, and if antigen negative less than 48 hours prior to departure, however, these passengers will no longer be tested upon arrival in France and will not have to undergo quarantine.
Hoteliers fear dominance of online agencies
- With the growing dominance of online agencies, the hotel industry’s fear is imminent.
- The market share of OTAs has been on the rise since 2013 and 2019, rising from 19.7% to 29.9% and direct bookings by hoteliers have fallen from 57.6% to 45.5%.
- According to a study by European firm Hotrec, Booking now accounts for 68.4% of hotel sales, taking a distant lead over Expedia at 16.3% and HRS at 7.2%.
- While Expedia remains at a stable share and HRS is on a downward trend, Booking has consistently positioned itself as a major player within OTAs since 2013 when it reached 60%, as Preferente records.
Optimism in Mexico over vaccinations for tourism workers
- Following the Federal Government’s confirmation of prioritising the vaccination of tourism workers in Mexico, there is optimism in the sector.
- The Federal Secretary of Tourism, Miguel Torruco said that, “the instructions of President @lopezobrador_ include supplying vaccines against Covid-19 to Quintana Roo, Baja California Sur, Jalisco and Nayarit, among other states.
- In addition to border states such as Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas,” Torruco said.
- The vaccines will be aimed at workers between the ages of 18 and 39.
Airlines
Asur continues to be affected in traffic; Cancun equals May 2019 figures
- Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (Asur) reported that passenger traffic in May decreased 13.2% in Mexico against pre-pandemic levels.
- In Cancun, however, domestic passenger traffic almost matched 2019 figures.
- In May 2019, the company mobilised 4,567,358 passengers, in the fifth month of 2020 178,462 and in the same month of 2021 3,969,317 people, it reported to the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV).
Global Information
- The number of daily coronavirus infections in Russia has surpassed 10,000, a peak since March in the context of a slow vaccination campaign.
- In total, 10,407 infections were detected across the country, including 4,124 in Moscow, the highest in the capital since January.
- Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobianin, said the situation has worsened in the city, which has been Russia’s main epidemic hotspot since the beginning of the health crisis.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
June 2nd Update
New cases per day: +6,917
Confirmed: 2,420,659
Suspects per day: -1,903
Total suspects: 433,649
Deaths per day: +4,272
Deaths: 227,840
Update: June 1st, 2021, 7:00 pm
Felipe Calderón tests positive for Covid; will not attend the end of campaigns
(Source: El Universal newspaper)
- The former president of Mexico reported that he had taken a Covid-19 test, which was positive, and that as he had mild symptoms he decided to isolate himself and rest.
- In a message on his Twitter account, Calderón Hinojosa apologised to the candidates of the opposition Va por México alliance for not being able to attend their campaign closings.
- Because he will remain in isolation, it is likely that the former president will not be able to cast his vote on Sunday.
585,000 anti-Covid vaccines arrive in Mexico
- This Tuesday, a new batch of Pfizer vaccines arrived at Mexico City International Airport from Cincinnati.
- The shipment of #PfizerBioNTech vaccines adds to a total of 15 million 523,755 received from the same pharmaceutical company.
- Just under 1.5 million doses of the vaccine are expected to be received this week, in addition to the one million doses of Sinovac vaccine expected to arrive on Thursday.
Local Tourism
Belize reopens its borders with Quintana Roo
- On 31 May, Belize announced the first phase of the reopening of its land borders, mainly through Quintana Roo and Guatemala.
- Belizean authorities explained the requirements and measures that will be in place to control entry and prevent the spread of Covid-19.
- For now, only tourists with reservations in Gold Standard hotels and who have been transported by Gold Standard taxis or tour operators will be allowed to enter by land.
- They must present a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival, or a Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) approved rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours.
- Foreign travellers who test positive for Covid-19 will be refused entry.
Tourism Industry
BCD Travel: Mexico, the worst performer in corporate travel recovery
- The recovery of corporate travel in Mexico, compared to other Latin American countries, has been slow.
- While in Colombia and Peru it was between 30% and 35%, in our country the progress is between 20% and 25%, said Beat Wille, SVP and Managing Director – Mexico & Latin America.
- Wille stressed that in order to face the challenges of the travel industry this year, their goal is to thrive by focusing on providing digital solutions”.
Mobility restriction announced for destinations in Q.Roo
- The government of Quintana Roo announced stricter mobility measures to try to stop the COVID contagion curve in the state.
- Among the ten measures are the reduction of mobility; the mandatory use of masks on public transport and ferries; increased testing of Covid-19 at points where there is a higher concentration of people and modification of the closing hours of businesses, among others.
Vaccination of tourism workers is under way
- Workers in the Riviera Maya’s hotel sector are already being registered to be vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the Asociación de Hoteles de Tulum (Tulum Hotel Association).
- By means of an official letter, the association of Tulum requested to register their hotels in a web portal and to answer the survey that includes the number of employees. The registration should include how many of the staff have direct contact with the guest (first line), the support staff or second line and the administrative staff.
- David Ortiz Mena, the president of the Asociación de Hoteles de Tulum (Tulum Hotel Association), confirmed that progress is being made to achieve the vaccination of the workforce of the lodging centres.
Airlines
US flights to Mexico to increase 204% in summer
- Despite the Federal Aviation Administration’s depreciation of the safety of Mexican aviation systems, there is a supply of 3 million 574 thousand airline seats on flights from the US to Mexico this summer.
- This is 2 million 399 seats more than in the same period in 2020, so the growth is 204.1 percent.
- Of the total number of flights, 2 million 178 thousand passengers will travel on U.S. airlines; 245.9 percent more than in the July-August 2020 two-month period.
- The remaining 1 million 396 thousand 454 North American tourists will use Mexican companies for their trip, 155.9 per cent more demand than the previous year.
Downgrade traded for promise to revive Mexicana Airlines
- Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that there is a proposal to revive Mexicana de Aviación, an airline with government participation.
- The Mexican president has rejected “rescuing” private companies and allocating public resources to save airlines. Even so, he asserted that his government supports the airlines remaining in Mexico.
Global Information
7 EU countries implement Covid certificate
- A Covid-19 digital certificate system aimed at facilitating travel within the European Union went live in seven countries on Tuesday.
- The so-called Green Digital Certificate records whether people have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, recovered from the disease, or tested negative in the last 72 hours.
- Travellers who meet any of these criteria can move freely within the European Union.
- Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Croatia and Poland made the certificate available to their citizens on Tuesday and are accepting them for visitors.
- It is expected that by 1 July the system will be in use in all 27 EU countries.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
May 31st Update
New cases per day: +1,307
Confirmed: 2,412,810
Suspects per day: +1,353
Total suspects: -436,339
Deaths per day: +52
Deaths: 223,507
Update: May 25th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Risk of Covid resurgence in six states: Ssa
- According to the Ministry of Health, despite the current drop in Covid cases in Mexico, there are at least six states with signs of a resurgence.
- In Quintana Roo, where there have been five weeks of increases in the number of confirmed cases, there are signs of a resurgence.
- Other states with such indications are Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, Colima, Baja California Sur and Baja California.
Local Tourism
Spanish market, one of the most interested in Quintana Roo
- Darío Flota Ocampo, director of the Consejo de Promoción Turística (Tourism Promotion Council), pointed out that the International Tourism Fair left good results in terms of connectivity and reservations with the Spanish market.
- Flota indicated that the summer season will be quite strong in terms of Spanish tourism, with four airlines operating direct flights to Cancun simultaneously.
- He added: “It is very important to ensure frequent hand washing and the use of antibacterial gel, among other measures.
Riviera Maya hoteliers urge the recovery of Category 1 status
- The Asociación de Hoteles de la Riviera Maya (Riviera Maya Hotel Association), which depends more than 80 per cent on foreign tourism arriving by air, has launched an appeal to regain Category 1 status in aviation safety.
- The hoteliers called on federal authorities, businessmen and airlines to work together and avoid putting the upcoming holiday seasons at risk.
- It should be noted that the US Federal Aviation Administration indicated that the Mexican government lacks adequate oversight of aviation safety in accordance with international standards.
- This will affect airlines, which will not be able to register additional aircraft and routes with the US.
Tourism Industry
The leadership of the Mexican agencies is renewed
- In the midst of tensions, the Mexican agencies were once again led by Eduardo Paniagua, who will hold the position of president of the Asociación Mexicana de Agencias de Viajes (Mexican Association of Travel Agencies, AMAV) for the period 2021-2023.
- Paniagua had no contender during the re-election day, but there was tension as Nadia Cedillo, who had run for and been expelled in March for allegedly breaching the association’s bylaws, was not allowed access to the voting meeting.
Airlines
Lufthansa returns to Cancun in 2022 with two flights from Munich
- The airline announced that, as of March 2022, it will resume its flights from Munich to Cancun, with two frequencies per week, to which it will also add, with two weekly frequencies, the Munich-Punta Cana route in the Dominican Republic.
- These flights are already on the schedule to be booked from this May.
Mexican airlines to lose at least 10% of their profits
- As a result of the recent downgrading of the Administración Federal de Aviación (Federal Aviation Administration) to the Mexican aviation authority, US airlines will gain between 3% and 10% additional market share in the bilateral market.
- Based on demand behaviour, foreign operators will take advantage by increasing frequencies over the next few months, said René Armas Maes, commercial vice president and partner at MIDAS Aviation.
- The downgrade to Category 2 will freeze the recovery of Mexican airlines for as long as it takes for the federal government to regain its previous FAA rating. This, in turn, will generate a series of consequences that are not yet quantifiable.
Global Information
Vietnam suspends international flight arrivals due to increase in Covid-19 cases
- A “temporary suspension of international flights carrying passengers into Vietnam through Noi Bai airport” will take effect from 1 June, a statement said.
- Local authorities discovered a highly contagious “new hybrid variant” resulting from a combination of strains initially detected in the UK and India.
- The announcement of the new variant set off alarm bells in the country, which is trying to contain pockets of the epidemic in more than half of its territory. However, the authorities stressed that the new mutation still needs to be “further examined”.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
May 26th Update
New cases per day: +2,483
Confirmed: 2,399,790
Suspects per day: +2,643
Total suspects: -436,802
Deaths per day: +265
Deaths: 221,960
Update: May 25th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Fall of Covid in Mexico could be due to proximity to the U.S.
- The drop in the number of cases and deaths in the country could be due to immunity following infection, some vaccines, the warmer climate and the proximity to the United States, said Emily Gurley, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
- According to Carlos del Rio, an epidemiologist at Emory University in Atlanta, many Mexicans have been vaccinated in the U.S., so it is all a combination of factors that inhibits transmission.
Local Tourism
Quintana Roo is experiencing a third wave of covid: Ssa
- Despite the fact that the country reached 19 consecutive weeks of reduction of the pandemic, Quintana Roo is experiencing a third wave of covid-19, according to José Luis Alomía Zegarra, General Director of Epidemiology.
- Alomía explained that local authorities have issued messages to the population to re-implement the different actions to restrict mobility in public spaces and, in due time, to prioritize the activities that can continue to be carried out.
COVID vaccination for adults from 50 to 59 years of age resumes in Cancun
- After a problematic first day of vaccination against COVID for adults from 50 to 59 years old, authorities announced new dates for this sector of the population to have access to the antigen.
- Vaccination for adults from 50 to 59 years old, adults over 60 years old who did not receive a dose and pregnant women will be carried out on Wednesday 26, Thursday 27, Friday May 29, Monday May 31, and in some modules, on Tuesday June 1, 2021.
- The first dose of the Pfizer vaccine against coronavirus will be administered to these age groups from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Tourism Industry
90% recovery of corporate travel estimated
- According to Beat Wille, SVP and Managing Director for Mexico and Latin America at BCD Travel, by the end of the year, 90 percent of corporate travel will have recovered.
- According to Wille, although Mexico shows a slower pace compared to other countries in the region such as Colombia or Peru, the recovery in our country has been 20 to 25 percent.
Rosewood to open its first hotel in CDMX
- The expansion of the Antara shopping mall will feature the first hotel of the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts group in Mexico City.
- The five-star resort will join the firm’s portfolio in Mexico in 2024 in places such as San Miguel de Allende, the Riviera Maya and Los Cabos.
- Rosewood Mexico City will feature 98 conventional rooms and 35 suites and will be focused on health and relaxation.
Tianguis Turístico moves to November
- With the intention of having more possibilities of attendance, the 45th edition of the Tianguis Turístico will be held in November, instead of September as was on the agenda.
- This was announced by Miguel Torruco, Minister of Sectur (Secretaría de Salud), and the governor of Yucatán, Mauricio Vila.
- The progress of the Covid-19 vaccine in Mexico and the world will guarantee the attendance of more international buyers and fulfill the objective of the business meeting.
Airlines
U.S. downgrades Mexico to Category 2 aviation safety status
- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgraded Mexico to Category 2 of the International Aviation Safety Assessment Program.
- In a press release, the FAA explained that the downgrade is due to Mexico’s failure to meet the International Civil Aviation Organization’s minimum safety standards.
- With this change, Mexican airlines flying to the U.S. will do so under the conditions prior to the application of the measure, that is, without adding or modifying new routes, incorporating new aircraft, increasing or reducing frequencies, or initiating new codeshare programs.
Aeromexico, Volaris and Viva banned from expanding flights to the U.S.
- With the downgrading of the Federal Aviation Administration’s rating for Mexican aviation, Aeromexico, Volaris and Viva will be prohibited from expanding flights to the United States when they need it most.
- The three airlines were still in the process of recovering routes and frequencies lost due to the pandemic, in the midst of recovering demand.
- One of the most affected would be Aeromexico, which already reflected a 10% drop in the New York Stock Exchange this Tuesday.
Global Information
CanSino clarifies effectiveness of anti-Covid vaccine
- Although there is no certainty about the duration of effectiveness of the vaccines against Covid-19, it was erroneously reported that the efficacy of the vaccine developed by CanSino decreases after six months of its application.
- This was stated by the laboratory, which also clarified that the decision to apply a second dose to the participants was to study the benefits of a second booster dose.
- What is certain, it added, is that at some point each and every one of the anti-Covid vaccines will have to be boosted.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
May 24th Update
New cases per day: +3,860
Confirmed: 2,396,604
Suspects per day: +2,198
Total suspects: -435,241
Deaths per day: +391
Deaths: 221,647
Update: May 23rd, 2021, 7:00 pm
94% of Covid deaths could not stay at home
- According to the study conducted by the Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, nine out of every 10 people who died from Covid-19 in the country worked in jobs that did not allow them to stay at home to perform home office activities.
- Employees, drivers, street vendors, shopkeepers, agricultural laborers, as well as housewives, retirees and pensioners are those who stand out in the list of deaths caused by the coronavirus.
- The study adds that “in our country, manual and operative workers, housewives, retirees and pensioners represent 94% of the deaths, while the rest correspond to professionals, managers and art and entertainment workers”.
Local Tourism
Cancun hoteliers fear that QRoo could turn red
- Cancun hoteliers fear that Quintana Roo will go from orange to red in the next few weeks, as the increase of covid-19 infections is on the rise.
- This would be devastating for the sector since reservations would represent more than 50% in the next few weeks.
Los Cabos and Vallarta exceed Cancun’s hotel occupancy rate
- According to figures from the Ministry of Tourism, Cancun’s hotel occupancy rate is below that of Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta. Thus, the average increase in 12 selected destinations was 39%.
- The Ministry’s monitoring reflected that during the week of May 10 to 16, hotel occupancy increased in destinations such as: Los Cabos by 67.4%, Puerto Vallarta with 53.3% and Cancun 45.5%.
Tourism Industry
Promoting LGBTQ+ tourism in Los Cabos
- The Fideicomiso de Turismo de Los Cabos (Los Cabos Tourism Trust) announced the agreement with Queer Destinations in order to develop the LGBTQ+ segment.
- In 2019, the Secretaría de Turismo Federal (Ministry of Tourism), Queer Destinations and the International LGBTI Tourism Association signed an agreement to develop a strategy aimed at this segment.
- The International LGBTI Tourism Association conducted a survey of more than 15,000 community members to assess their attitudes towards leisure travel before Covid-19, with higher representation from the United States, Brazil, Canada, France and Mexico.
Spain opens its borders to travelers from any country
- Spain has taken the decision to open its borders to travelers from any country, as long as they have completed the anticovid vaccination schedule.
- This was announced by President Pedro Sánchez, who said that, as of this Monday, travelers from non-EU countries with a good epidemiological situation will be able to arrive without any restrictions.
- Sanchez mentioned that as from June 7, all vaccinated people will be able to enter Spain freely, regardless of the country they come from.
Gloria Guevara to promote tourism in Saudi Arabia
- Gloria Guevara Manzo accepted the position of advisor to the Minister of Tourism of that country, “I am absolutely convinced that Ahmed Al Khateeb will be very successful in positioning the Kingdom as the main tourist destination and creating 1 million jobs, that is why I support the vision,” she said.
- After denying the versions that placed her in Saudi Arabia following her resignation as director of the WTTC, Guevara Manzo has shown great confidence in the new direction of her career.
Airlines
Aeromar goes for vaccination tourism
- The airline Aeromar will allocate a quarter of its current capacity to border flights to take advantage of the growing demand of Mexicans traveling to the United States to get vaccinated against coronavirus.
- Cities such as McAllen and Laredo are one of the airline’s biggest bets in the short term, while for the second half of the year it seeks to recover even above pre-pandemic levels.
Global Information
Covid-19 killed at least 115 thousand health workers: WHO
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, indicated that at least 115,000 health workers have died from Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus again denounced the “scandalous inequality” of access to vaccines in the world, which “perpetuates the pandemic” and explained that more than 75% of all vaccines have been administered in only ten countries.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
May 19th Update
New cases per day: +2,767
Confirmed: 2,385,512
Suspects per day: +2,930
Total suspects: -436,896
Deaths per day: +257
Deaths: 220,746
Update: May 18th, 2021, 7:00 pm
By the end of October, 80 million Mexicans will be vaccinated against Covid: AMLO
- The President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, assured that by the end of October, 80 million Mexicans will be vaccinated against Covid-19.
- The President celebrated that, despite the criticism of his opponents, Mexico has the vaccines to continue with the National Vaccination Plan.
- He explained that around 80% of all educational personnel in Mexico are already vaccinated.
Herd immunity expected between August and September
- The Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, estimated that herd immunity against Covid-19 will be achieved in Mexico between August and September of this year.
- The official explained that herd immunity will be registered when the population has a sufficient number of people with immunity, so that they cannot get sick or become infected.
Local Tourism
Measures to contain COVID-19 infections announced
- The governor of Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquin, announced 5 measures to contain the growth of COVID-19 infections in the state in the coming days.
- The state governor reiterated that if we maintain the contagion tendencies that have been registered in the last weeks, the state runs the risk of returning to the State Epidemiological Risk Semaphore red.
- The 5 measures are:
- The supervision of schedules and capacity will be strict and in accordance with the traffic light. In case of non-compliance, Carlos Joaquín warned: there will be closures, suspensions and closures.
- Events such as competitions, fairs, expos, congresses, exhibitions will have to be generated in the context of a sanitary bubble in which capacity must be respected. Everyone who enters must show a negative antigen test no older than 24 hours, and once you enter the bubble, you will not be able to leave until the end of the event.
- There will be street closures and mobility will be restricted in the main avenues. It is suggested to be attentive to official messages for information on this issue.
- Private and public transportation will also be monitored and no vehicle will be allowed to exceed the number of passengers allowed.
- Massive social gatherings will be sanctioned. We cannot risk social gatherings that do not comply with the measures of healthy distance, and put the entire population at risk, for the recreation of a few.
Cancun records hotel occupancy above 55%
- According to the most recent report of the Asociación de Hoteles de Cancún (Cancun Hotel Association), the city has 57.5% occupancy, Puerto Morelos 56% and Isla Mujeres 55.8%.
- Practically all three destinations are above the occupancy rate allowed by the orange color of the state’s epidemiological traffic light, which sets a limit of 50% occupancy.
- Roberto Cintron Gomez, leader of the Asociación de Hoteles de Cancún, Puerto Morelos e Isla Mujeres (Hotel Association of Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres) said that it would be unfortunate to return to the epidemiological traffic red light now that tourism is showing tangible signs of recovery.
Cancun’s tourism is threatened by the Mayan Train
- Hoteliers in Quintana Roo see tourism threatened due to the fact that the Mayan train will affect mobility in the only way that exists to connect the north and south of the state.
- For at least three years, this route will be affected, as well as the one leading to Cancun International Airport.
- In addition to this, tourism losses for the southern part of the state would be added and could result in economic losses of at least 5 billion dollars.
- On the other hand, hoteliers also consider the construction of the Tren Maya to be important but want to warn of the consequences of the construction if no measures are taken, as this would add to the already existing crisis caused by the covid-19.
Tourism Industry
Pent-up demand to spill over into summer travel
- According to the What Travelers Want 2021 study made by Expedia Group, the great demand accumulated after a year of confinement will be reflected in an increase of trips in the middle of the year, especially during the vacations.
- Since the beginning of the year, searches for both domestic and international destinations have increased, reflecting the interest in traveling, which will be materialized in the coming months.
- The survey in which 16,000 travelers from eight countries, including Mexico, participated, 45 percent of tourists plan to vacation at the beach in the next 18 months, 36 percent want a large city and 33 percent are thinking of a small town.
- Most tourists plan to travel to a destination close to home where they can reach by car, will prioritize outdoor activities and want a long stay.
Europe lifts restrictions on tourism for the summer
- In order to attract travelers and have a good summer season, several countries in Europe lifted their restrictions on Covid tourism.
- France, Portugal, United Kingdom, Italy, Greece and Spain plan to ask for anti-Covid passes, vaccination tourism, quarantine and free tests.
- For its part, Greece is seeking to attract tourists from the United States, Serbia and Israel only if they can prove that they have already been vaccinated.
Foreign tourism continues to be subdued
- According to the Centro de Investigación y Competitividad Turística Anáhuac (Cicotur), for the first quarter of the year, income from international visitors registered a level 50.7 percent lower than the same period last year, with 2 thousand 967 million dollars.
- International tourist arrivals for the same period reported a 43.9 percent decrease, with a total of 5 million 794 thousand travelers, compared to 10 million 331 thousand a year ago.
- In terms of foreign tourist arrivals by air, 2 million 168 thousand passengers were recorded, a 53.6 percent decrease compared to 4 million 678 thousand in 2020.
Minister Torruco inaugurates the Mexican Caribbean Pavilion at FITUR
- Mexico’s Minister of Tourism, Miguel Torruco, inaugurated the Mexican Caribbean pavilion at the International Tourism Trade Fair in Madrid, Spain.
- Torruco was joined by Dario Flota from Consejo de Promoción Turística de Quintana Roo (Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council), who heads the Mexican Caribbean’s efforts in Madrid, where the destination has a pavilion separate from that of Mexico.
- Also present at the ribbon cutting was Mexico’s ambassador to Spain, María Carmen Oñate.
Airlines
Aeromar launches new route
- The airline announced the launch of its new Guadalajara – Mazatlan – La Paz route, which will begin operations on June 17.
- The route will have three weekly frequencies on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Global Information
Mexicans are invited to get vaccinated for free in Texas
- Authorities in Laredo, Texas, opened the invitation to Mexicans to get vaccinated against Covid-19 free of charge.
- This was informed by Ana Reyna Arzate, from the Laredo City Convention and Visitors Bureau.
- The only thing Mexicans who decide to fly to Laredo, Texas, to get vaccinated have to do is to open the web page of the stores or pharmacies that are providing the vaccinations to make an appointment and there they will be given details of the requirements.
- Due to the great availability of doses, the vaccines are being administered free of charge in pharmacies, supermarkets and stores such as HEB, Sams, Wall Mart and other chains, explained the office.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
May 10th Update
New cases per day: +1,175
Confirmed: 2,365,792
Suspects per day: –
Total suspects: -1,577
Deaths per day: +57
Deaths: 218,985
Update: May 9th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Almost 6 million vaccines arrive to Mexico
- The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marcelo Ebrard, announced through his Twitter account the arrival of almost 6 million bulk doses from the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
- Ebrard pointed out that the doses will be packaged at the Liomont pharmaceutical plant, located in Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico.
- The Chancellor said that the doses already produced will begin to be distributed to the public during this month.
Local Tourism
Cancun fears contagions could ruin summer
- With the increase of contagions in the destination, hoteliers fear that the high summer season will be affected in the maximum occupancy allowed.
- Cancun hoteliers are projecting an occupancy rate above 60%, based on the reservations already programmed.
- However, Ivan Ferrat, president of Consejo Coordinador Empresarial del Caribe (Business Coordinating Council of the Caribbean), warned that if they do not contribute to change the epidemiological traffic light from orange to yellow, the mid-year vacation period will be of no use.
Tourism Industry
WTTC Summit conducted 1,000 Covid tests
- For the WTTC Summit, more than one thousand antigen tests were performed on all delegates, media, technicians and support staff.
- This made it clear that it is possible to hold on-site events with international participation, through the correct application of health and hygiene protocols that guarantee the safety of all attendees.
- Of this number of tests, 3 were positive; the corresponding health protocols were applied to these cases and therefore they did not have access to the event.
The Mexican Caribbean welcomes a new shipping line in Cozumel
- The Cruise Saudi shipping company would start its arrival this year, said its director Fawaz Farooqui, who revealed the company’s interest in arriving to the island.
- This shipping line is another of those announcing its arrival in the area, after Royal Caribbean, MSC and Carnival, have confirmed the pre-starting from June and July.
Disney Destinations chooses PriceTravel
- Both companies announced the signing of a strategic alliance so that the travel agency and wholesaler will be in charge of the entertainment company’s distribution in Latin America.
- The strong positioning of PriceTravel Holding in the region, especially in Mexico and Colombia, were the factors considered by Disney Destinations to sign this alliance.
Airlines
Latam reactivates Sao Paulo-Cancun route
- After 3 years, Latam Airlines Brazil announced the reactivation of its direct route Sao Paulo/Guarulhos – Cancun for next June 4.
- The airline returns with two flights a week on Mondays and Fridays, departing from Guarulhos at 8:50 am, arriving in Cancun at 2:00 pm.
- This route, which meets the demand of Brazilian tourists to travel to the Mexican Caribbean beaches, will be operated with Boeing 767 aircraft with capacity for 30 passengers in Premium Business Class and 191 in Economy Class.
Aeromexico strengthens with route from Mexico to Wuhan, China
- Aeromexico has found in the cargo division an important source of recovery, which is now reinforced with the new direct route between Mexico City International Airport and Wuhan, China.
- The inaugural flight took place at Wuhan-Tianhe International Airport in the presence of the Mexican Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, among other attendees.
- Recognized worldwide for being the origin of Covid-19, Wuhan is one of the fastest growing cities in China and has become a hub for air transportation in the central region of the country.
Viva Aerobus passenger growth 11% in first quarter
- Viva Aerobus recorded 1.15 million passengers in April, representing growth of 21.5% compared to April 2019, surpassing pre-pandemic demand levels.
- For its part, the occupancy factor was 82.3%, showing a gradual recovery.
- Accumulated passengers from January to April 2021 total more than 3.7 million passengers, thus surpassing 2019 levels by 11.2%.
Global Information
EU fails to renew contract with AstraZeneca
- The European Union has not renewed its contract to receive AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccines.
- The announcement comes a day after the EU signaled its support for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by agreeing to a huge contract extension for 1.8 billion doses through 2023.
- The AstraZeneca vaccine has been vital to the European vaccination campaign but delays have caused frustration among Europeans, who blame the company for the delays.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
May 5th Update
New cases per day: +3,064
Confirmed: 2,352,964
Suspects per day: +2,346
Total suspects: 433,883
Deaths per day: +395
Deaths: 217,740
Update: May 4th, 2021, 7:00 pm
More than 18 million doses of vaccine have been applied
- The Undersecretary of Prevention and Promotion of Health, Hugo Lopez Gatell, indicated that to date 18 million 827 thousand 623 doses have been applied.
- Of these doses, one million 25 thousand 373 are health personnel; 943 thousand 423 workers in the education sector; 10 million 686 thousand 277 people 60 years and older; and 85,824 thousand adults between the age of 50 and 59.
- For his part, the Director General of Epidemiology, José Luis Alomía, reported that the reduction of estimated cases is 12 percent compared to the previous week.
- On the other hand, estimated active cases, with symptoms in the last 14 days, total 20 thousand 587, representing less than one percent of the total detected contagions.
Local Tourism
Cancun’s maximum occupancy in hotels, reduced
- The destination reduced its hotel occupancy by 50 percent, except in hotels with the health certificate, which can extend it to 70 percent.
- So far only 600 companies would have the certificate of the 7 thousand existing in the area.
- Marisol Vanegas, Quintana Roo’s Minister of Tourism, said that health certification will be granted to hotels that comply with the “Superior Protocol”, that is, to companies that demonstrate how they can control this extra capacity.
Puerto Vallarta to receive flights operating in winter
- Puerto Vallarta Airport will receive approximately one thousand 474 flights this month, with an average of 47 daily flights from 14 airlines.
- According to Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (Airport Pacific’s Group) the situation is unreleased, as there is usually a decrease in air operations prior to the summer season.
- United Airlines and Alaska Airlines remain the companies with the most flights to this region, an average of 28 and 64 a week, respectively.
Tourism Industry
Travel agents forecast increase in Mexican tourism
- According to BBC data, the American Society of Travel Agents stipulates an increase in US-Mexico travel due.
- This is because Americans have enjoyed efficient vaccination by having an average of 74 doses per 100 people.
- In addition to America’s positive perception of Mexican tourism and health measures implemented, the uptick is expected to be visible during the summer.
Airlines
Despite vaccines, the US will continue to demand cover-ups on flights
- The United States government extended the mandatory use of water cover in air transport until September 13, 2021.
- The Transportation Security Administration announced that all persons traveling on board an aircraft to or within the United States must use a hub cover throughout the journey.
- In the event that a passenger refuses to use a cover, the airline has the right to refuse boarding.
- Also, anyone who refuses to use it could be fined with charges ranging from $250 to $500 dollars.
Interjet must participate in commercial competition
- The Ministry of Communications and Transport in addition to the Federal Civil Aviation Agency, must intervene in the airline’s commercial competition process or become an unpunished insolvency fraud.
- This was explained by Pablo Casas Lías, a lawyer specializing in aeronautical law, who said that the airline has reached “extreme” situations with national and international agencies, workers and passengers, without effective and real intervention by the authorities.
Global Information
Approves Canada Pfizer vaccine for kids over 12 years
- Canada’s health regulator authorized Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine on Wednesday from the age of 12.
- Health Canada’s chief medical adviser Supriya Sharma confirmed that the decision to vaccinate children age 12 to 15 will help return to a normal life.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
May 3rd Update
New cases per day: +
Confirmed:
Suspects per day: –
Total suspects:
Deaths per day:
Deaths:
Update: May 2nd, 2021, 7:00 pm
Mayan Train will attract millions of tourists: AMLO
- President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stated that the Mayan Train will connect the five southeastern states through which it will pass and will attract millions of foreign tourists to the region’s archeological sites.
- He recalled that the project represents 1,500 kilometers of railroad tracks to connect Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo, but without affecting the environment.
Local Tourism
Hotels in Quintana Roo maintain occupancy limit at 60%
- After almost two months of being in yellow epidemiological traffic light, this Monday the state returns to orange traffic light, however, hotels will not be affected.
- According to the capacity restrictions, hotels will remain at 60% of the capacity they had under the yellow traffic light.
- This decision was taken due to the fact that the increase in the number of infections has not been among tourism workers, but among the population in general.
More than 70% of Cancun’s hotels are tested by Covid
- Quintana Roo’s Minister of Tourism, Marisol Vanegas, pointed out that due to the confidence that the destination projects, the increase in flights and hotel occupancy continues.
- Vanegas pointed out that 20 to 22 thousand Covid tests are performed daily, an incredible deployment with fully certified laboratories.
- He mentioned that to date more than 70% of the hotels perform them within their facilities.
- Vanegas assured that, if this trend continues, they expect to close the year with 13 or 14% of visitor arrivals below 2019.
U.S. Travel Agents anticipate a boost in tourism to Mexico
- The progress of vaccination in the United States and the good perception of U.S. tourists towards Mexico, allow us to foresee an upturn in tourism for the summer.
- According to Jack Grant, director of business development for the Sociedad Americana de Agentes de Viaje (American Society of Travel Agents) U.S. tourism to Mexico is expected to stabilize in the second half of the year.
- Grant said that, in the agents’ business, “Mexico is what is selling first”.
Travel Industry
Purposeful travel is what people miss in the wake of the pandemic
- Airbnb CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky noted that in the new reality people will want to take purposeful trips, that is, to visit family or friends.
- Chesky said that this is where the industry has a big challenge as he assures that big cities will be replaced in this timeframe by small places with which travelers can have an intimate connection.
Americans who do not want to get vaccinated curb travel intentions
- According to research by GlobalData, 23% of people in the United States do not want to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
- This represents a warning for markets that have this country as their main issuer, as is the case of Mexico, particularly beach destinations such as Cancun and Los Cabos.
- The vaccine has been one of the advantages for Americans to want to travel, but the survey on the intention to vaccinate could slow down President Biden’s intention to vaccinate the vast majority of Americans by June.
Cruise ships may start sailing out of the U.S. as early as July
- According to a report by USA Today and Reuters, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told cruise lines on Wednesday that they could begin sailing again in July.
- According to reports, the CDC will allow cruise lines to resume passenger travel in July if they fully comply with the Conditional Sailing Order.
Airlines
Aerolineas Argentinas suspends flights to Cancun and Punta Cana
- Following the restrictions due to the pandemic, Aerolíneas Argentinas has rescheduled its operations and will suspend flights to Punta Cana, Cancun, Santa Cruz de la Sierra and Rio de Janeiro.
- The company informed that between May 16 and August 31 it will stop its operations, so those passengers who have already started their trip will be able to return on the company’s flights until May 15.
Global Information
G20 Tourism G20 will seek to revive safe international travel
- G20 tourism ministers will discuss tomorrow how to revive safe international travel to boost the sector.
- This after the sector saw its contribution to global gross domestic product decline by 49.1% in 2020.
- The virtual meeting will be used by G-20 countries to explore ways and formulas to restore safe international travel as soon as possible.
- Ministers will discuss and sign a document containing a set of guidelines, created in collaboration with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
- The guidelines will address seven areas of intervention: secure mobility, crisis management, resilience, inclusion, green transformation, digital transition, investment and infrastructure.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
April 28th Update
New cases per day: +3,592
Confirmed: 2,333,126
Suspects per day: -2,332
Total suspects: 434,599
Deaths per day: +434
Deaths: 215,547
Update: April 27th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Production of Russian vaccine Sputnik V to begin in Mexico
- The Russian Direct Investment Fund announced that the country will start producing the Russian vaccine Sputnik V against Covid-19 in May.
- Through its official twitter account, the organization thanked Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard for the productive meeting it had in Moscow on the Sputnik vaccine.
- Ebrard explained that it will be the Mexican company Birmex which will carry out the packaging and filling of the vaccine.
Vaccination for adults from 50 to 59 years old announced
- Vaccination against Covid-19 for adults between 50 and 59 years of age will begin in the first week of May.
- According to the Ministry of Health, 9 million 128 thousand 769 people will be immunized.
- Pre-registration can be made starting today at https://mivacuna.salud.gob.mx; however, Internet users reported that access was available since yesterday.
Local Tourism
Flights from 32 U.S. airports would arrive to Cancun in the summer
- The destination is projecting a successful summer despite the pandemic, as it has connections to 32 U.S. airports, more than in 2019.
- Thanks to the vaccination that is advancing rapidly in the United States, the influx of these tourists will mark the season since it is the main market of the destination.
- This was reported by Dario Flota, director of the Consejo de Promoción turística de Quintana Roo (Council for Tourism Promotion of Quintana Roo), who added that, as for the connection with Europe, there are also good expectations with direct flights between Portugal, Spain, Germany, France, Poland, Turkey and the Riviera Maya, especially for long stays.
Hoteliers vaccinate staff in Punta Cana, Cancun still not vaccinated
- Cancun’s tourism leaders claim that the lack of vaccinations in the destination could slow down the recovery of tourism.
- This after it was announced that eleven hotel chains in Punta Cana have already vaccinated their personnel.
- The Governor of Quintana Roo, Joaquín González, pointed out that this situation could generate difficulties in competition within the sector.
- He said that vaccinating tourism personnel would give more confidence to the issuing markets.
The three destinations leading the Caribbean recovery
- Cancun, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica are leading the recovery of tourism in the Caribbean.
- The effects of this recovery will be more visible in the winter season starting next November, said Encarna Piñero, CEO of Grupo Piñero, during the WTTC World Tourism Summit.
Los Cabos recovers flights from the United States
- The destination recovered all seats and routes from the United States, with an upward trend for this summer.
- The U.S. represents 80 percent of international visitors to this destination, and for the next six months an increase of 22.2 percent in the number of flights is programmed.
- The arrival of new airlines such as Frontier, which began flights in March from Las Vegas; Spirit, which in May will fly from Los Angeles, and JetBlue, which in June will connect Los Angeles and New York; as well as JSX, which will also arrive this summer from Los Angeles.
Travel Industry
WTTC calls for a reactivation of international travel in June
- At the conclusion of the WTTC World Summit, Gloria Guevara Manzo, President and CEO of the WTTC, said that the results of this summit exceeded expectations.
- Guevara pointed out that the foundations were laid to resume activity and give greater dynamism to the sector, which was strongly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
- He stressed that if international travel and mobility were to resume in June of this year, it would significantly boost global and national GDP, as well as the recovery of jobs lost during the health emergency.
Airlines
Sunwing announces flights to Cancun for January 2022
- The airline announced that it will return to Cancun and other Caribbean destinations in January 2022.
- This will allow Canadian tourists to enjoy the beaches and warm weather of the region during the most important season for this market.
- The travel company announced the schedules it will handle to connect residents of Halifax, Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton, St. John’s, Deer Lake and Gander, who will be able to enjoy their vacations at the recently inaugurated Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun and the first Planet Hollywood Adult Scene Cancun.
Global Information
Europe could have herd immunity by August
- The old continent could achieve herd immunity against coronavirus within the next four months, the head of German drugmaker BioNTech said Wednesday.
- Experts believe that exceeding 70% would significantly curb coronavirus infections in a population.
- Pfizer’s vaccine accounts for a large share of doses administered in Europe and North America.
- Data from people who have received the injections show that the immune response weakens over time, and a third dose will probably be needed, Sahin said.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
April 26th Update
New cases per day: +1,653
Confirmed: 2,328,391
Suspects per day: -2,008
Total suspects: 433,453
Deaths per day: +94
Deaths: 214,947
Update: April 25th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Increase in cases reverses in 10 states
- The alert for the increase in cases of covid-19 is on the way to being deactivated, since the increase registered in 10 states, including Mexico City, has been reversed.
- This was indicated by Ruy Lopez Ridaura, director of the Centro Nacional de Programas Preventivos y Control de Enfermedades (National Center for Preventive Programs and Disease Control).
- However, the director indicated that the risk of a resurgence is latent and is still there, so they are keeping an eye out for possible signs.
Local Tourism
Increase in infections would force hotels in Cancun to empty 70% of rooms
- With the increase of covid-19 infections in Cancun, the epidemiological traffic light in the area could turn back to orange.
- This could mean for the destination an occupancy of up to 30% for hotels that are currently at 60% of maximum occupancy allowed.
- This means that 70% of the rooms will have to be left empty.
Travel Industry
Impact on tourism, 18 times greater than that of the 2008 crisis: Guevara
- Gloria Guevara Manzo, Executive Director and President of the World Travel and Tourism Council stated that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was 18 times greater than the 2008 financial crisis.
- Prior to the start of the WTTC World Forum, which takes place this April 26 and 27 in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Guevara recalled that in 2019 the contribution of tourism activities to the gross domestic product was 10.4 percent.
- Hence, considered the directive, “it is so relevant this event today, because this is the platform for recovery, here begins the recovery of travel and tourism”.
World Tourism Summit kicks off in Cancun
- With more than 600 guests and under all safety and hygiene protocols and antigen testing for participants, the WTTC World Summit kicked off.
- This is the first major event of the sector, more than a year after the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Under the slogan “Uniting the World for Recovery”, this event will be the ideal platform to boost the recovery of the sector, negatively impacted by the effects of the health emergency, said the head of the WTTC, Gloria Guevara.
Covid-free islands in Greece, its bid for tourism
- Greece has made efforts to vaccinate inhabitants of dozens of small islands in the Aegean (east) and Ionian (west) before focusing on the larger ones ahead of the official opening of the tourist season in mid-May.
- Anargyros Mariolis, in charge of vaccination on the island of Elafonisos said that thanks to the vaccination program “Operation Freedom” they seek to create a wall of immunity to return as soon as possible to normality.
- The mayor of Elafonisos, Efi Liarou, assures that 70 percent of the island’s population will be vaccinated by mid-May, which constitutes a kind of shield for the inhabitants of the island.
- To prepare for the tourist season, Greece began in April to gradually open non-essential stores and schools. On May 3, the terraces of cafés and restaurants will reopen.
USA monopolizes tourism in Mexico
- The U.S. Department of Tourism revealed that its citizens have taken over foreign tourism in Mexico with 79.6% of the total.
- Of the 904,648 travelers that arrived at the country, 720,763 were from the United States.
- The Federal Minister of Tourism, Miguel Torruco Marqués, indicated that Cancun Airport received more international tourists during the month of March than Mexico City Airport.
Airlines
Emirates will resume its flight to Mexico City
- As of July 2, the airline will resume its Dubai – Mexico City route with a stopover in Barcelona with four weekly frequencies.
- After a year and four months of having suspended this route, it now reopens the opportunity for tourists from that region of the world to travel to our country.
Funds interested in buying Interjet
- The Mexican airline has Emerald, Sigman and WTI as the three investment funds interested in buying it.
- The company will hold its board meeting, which will be crucial for the offer of these funds to go forward.
- The general meeting will reportedly only be attended by Alejandro del Valle as president and Javier Mondragon as representative of Miguel Aleman Velasco and Miguel Aleman Magnani.
- The meeting will define the payment to its creditors and suppliers.
Global Information
EU plans to open tourism to vaccinated Americans
- European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen assured that American tourists vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to travel this summer to European Union countries.
- She said that Americans use vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency such as Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson. This will allow them to travel and move freely.
- The newspaper noted that the EC chair did not offer an exact date or further details on this opening to U.S. tourism and noted that the final word will always be taken by individual countries.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
April 21st Update
New cases per day: +4,262
Confirmed: 2,311,172
Suspects per day: -1,999
Total suspects: 436,193
Deaths per day: +582
Deaths: 213,048
Update: April 20th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Mexico faces potential new outbreak of the pandemic: Ssa
- José Luis Alomía Zegarra, General Director of Epidemiology, warned that the country is facing a potential new outbreak of covid-19, due to the fact that the epidemic curve has grown by six percent.
- Alomía clarified that this can only be evidenced to the extent that week 15 and week 16 begin to show an upward trend.
- He added that the country can avoid the beginning of a third wave of coronavirus, if the state authorities manage to stop the increase of contagions, due to the mobility during Easter Week.
Agencies promote vaccine tourism to the U.S.
- In social media, WhatsApp groups and through travel agencies, tours to various sites in the United States are being promoted so that in addition to vacationing, people can be immunized.
- Some travel agencies offer packages that include 2 round flights to Las Vegas, lodging for two visits and scheduling appointments for Covid vaccination.
- The price per person for each visit to the United States is 12,600 pesos.
- According to research led by David G. Vequist, director of the Medical Tourism Research Center in San Antonio, Texas, it is estimated that one out of every four people vaccinated at the southern border of the United States could be tourists, mostly Mexicans.
Local Tourism
U.S. issues travel alert to Mexico, but spares Cancun
- Although the US government warned about the insecurity faced by visitors to the area, it spared Cancun and all of Quintana Roo on its travel alert to Mexico.
- The U.S. warned of “turf battles between criminal groups” in the state as well as “violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens”.
- As a country, Mexico maintains a level 4, meaning that U.S. citizens are asked not to travel due to covid-19 infection.
Governor celebrates having stopped the third wave of COVID-19
- The governor of Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez, assured that thanks to the sanitary bubbles, rapid covid-19 tests and other measures taken during Holy Week, a third wave of contagions was avoided in the state.
- He said that during the operations, 11 positive cases were detected which could have infected three or four times the same number of people.
- He commented that a more precise evaluation will be made this week to know how the State did in real terms during the two weeks of vacation.
Huatulco maintains hotel occupancy of 50%
- Thanks to the vaccination of adults over 60 years of age in Mexico City, Huatulco reached an average occupancy rate of 39 percent during Easter Week.
- This is due to the fact that Mexico City is where 95 percent of the visitors to this beach destination come from.
- On the other hand, economic difficulties and the fear of a third wave of contagions in the country were obstacles to reach a higher level.
Travel Industry
This is the only way Spain will not request quarantines or tests to travelers
- Those tourists who carry the vaccination certificate that the European Union (EU) is preparing to launch in June, will not be subject to quarantines or diagnostic tests in Spain.
- The Iberian country has made a statement to give confidence to travelers after the EU Council decided that each country should be free to establish sanitary control measures.
Joining forces to create a travel search engine
- PriceTravel Holding signed an alliance with Food and Travel Mexico to promote the booking of vacation packages, hotels, flights, tours, transfers and car rentals through its new website viajes.foodandtravel.mx.
- The tourism group trusts in diversification as a success factor; therefore, it offers state-of-the-art technology, its exclusive product portfolio and a high distribution capacity to more than 250 companies from different sectors: hotels, airlines, travel agencies, banks, and now adds this important media.
Airlines
Interjet is expected to resume flights after overcoming bankruptcy
- With Interjet’s entry into insolvency proceedings, the airline will resume flights in July or August after overcoming bankruptcy.
- At the company’s general meeting to be held on April 26, the payment to creditors and suppliers will be determined.
- The airline has raised the possibility of reimbursing ticket money to passengers, although 97% of these passengers purchased with credit or debit cards, money that did not reach the airline, but was retained by the banks.
- Interjet will seek agreements with the banks so that travelers may recover their money.
Global Information
Pfizer seizes fake Covid-19 vaccines in two countries: WSJ
- The U.S. drugmaker detected and confiscated fake Covid-19 vaccines in Poland, The Wall Street Journal revealed.
- The company that developed its vaccine tested the contents of the vials and confirmed that they were counterfeit.
- In the case of Mexico, the newspaper reported, the vials also had fraudulent labeling, while in Poland Pfizer detected that the substance in the vials was probably an anti-wrinkle treatment.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
April 19th Update
New cases per day: +1,506
Confirmed: 2,305,602
Suspects per day: -1,743
Total suspects: 435,922
Deaths per day: +111
Deaths: 212,339
Update: April 18th, 2021, 7:00 pm
AMLO to be vaccinated tomorrow against Covid-19
- President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed that tomorrow he will receive the first dose at the National Palace.
- The president emphasized that the fact of transmitting during his conference the moment in which he is immunized will have the objective of encouraging more Mexicans to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
- According to the Ministry of Health, Jorge Alcocer, the President will receive the dose from AstraZeneca.
Local Tourism
Canadian flights return to CDMX but not to Cancun
- Canada’s four major airlines have extended the suspension of flights to Cancun until at least June 2021.
- Air Canada was the last airline to join the announcement confirming that they will also maintain their itineraries with no Caribbean destinations.
- This is a blow to the Mexican Caribbean, which has the Canadian market as its second largest feeder after the United States.
Mexico has the second-best recovery
- According to a study presented by the consulting firm OAG, Mexico has had the second-best recovery from the covid-19 crisis behind Russia and ahead of Australia, Japan and Canada.
- The few restrictions on domestic and international air transportation in Mexico have had good results, said the consulting firm.
- As of March of this year, the Mexican airline industry was only 22% below the levels it was at in March of two years ago, prior to the impact of the pandemic crisis.
All Cancun tourism, except for weddings, is reactivated
- Wedding tourism is a segment of great importance for the Mexican Caribbean that moves every year more than 90 thousand of these events with thousands of participants.
- Marisol Vanegas, Quintana Roo’s Minister of Tourism, has warned that the wedding niche has not yet issued the necessary protocols to reactivate this activity.
- Fairs and expositions have already reactivated most segments and for the rest of the year Cancun has already programmed more than 25 events, with weddings as a great absentee.
Travel Industry
Cancun celebrates the first major world tourism event in months
- A week away from the WTTC World Summit, Cancun is reportedly ready to host the first major event of the tourism sector in 2021.
- Under the slogan ‘Uniting the World for Recovery’, the meeting will take place from April 25 to 27 in Cancun and aims to demonstrate how things can be done right, under strict biosafety standards to protect the health of participants.
- The event will be held in a hybrid way in two ways: with 600 delegates in person and more than 30 thousand remotely, through a digital platform.
91% of travelers approve use of digital health passport
- According to a study conducted by Censuswide and commissioned by Amadeus, a provider of technology solutions for the travel industry, 41% of travelers are willing to make a reservation for international travel within 6 weeks of the lifting of restrictions.
- Also, 91% of respondents would be comfortable using a digital health passport for future travel, such as the green digital certificate devised by the European Union, which is intended to be one of the most immediate solutions for the recovery of tourism.
- However, on the other hand, the study also warns the industry, since 93% of them are concerned about the storage of their health data for travel.
- Travelers’ concerns are directed towards:
- Security risks with personal information being stolen (38%).
- Privacy in terms of health information to be shared (35%).
- Lack of transparency and control over where data is shared (30%).
Cultural tourism fell 89.1% in Mexico: SECTUR
- Secretaría de Turismo (Ministry of Tourism, Sectur) indicated that from January to February of this year, 546,510 travelers arrived at archeological zones and museums, which represented 89.1% less annually.
- According to data from the Ministry of Tourism, in the January-February period of last year the volume of people in these areas was 5 million 017 thousand.
- The agency indicated that the total arrival of visitors to archeological zones was 525,868, a decrease of 81.1 percent.
- Meanwhile, the number of visitors to museums was 20,642, a drop of 99.1 percent.
Airlines
American Airlines inaugurated its 27th destination to Mexico
- The airline announced new frequencies to Mexico. Starting June 5, a seasonal Dallas Fort-Worth-Merida route and a new permanent route between Los Angeles and Cancun.
- During March, American Airlines inaugurated its 27th route between the United States and Mexico, connecting the cities of Phoenix (PHX) and Culiacan (CUL).
- With the launch of this new route, the airline operated more than 685 weekly flights to its network of destinations in Mexico during March, making it the leading operator of international flights in our country.
Global Information
50% of U.S. adults have received at least one dose of a vaccine
- Nearly 130 million people aged 18 and older have received at least one dose of a vaccine, or 50.4 percent of the total adult population.
- Half of all adults in the United States have so far received at least one Covid-19 shot, the U.S. government announced.
- Nearly 84 million adults, equivalent to 32.5 percent of the population, have been fully vaccinated.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
April 14th Update
New cases per day: +4,293
Confirmed: 2,286,133
Suspects per day: -2,499
Total suspects: 439,531
Deaths per day: +592
Deaths: 210,294
Update: April 13th, 2021, 7:00 pm
This is how the 100% Mexican anti-virus vaccine is progressing
- María Elena Álvarez-Buylla, general director of the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (National Council of Science and Technology), announced the development of the ‘Patria Vaccine’.
- The creation of this Mexican vaccine is supported by some of the most outstanding scientists, not only in Mexico, but worldwide.
- The drug is based on a platform that uses a viral vector of Newcastle disease, which is not harmful in humans and has been used in Avimex laboratories for 15 years.
- In pre-clinical tests, the drug has been tested in mice and pigs, and the start of clinical research with human patient volunteers is being prepared.
Local Tourism
Cancun will need three years to recover
- Oscar Calvillo, CEO of Fibra Inn, Fideicomiso de inversión de bienes raíces (Real Estate Investment Trust) said that in order to reach the hotel occupancy levels registered in 2019, Cancun will need three years to achieve it, that is, until 2023.
- This, if conditions allow it, such as global vaccination and economic recovery.
- Recovery would be the best scenario, as there was a significant rebound in hotel occupancy during the months of February and March, which was over 34%, which compared to any month since the beginning of the pandemic is good.
Mexican Caribbean rebounds after accelerated vaccinations
- Thanks to the Easter vacations, the Asociación de Hoteles de la Riviera Maya (Riviera Maya Hotel Association) recorded a 32% occupancy rate in the first quarter of the year.
- This figure was surpassed in March to 49% due to people’s great interest in traveling and the accelerated vaccination process in the main countries that send tourists to the Mexican Caribbean.
The Riviera Maya awaits the arrival of German tourism
- The Asociación de Hoteles de la Riviera Maya (Riviera Maya Hotel Association) is optimistic that by the end of this month one of the main tour operators from Germany will start flying, with 4 flights a week and by next June it will increase its flights to 8 with airlines such as Condor and Lufthansa.
- Toni Chaves, President of the association, also revealed the opening of flights from other European countries, especially the United Kingdom, which recorded a 500 percent increase in the sale of vacation packages.
Sanitary bubbles in Q.Roo prevented 550 contagions
- Installed at strategic points in the tourist areas of Quintana Roo, the sanitary bubbles have prevented approximately 550 contagions by isolating 11 positive cases detected in time.
- The cases could be identified when they were inspected and a symptom was detected, which was later confirmed by a rapid test.
- The application of “sanitary bubbles” in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum has made it possible to inhibit the agglomeration and advance in health care in places where there is a greater influx of people.
Travel Industry
Hilton to open 31 hotels in Mexico
- The hotel chain currently has 31 complexes under development in Mexico that will start operations this year and in 2022.
- Mario Carbone, managing director of development for Mexico and Central America of the hotel chain, indicated that in our country there is interest in leissure, vacation and traditional destinations, led by Cancun, Vallarta and Los Cabos.
- Among the company’s main projects in Mexico is The Yucatan Resort Playa Del Carmen; a 60-room all-inclusive resort, which is part of an alliance signed with Playa Hotels and Fibra Hotel.
- The Hilton Cancun complex is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of the year.
An alliance for the benefit of travel agencies
- The Asociación Femenil de Ejecutivas de Empresas Turística (Women’s Association of Tourism Business Executives, AFEET) and City Express Hotels signed an alliance to provide training and special benefits to support the reactivation of wholesale and retail travel agencies affiliated with AFEET.
- AFEET will offer seminars, workshops, master classes and the exchange of best practices, with the aim of promoting women in charge of travel agencies and tour operators.
Disneyland Resorts announces opening of Avengers Campus
- Avengers Campus, its new themed area, will open June 4, 2021.
- Guests are invited to join the Avengers in this fully immersive themed area that blends innovative technology with fun for all ages.
Airlines
Mexican airports report record number of passengers in March
- According to news portal Riviera Maya News, Cancun International Airport reported the arrival of 692,686 passengers last month.
- This is a record for March and a five percent increase over the same month in 2019.
- Other Mexican markets reporting international market growth compared to 2019 were Ciudad Juarez, Hermosillo, La Paz and Los Mochis.
- In terms of domestic flights, Cancun, Los Cabos, Mazatlan and Tijuana airports not only surpassed the numbers recorded in 2020, but also surpassed the number of arrivals recorded in 2019 before the pandemic.
Global Information
Denmark suspends AstraZeneca vaccination due to blood clots
- The Danish nation has become the first country in the European Union to remove AstraZeneca Plc’s vaccine from its Covid-19 vaccination program.
- This due to concerns about unusual blood clots in dozens among the tens of millions of vaccinees.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
April 12th Update
New cases per day: +1,793
Confirmed: 2,280,213
Suspects per day: -1,746
Total suspects: 439,189
Deaths per day: +126
Deaths: 209,338
Update: April 11th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Application of the second dose begins
- This Monday begins the application of the second dose of the vaccine against Covid-19 to senior citizens in the municipalities of Cuajimalpa, Magdalena Contreras, Milpa Alta, Miguel Hidalgo and Azcapotzalco in Mexico City.
- In order to receive the second dose, people must bring their official ID, proof of vaccination of the first dose or, if applicable, their CURP.
- It is necessary to clarify that first doses will not be applied in these new points.
CDMX could change to yellow epidemiological traffic light
- Eduardo Clark, head of the Agencia Digital del Gobierno Capitalino (capital’s digital agency), said that the city is at 16 points and that the range to go to yellow traffic light is 15, so we are very close.
- This is due, among other factors, to the drop in hospitalization cases.
- For the moment, Mexico City will remain an orange traffic light for another week.
COVID promotes ‘vaccination tourism’ from Mexico to the U.S.
- René Armas Maes, commercial vice president and partner of MIDAS Aviation, noted that the demand for vaccination flights has made the Mexico-US market the largest seat offering in comparison to other countries with similar sized air connections.
- Mexico-U.S. is the largest seat supply country pair and represents 2.5 times the supply of the next largest country pair.
- This trend is expected to continue as capacity reaches (if current conditions continue) the pre-pandemic level by June of this year.
Local Tourism
Occupancy forecast to exceed 75% in Cancun’s summer season
- Based on Cancun’s successful Holy Week season, they are forecasting 75% occupancy for next summer.
- Reaching this 75% will depend on what happens in the coming weeks in terms of health, as Mexico continues to receive thousands of tourists.
- This was commented by Javier Aranda, director of the Hotel Asociación de hoteles de Cancún, Isla Mujeres y Puerto Morelos (Association of Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Puerto Morelos), who added that the projected percentages do not reflect the real flow of visitors, as it has been observed that reservations increase closer to the date of travel.
- https://bit.ly/2PO6FkZ
Chihuahua reactivates with meeting tourism
- Infrastructure, certifications and specialized suppliers make Chihuahua an attractive destination for meeting tourism.
- It is on this sector that the destination based its strategy for reactivation after the impact of the pandemic.
- Francisco Moreno Villafuerte, director of the Fideicomiso de Promoción Turística de Chihuahua (Tourism Promotion Trust) explained that the destination has connectivity with more than 28 destinations in Mexico and the United States cand has certifications and seals that guarantee the safety of visitors.
- Ciudad Juarez alone has venues of up to 4,500 square meters and a hotel capacity of more than 4,000 rooms.
Travel Industry
INEGI reveals that, in February, the number of foreign tourism arrivals decreased
- The Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (National Institute of Statistics and Geography, INE) reported that the number of international tourists entering the country dropped 57.9 percent in February of this year.
- Last February there was an annual rate decrease of 66.9%: tourists who entered by air dropped 69.8% and those who entered by land decreased 45.2%.
Hotel occupancy will recover until 2023: Fibra Inn
- Oscar Calvillo, CEO of Fibra Inn, considered that hotel occupancy levels prior to the pandemic will recover by 2023 in an optimistic scenario.
- This considering the vaccination campaigns advancing globally and the recovering economy.
- However, the executive assured that last February and March saw a significant rebound, with occupancies above 34%, a percentage that exceeds any month since the pandemic began.
Businessmen support operation in Punta Cancún
- The business sector of the Mexican Caribbean supported the operation carried out by authorities of the three levels of government to restore order at Gaviota Azul beach, located in the Punta Cancun area.
- All sectors pointed out that the timely organization of the authorities to restore public order is essential to maintain Cancun’s image as a safe tourist destination.
- They recalled that recent citizen and business complaints about the irregular occupation of Cancun’s beaches led to this operation.
Airlines
Viva Aerobús exceeds pre-Covid passenger levels in March
- The airline reported that during the month of March it exceeded one million passengers, which meant a growth of 67.7% compared to the month of February.
- Compared to March 2020, an increase of 27.3% was also achieved, a figure that was also similarly higher by 28.6% than the number of passengers recorded in March 2019, even improving pre-Covid-19 demand levels, the airline reports.
Global Information
Chinese vaccines have low efficacy
- The effectiveness of Chinese coronavirus vaccines is low and the government is considering combining them.
- The Chinese drugs “do not have very high protection rates,” the director of the Chinese Centers for Disease Control, Gao Fu, told a conference Saturday in the southwestern city of Chengdu.
- Beijing has distributed hundreds of millions of doses in other countries and tried to foster doubts about the effectiveness of Western vaccines.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
April 7th Update
New cases per day: +4,675
Confirmed: 2,256,380
Suspects per day: -3,355
Total suspects: 441,464
Deaths per day: +603
Deaths: 205,002
Update: April 6th, 2021, 7:00 pm
“With the vaccines we have, there is enough to cover the elderly”: Foreign Minister
- Marcelo Ebrard, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, SRE), will visit Russia and India to bring more vaccines to Mexico.
- However, the Chancellor pointed out that the vaccines that will arrive in Mexico in the next few days will be enough to immunize the elderly with the first dose.
- In an interview with Azucena Uresti from Grupo Fórmula, Ebrard confirmed that there have been delays in COVID-19 vaccine shipments. Therefore, he will “speed up” the processes.
Local Tourism
These were the most visited destinations during Easter Week
- According to data from the Confederación de Cámaras Nacionales de Comercio, Servicios y Turismo (Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism) beaches were the preferred destinations for Mexicans during this period.
- Cancun, Riviera Maya, Riviera Nayarita, Vallarta, Los Cabos and Acapulco were the most popular destinations during Easter Week.
- The agency detailed that hotel occupancy averaged 50 percent, especially in places with sun and sea, which were mostly visited by Mexican tourists.
Riviera Maya, below other beach destinations
- In contrast with other destinations in Quintana Roo, occupancy in the Riviera Maya was below 40%.
- Destinations such as Cancun exceeded occupancy expectations of over 60%.
- Cozumel achieved an occupancy rate of 53.2% and the Gran Costa Maya (Great Mayan Coast) 29.8%, according to the Quintana Roo Ministry of Tourism.
Cancun occupancy drops for Easter week
- The second stage of the Holy Week vacation, Easter week, did not start as expected.
- According to the Asociación de Hoteles de Cancún, Puerto Morelos e Isla Mujeres (Hotel Association of Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres) in its daily report, occupancy in Cancun dropped to 57 percent.
Cancun private club investigated for blocking access to beaches
- Despite the announcement issued a few months ago to allow free transit on the beaches, hotels and private companies such as Mandala Beach Club insist on privatizing Cancun’s beaches.
- Beachgoers point out that this is not the first time they denounce the obstruction of traffic on Gaviota Azul beach, which has been appropriated by Mandala Beach Club.
- Due to this situation, the Zona Federal Marítimo Terrestre (Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone) of the municipality of Benito Juárez informed the Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente (Federal Attorney’s Office) for Environmental Protection, in order to investigate the matter and apply the corresponding sanctions.
Travel Industry
High reservations for summer, despite late bookings
- In spite of the fact that recently most reservations were made a week or even 15 days in advance, the short- and medium-term forecast is encouraging for the Mexican Caribbean.
- According to Secretaria de Turismo de Quintana Roo (Quintana Roo’s Minister of Tourism), Marisol Vanegas, reservations are going well in the middle of Holy Week.
- Vanegas said that they have a system that shows how many seats will be available and the booking rate.
- As an example, she mentioned the Easter Week numbers, which they were able to have practically a month in advance”, said the Minister.
- According to this forecast, we will be in summer at least as we are at this moment in Easter, said Vanegas, who calculates that the good progress in the vaccination in the United States and the confidence in the destination.
Airlines
AIFA would be Mexico’s main airport
- Thanks to its expansion and a reserve land to grow, which Mexico City International Airport does not have, Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFE), in Estado de Mexico, would be Mexico’s main airport.
- The director of Navigation Services of the Mexican Airspace said that despite the redesign of the airspace in the Valley of Mexico, the saturation problem of the AICM is not solved, because it does not have the capacity to park more aircrafts.
Global Information
Vaccine link found to blood clots
- The European Union’s drug regulator found a “possible link” between AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine and unusual cases of blood clots in people who have received it.
- On the other hand, it endorsed that the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks.
- The European Medicines Agency considered that unusual clots with low blood platelets should be included as “very rare” side effects of AstraZeneca’s vaccine.
- “A plausible explanation for the combination of blood clots and low platelets is an immune response, leading to a condition similar to that sometimes seen in patients treated with heparin,” the EMA said.
U.S. maintains Covid-19 testing requirement even for vaccinated travelers
- According to travel guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, international air travelers will still be required to test negative for Covid-19 even if they have already been vaccinated.
- While the CDC has already authorized those, who are fully vaccinated to travel within the United States without testing or quarantine, for international travel the restriction that went into effect last January remains in effect.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
April 5th Update
New cases per day: +1,263
Confirmed: 2,250,458
Suspects per day: -484
Total suspects: 437,996
Deaths per day: +136
Deaths: 204,147
Update: April 4th, 2021, 7:00 pm
AMLO is confident about progress in adult vaccination
- President Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressed his confidence in the vaccination of 6.6 million adults against Covid-19.
- The President reiterated that in April, at least, the first dose will be applied to more than 15 million people.
- Through his Twitter account, he reminded that, according to doctors, by immunizing elderly it is possible to reduce the mortality rate of this pandemic by 80%.
- It is expected that this week, as announced, the President will be vaccinated against Covid-19.
Local Tourism
Hotel occupancy in Cancun exceeds expectations
- In spite of the Covid-19 pandemic, the main beach destinations in the country maintained high hotel occupancy rates.
- According to the Quintana Roo Ministry of Tourism, Cancun maintained an occupancy rate of over 60 percent during the Holy Week holidays.
- Cozumel reached an occupancy rate of 53.2%, while Riviera Maya reached 38.7% and the Gran Costa Maya Coast reached 29.8% occupancy.
- The Ministry of Tourism of state confirmed that Quintana Roo reached approximately 112 thousand tourists during this holiday season.
Tax collection begins for foreigners visiting Quintana Roo
- The Secretaría de Finanzas y Planeación de Quintana Roo (Ministry of Finance and Planning of Quintana Roo) informed that payments of the new VISITAX foreign tourist tax had already been received, initiated last April 1.
- Once the trip to Quintana Roo is booked, the tourist can make the payment of the tax to have it covered, the system by which it is charged is totally digital.
- To corroborate the payment of the tax, there will be personnel at the entry filter points of the air terminals of the state, and in the waiting room. This is verified by means of a card that is displayed on the cell phones once the payment is made.
Travel Industry
Xcaret Group assumes human error in case of the deceased at Xenses
- After a 13 years old child lost his life after being absorbed by one of the filters in the Riolajante attraction, it was determined that it was a human error.
- Elizabeth Lugo, Executive Director of Operations of Grupo Xcaret, said that after the corresponding investigations, someone omitted to place a grate after doing maintenance work on the Rio Salado attraction.
- Lugo said that they are in the best disposition to cooperate with both the authorities and the family of the affected person.
UNWTO foresees two different scenarios as of July or September
- After a difficult end to 2020, global tourism suffered further setbacks earlier this year as countries tightened travel restrictions in response to new virus outbreaks.
- Mandatory testing, quarantines and, in some cases, complete border closures, have hampered the resumption of international travel.
- According to the World Tourism Organization, a first scenario points to a rebound in July, which would translate into a 66% increase in international arrivals by 2021 from the historic lows of 2020, although they would be 55% below the levels recorded in 2019.
- The second scenario considers a potential rebound in September, leading to a 22% increase in arrivals compared to last year. Still, this would be 67% below 2019 levels.
Airlines
Spirit starts flying to Puerto Vallarta
- The American low-cost airline will arrive in Puerto Vallarta in July with a daily flight from Los Angeles and Dallas, as well as three weekly flights from the city of Houston, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Delta Air Lines to no longer block middle seats
- As of May 1, the last airline to block middle seats to allow social distancing will stop doing so on May 1.
- Delta announced it will also make other changes, such as bringing back more in-flight dining options and reopening “nearly all of our Delta Sky Clubs by July”.
Viva Aerobus offers preferential prices on Covid-19 tests to passengers
- The airline signed an agreement for its passengers to enjoy preferential prices when taking Covid-19 rapid antigen tests or PCR tests.
- These can be performed at Laboratorio Médico Polanco or Laboratorios Ruiz, in addition to another existing agreement with Grupo Diagnóstico Aries.
- In Laboratorio Médico Polanco, the promotion is available for its branches in Mexico City, Toluca and Querétaro, offering the antigen study for 450 pesos and 1,450 pesos for the PCR test.
- As for the participating laboratories of Grupo Diagnóstico Aries in Mexico City are Olab, Azteca and Jenner with rates of two thousand 499 pesos for the PCR test and 379 pesos for the antigen test.
Global Information
U.S. allows travel by Covid-19 vaccinees
- Americans fully vaccinated against Covid-19 can travel “at their own risk”, but should continue to take precautions such as wearing masks in public, avoiding crowds, maintaining social distance and washing hands frequently.
- This was announced by the federal health authority who said that those vaccinated do not need to undergo a coronavirus test before arriving in another country, unless required by the destination authorities.
- Nor do they need to be quarantined after returning to the United States, unless required by local authorities.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
March 31st Update
New cases per day: +5,068
Confirmed: 2,232,910
Suspects per day: +2,534
Total suspects: 440,720
Deaths per day: +807
Deaths: 202,633
Update: March 30rd, 2021, 7:00 pm
500,000 doses of Sputnik V arrived to Mexico
- A batch of 500,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19 arrived in the country on Wednesday.
- Shipping had been promised from March 22nd and arrived to this day, after a first delivery of 200 thousand doses last March 10.
- Yesterday, Pfizer-BioNTech sent 487,500 Covid-19 vaccines. Tomorrow Thursday, the first of April, 1.2 million AstraZeneca is expected to arrive.
Mexico’s President to be vaccinated next week
- Although Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador explained that he has antibodies against SARS-CoV-1, the representative will be vaccinated against Covid-19 on medical advice.
- López Obrador clarified that he does not want a show, “I will only go where I belong and get vaccinated,” he said without mentioning the day, time or place he will go in Mexico City.
Local Tourism
Easter in Cancun starts with 58% occupancy
- The Caribbean destination started with the best weekend of what goes in 2021 by registering 58% hotel occupancy.
- The general occupation in Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres is 53% adding 190 hotels open and ready to receive visitors in its more than 48 thousand rooms.
- Hoteliers expect the occupation to continue upwards, peaking in the season next weekend.
Health bubbles enter into operation in Mexican Caribbean
- Governor Carlos Joaquín announced the establishment of “health bubbles” to generate safe spaces in the Mexican Caribbean.
- These are health filters for access to the geographical spaces of critical areas of mass concentration during this Easter holiday season.
- These filters will take temperature, dispersion of antibacterial gel, delivery of water covers, application by rapid testing intervals, health promotion and health care in case you have positive people.
- Bubbles will be available in the tourist areas of Benito Juárez (Cancun), Solidarity (Riviera Maya) and Tulum from March 29 to April 12, at times from 20:00 to 00:00 hours.
Tourism Industry
Mexicans’ international travel searches rebound
- According to Assist Card’s Travel Trends report, during February, traveller interest has been increasing.
- The report revealed that Mexicans have begun planning international travel 46 days in advance.
- For international travel, most coincide in a duration of 10 days and the United States stands out for some of its cities such as: New York, Los Angeles, San Antonio and Houston.
Travel and tourism sector contribution falls to global GDP
- The sector’s contribution to global GDP fell by 49.1% over the past year, compared to the global economy, which fell by just 3.7% over the same period.
- This was revealed by the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Annual Economic Impact Report.
- The devastating impact the health crisis had on the global travel and tourism sector last year is also reflected in a massive loss of nearly $4.5 trillion.
Investment interest continues in the Mexican Caribbean
- The first stone of the Woha® Puerto Cancun project was placed, whose investment guarantees solidity to its investors, clients, to the quintana Roo real estate market and the Mexican Caribbean.
- The development of approximately 9,000m2 of land with 49,000m2 of construction will house small and accessible apartments, with efficient, sustainable and functional design.
- It will be a property with sustainable facilities, without sacrificing comfort, surrounded by technology without waste of energy.
Expedia Group guides hoteliers on their way to reactivating travel
- The global travel platform reported trends already perceived in tourist searches and bookings.
- Expedia Group reported that globally, 50 percent of searches are done between one and 21 days in advance and 15 percent of trips between 31 and 60 days from the date of search, reflecting the narrowing of the reserve gap.
- In Mexico, 82 percent of searches went to domestic destinations, compared to 18 percent international, a trend that has continued in recent weeks. Also, as seen in recent days, travelers are eager to get out.
Global Information
Pfizer vaccine would be ‘100% effective’ in adolescents
- BioNTech and Pfizer laboratories said their coronavirus vaccine showed 100% efficacy in adolescents between the age of 12 and 15.
- Phase 3 trials conducted on 2,260 adolescents in the United States “demonstrated 100% efficacy and a strong antibody response, both companies said in a statement.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
March 29thth Update
New cases per day: +1,783
Confirmed: 2,226,550
Suspects per day: -1,107
Total suspects: 439,255
Deaths per day: +194
Deaths: 201,623
Update: March 28th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Mexico receives 1.5 million vaccines from AstraZeneca
- 5 million doses of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 coronavirus vaccines arrive in Mexico from the United States.
- “Mexico thanks the government of President Biden for authorizing AstraZeneca to send 2.7 million doses of vaccines manufactured by that company to the country(…)”, wrote on Twitter the Foreign Minister, Marcelo Ebrard.
Local Tourism
Riviera Maya: With tons of sargassum
- According to authorities of the la Zona Federal Marítimo Terrestre, (Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone, Zofemat), recently the beaches of Riviera Maya have accumulated 200 tons of sargassum.
- One of the most affected areas is El Recodo beach, where sargassum reached agglomerations similar to those recorded in 2019.
- It is expected that between April 1 and the end of September more tons of seaweed will reach the coasts.
Cancun tourists pay new tax
- The tourism and treasury authorities of the state of Quintana Roo reported the registration of tourist payments even before traveling.
- Marisol Vanegas Perez, Minister of Tourism of the entity, said “we saw many of the registrations that start making payments and the advantage is that you can buy your ticket and come in May and pay from today (…)”.
Chichén Itzá will remain closed during Easter
- The Secretaría de Cultura del Gobierno de México (Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico), the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History, INAH) and the INAH Yucatan Center announced that the Archaeological Monuments Zone of Chichen Itza will be closed to the public during the Easter vacations, in order to prevent the spread of covid-19.
- The archaeological sites of Dzibilchaltún, Ek Balam, Mayapán, Izamal, Xcambó and Uxmal will remain open during this period.
Cancun’s beaches, at the limit of capacity
- Due to the lack of surveillance and restrictions on the destination’s public beaches, last weekend there were excessive concentrations of tourists.
- Carlos Joaquín, Governor of Quintana Roo and Mara Lezama, Cancun’s Municipal President, have urged visitors to follow the measures and be responsible in order to avoid an increase in the number of contagions.
Police kill woman in Tulum
- On March 27, Tulum police officers murdered a Salvadoran woman, allegedly for disturbing the public order.
- The governor of Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquín González, regretted the facts and informed that the police officers were removed from their posts and are under investigation. Later it was confirmed that criminal action was taken against those involved.
- “I reiterate my repudiation and indignation at any form of aggression, violence and intimidation against any type of person, particularly against women,” he declared.
Travel Industry
Argentina suspends flights from Mexico
- Recently, the Government of Argentina announced the suspension of flights from Brazil, Chile and Mexico, effective March 27.
- The measure was taken due to the increase in coronavirus cases in those countries in recent days.
Airlines
Aeromexico launches campaign to expand offerings
- In the recent launch of its “Un Aeroméxico para todos” campaign, the airline announced the expansion of its fare offerings to meet the preferences of its customers.
- According to Giancarlo Mulinelli, Aeromexico’s Senior Vice President of Global Sales, the brand will continue to offer different options in the five fare categories (Basic, Classic, AM Plus, Flexible and Premier).
- Also, the executive stated that regardless of the fare selected, some benefits will continue to be offered free of charge to all travelers.
Viva Aerobus: Airline with more routes to and from Cancun
- According to Walfred Castro, Director of Corporate Communications of the airline, Viva Aerobus became the airline with the largest number of destinations to and from Cancun, after the arrival of its first flight from Acapulco.
- Walfred Castro, stated: “We are confident that by taking care of everyone’s health and working as a team at the industry level, we will provide peace of mind and confidence to travelers in a season that gives us the opportunity to boost tourism in a safe way”.
Global Information
Europeans warn of new pandemic by British variant
- The SARS-CoV-2 variants keep European countries worried, due to the accelerated contagion, in spite of quarantines and forced confinements.
- The Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, informed that the third wave of Covid faced by the country is “almost a new pandemic”, since the virus is “much more contagious”.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
March 24thth Update
New cases per day: +5,881
Confirmed: 2,203,041
Suspects per day: -3,059
Total suspects: 441,767
Deaths per day: +809
Deaths: 199,048
Update: March 23rd, 2021, 7:00 pm
2.7 million vaccines will arrive in Mexico from the U.S.
- The President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, announced that between Sunday and Monday, 2.7 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine will arrive in Mexico from the United States.
- The President pointed out that the arrival of the vaccines is the result of an agreement with the U.S.
- Last Friday, López Obrador said that the U.S. government will give in exchange for the shipment of these 2.7 million AstraZeneca vaccines friendship and cooperation.
Against false Covid-19 certificates
- The Consejo Mexicano de Empresas de Diagnóstico Médico (Mexican Council of Medical Diagnostic Companies, Comed) will seek that laboratories apply a QR code to avoid the falsification of Covid tests and guarantee their veracity.
- The General Director of Comed, explained that the problem of false tests is aggravated by the ease of presenting a document not authenticated by the airport authorities, in the case of travelers.
This is how to identify a fake covid test
- It was reported that in Plaza Santo Domingo, Mexico City there are those who are engaged in issuing fake covid tests with fake seals of El Chopo Laboratories.
- In this regard, El Chopo Laboratories took as an anti-counterfeiting measure the use of a QR code since last February 20.
- To detect the authenticity of the test, it is necessary to use a cell phone to register which will lead to the laboratory’s website and opens only that person’s result.
- Without QR code, any document is fake.
Local Tourism
New tax in Cancun causes controversy
- The collection of the new tax for foreign tourists visiting the Mexican Caribbean, which will be in force as of April 1st, is causing controversy as to who should collect it.
- Dario Flota Ocampo, president of the Consejo de Promoción Turista de Quintana Roo (Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council, CPTQ) said that there are hotels interested in collecting and paying the tax to make things easier for their guests. And also travel agencies that want to include it in the cost of participation.
- Flota Ocampo pointed out that the collection could be done through an agreement with the Tax Administration Service and that soon the campaign of the airlines and tour operators will begin to inform tourists about the payment procedure.
Cancun hoteliers urged to avoid damaging the tourism image
- Roberto Cintrón, president of the Asociación Mexicana de Hoteles en Cancún, Puerto Morelos e Isla Mujeres (Mexican Association of Hotels in Cancún, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres) invited tourism service providers to commit to anti-Covid measures.
- Citron pointed out that the state is in yellow epidemiological traffic light and the ideal would be to change to green and restart the economic recovery.
- On the other hand, he stated that if this trend of excess in entertainment centers continues, the news will continue to be negative for Cancun and Quintana Roo in general.
Travel Industry
The second edition of the Tianguis Turístico Digital begins
- The second edition of this event exceeded attendance expectations, according to the Minister of Tourism, Miguel Torruco Marqués.
- Torruco Marqués highlighted that in this new edition, which is being held in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, the Secretaría de Turismo (Ministry of Health, Sectur) found in this new technological tool the opportunity to generate business for the tourism sector, after the closure brought about by the pandemic.
- It is estimated that in this Tianguis Turístico Digital, which takes place this Tuesday and Wednesday, 16 thousand business appointments will be made.
AMLO brags that Mexico is promoting itself
- As part of the inauguration of the second edition of the Tianguis Turístico Digital, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) made it clear that tourism must continue to be promoted.
- The president added “the truth, the truth does not cost us much, because Mexico’s beauties are unique”.
- The president invited all those attending the virtual event to Mazatlan, Sinaloa and all of Mexico, “because the truth is, there are no two like Mexico,” he said.
Airlines
Aeromar and Acapulco sign agreement
- During the Tianguis Turístico, the airline signed a collaboration agreement with the Fideicomiso para la promoción Turística de Acapulco (Acapulco Tourism Promotion Trust Fund)
- The idea of this agreement is to promote tourism, as well as to reiterate the synergy that will allow travelers to know and enjoy the best of the destination: its beaches, gastronomy and experiences.
- The Collaboration Agreement includes: Joint advertising campaigns, support for familiarization trips with media and industry, webinars and training, among other actions to promote visits to the destination.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
March 22nd Update
New cases per day: +2,133
Confirmed: 2,195,772
Suspects per day: -1,485
Total suspects: 439,227
Deaths per day: +209
Deaths: 198,036
Update: March 21st, 2021, 7:00 pm
Ssa expects Mexican vaccine by the end of the year
- The Minister of Health, Jorge Alcocer, said that the country could have its own vaccine against Covid-19 developed by Mexican scientists.
- Alcocer said that it is an effort of the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro which is already in clinical trials.
- The director of Health Promotion, Ricardo Cortés Alcalá, said that the vaccine has made some progress and that they are looking for multiple sources of financing through Amexcid.
Railroad to connect Mexico, the US and Canada
- Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. purchased Kansas City Southern to create a rail network that will link the United States, Mexico and Canada.
- With this transaction, Canadian Pacific will have access to the Midwest rail network in the United States, which connects farms in Kansas and Missouri with ports along the Gulf of Mexico.
- It would also give it access to Mexico, which accounted for nearly half of Kansas City Southern’s revenues last year and would create the only network that crosses all three North American countries.
Local Tourism
Sectur expetcts almost 63% occupancy in Cancun
- Miguel Torruco, Minister of Tourism, informed that for the Holy Week and Easter vacation period, an overall hotel occupancy rate of 58 percent is estimated, with the arrival of five million 69 thousand tourists.
- Torruco detailed that, with respect to beach destinations, Acapulco is expected to reach a hotel occupancy rate of 47.6 percent, Cancun 62.8 percent, Mazatlan 66.2 percent, Puerto Vallarta 65.3 percent, Veracruz 47.9 percent, and Los Cabos 61.1 percent.
Travel Industry
Mexico’s tourism recovery will begin in the Mexican Caribbean
- Gloria Guevara Manzo, head of the World Travel and Tourism Council, affirmed that the world summit of the organization she heads, “will initiate Mexico’s and the world’s tourism recovery”.
- The event, to be held for the first time in Mexico from April 21 to 23, will be held on the beaches of Cancun.
- Guevara Manzo and the governor of Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquín González, pointed out that the event will boost the presence of the Mexican Caribbean at world level.
Tax on tourists in Cancun will be charged at the end of their stay
- Despite the opposition of hoteliers and the industry, as of April 1st, the tax for foreign tourists visiting the Mexican Caribbean, which has been called Visitax, will enter into force.
- The new payment of $224 pesos can be made before or after entering the destination or during their stay, since the payment verification will be made when the tourist leaves the state.
- The payment can be made through a web site in which, by filling out a simple form, the payment can be made and a receipt can be obtained.
Royal Caribbean: new vaccination-only routes starting in August
- Cozumel will become the first port in Mexico and the Caribbean to receive cruise ships with the arrival of Royal Caribbean in June.
- The shipping company will be opening reservations for the Bahamas-Cozumel route on March 24.
- Beginning in August, the ships will sail with all crew immunized and will be available for adults already vaccinated against Covid-19 and under 18 years of age with negative result of SARS-Cov-2.
- Cruisers must comply with travel requirements established by The Bahamas, which include a negative PCR test result prior to arrival, and upon arrival in the country, as well as the submission of appropriate entry forms.
Medical tourism is adding to Mexico’s economic reactivation
- According to the Ministry of Tourism (Ssa), Mexico has become the second largest medical tourism destination in the world.
- Miguel Torruco Marqués, head of Sectur, affirmed that Mexico receives an annual flow of up to three million patients from other countries who travel to undergo interventions ranging from medical treatments and surgeries, being the first place in dental tourism destinations.
- According to data provided by the CQM Hospital, the U.S. population is the most attracted to have a procedure performed in Mexico.
- However, Canada and the United Kingdom also represent a strong entry of foreign tourists, due to the fact that waiting times in Mexico are shorter, and procedures can be up to 80% cheaper than in other countries.
Airlines
Entrepreneurs negotiate the purchase and rescue of Interjet
- Despite the offer of a group of investors to buy the airline, Alejandro Del Valle, the largest investor has refused to sell.
- The investors would have committed to pay the company’s liabilities, including everything related to employees and debts with the Mexican tax authorities, in order to reactivate the company, but Del Valle has refused.
Global Information
AstraZeneca Vaccine 79% Effective Against Covid-19
- The vaccine shows 79 percent effectiveness in preventing Covid-19 and offers 100 percent protection against severe disease and hospitalization, according to data from a new study conducted in the U.S., Chile and Peru.
- AstraZeneca said the new findings also showed that the preparation provides 80 percent protection in preventing people over the age of 65 from developing the disease.
- The vaccine’s effectiveness was even greater than that observed during clinical trials led by Oxford University.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
March 17th Update
New cases per day: +1,278
Confirmed: 2,169,007
Suspects per day: -157
Total suspects: 437,456
Deaths per day: +175
Deaths: 195,119
Update: March 16th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Mexico analyzes effects of AstraZeneca’s vaccine
- Mexican doctors and specialists are working to evaluate the effects of the British pharmaceutical company’s vaccine, as stated by President López Obrador.
- The president said that contact is being maintained with the World Health Organization and that there is already a worldwide investigation as to whether the use of the vaccine is authorized.
- López Obrador said that thousands of AstraZeneca doses have already been applied in Mexico without any problem so far.
Local Tourism
Cancun and Riviera Maya with hundreds of hotels still closed
- The hotel associations of both destinations reported that 267 establishments remain closed one year after the beginning of the pandemic.
- Between the two destinations there are 10,862 rooms out of operation, which has caused 15,000 direct workers to be affected in the Riviera Maya, while in Cancun there are 4,000.
Travel Industry
After contagion of argentines, CPTQ responds
- After it was reported that a group of young people returning from a trip from Cancun tested positive for COVID-19, the Ministry of Health of Argentina ratified the recommendation to avoid traveling abroad for non-essential reasons.
- The Consejo de Promoción Turística de Quintana Roo (Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council, CPTQ) issued a statement in which it states its commitment to sanitary measures within the destination’s facilities.
- However, the organization acknowledged that not all visitors respect the sanitary measures and invited tourists to follow such measures with responsibility.
Cancun tourist tax could be postponed
- Hoteliers of the destination asked to delay the application of the foreign tourist tax for January or February 2022.
- This is due to Quintana Roo authorities plan to start collecting the tax in April.
- According to Roberto Cintrón Gómez, president of the Asociación de Hoteles de Cancún Puerto Morelos e Isla Mujeres (Hotel Association of Cancún Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres) the lack of information regarding the tax would take tourists by surprise.
Arrests of Uber drivers in Cancún “threaten tourism”
- The operations against Uber driver partners in the municipality of Benito Juárez, could further affect the arrival of national and international visitors.
- This was stated by David Mínguez, Uber’s Communication Manager, who also pointed out that the operations have repercussions on Cancun’s image as a tourist destination.
- Mínguez also said that these actions limit the mobility options available and economic opportunities for citizens.
Romance Industry rebounds in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit
- In spite of the fact that many weddings were cancelled and postponed in the region, this industry seems to be recovering.
- This was stated by Priscilla Arminio, vice president of the Asociación de la Industria de Romance (Romance Industry Association) in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit, who assured that in the last three weeks there has been an increase in demand, mainly from the American market.
- Arminio attributed the security of North Americans to travel and organize their weddings to the vaccination process that the North American country is currently undergoing.
The Islas Marías will be opened to tourism
- The President of Mexico informed that, as promised in his campaign, the Islas Marías will become a tourist attraction.
- The President informed that the first stage of reconstruction of the Integral Islas Marías Project was concluded and that in July it will open its doors to visitors.
- At the moment, work is being done on the logistics for the transfer of visitors arriving from Mazatlan, Sinaloa, San Blas, Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.
Airlines
Delta launches contactless payment technology
- As part of the experience enhancements, the airline launched Tap to Pay technology, which will allow passengers to make contactless in-flight purchases.
- This technology will allow passengers to purchase everything from headphones to food and beverages onboard, as well as obtain receipts via email.
Global Information
U.S. considering exporting vaccines first to Mexico and Canada
- President Joe Biden would have both nations at the top of the list to receive vaccines from U.S.
- However, President Biden has reiterated that the United States will not share vaccines until it has enough for its own population.
- For her part, the White House Press Minister assured that North America’s economic recovery would be a priority as vaccine exports begin.
March 10th Update
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
New cases per day: +7,407
Confirmed: 2,137,884
Suspects per day: -2,310
Total suspects: 440,491
Deaths per day: +886
Deaths: 191,789
Update: March 10th, 2021, 7:00 pm
3 million vaccines against covid-19 coronavirus have been administered
- The Secretariat of Health announced that, as of March 9, 3,100,868 vaccines against the Covid-19 coronavirus have been administered.
- Of the total number of applications, 807,341 were first doses destined to health workers and 588,372 correspond to second doses.
- A total of 11,301 cases of adverse reactions to vaccines have been reported, of which 68 have been serious and 19 required hospitalization.
Economy will recover with 80 million vaccinated
- Arturo Herrera, head od the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP), stated that Mexico’s economy will resume its pre-pandemic growth until at least 70 to 80 million Mexicans are vaccinated.
Local Tourism
Cancun, without announcing measures for Easter Week
- Although Mexican authorities announced the closure of Mexican beaches in order to avoid a new wave of Covid-19 infections, destinations such as Cancun and Rivera Maya have not yet confirmed what actions they will take in this regard.
- The Secretariat of Health warned that measures should not be relaxed during Easter Week in order to avoid Covid-19 outbreaks.
- Currently, the Epidemiologic Risk Assessment (traffic-light system) in these destinations remains yellow and a 60% capacity is allowed on beaches.
Cancun leads recommendations by PriceTravel.com
- Among the online travel agency’s recommendations are beach destinations such as Cancun, Riviera Nayarit and Mazatlan.
Increased air connectivity between Riviera Nayarit and the USA
- According to Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), air connectivity from the United States to the Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport in Puerto Vallarta is expected to increase 19 percent in March, compared to February, 2021.
- The arrival of 1,436 flights and an average of 359 weekly arrivals is expected.
Travel Industry
Despegar and Best Day announce discounts to beaches
- The companies joined forces in Travel Sale, an exclusive event where they will offer exclusive travel promotions and discounts to destinations in Mexico, in order to support domestic tourism.
- Alejandro Calligaris, Country Manager of Despegar Mexico, informed that offers with up to 60% discount will be available.
- He also announced that offers will be maintained with the main banks in the country, which will include additional discount options and promotions.
Expedia: hotel revenue performance will be key to recovery
- According to Vivek Bhogaraju, GM Revenue Performance Solutions, Lodging & VR Expedia Group, the role of revenue managers will never be the same after the Covid-19 pandemic and he believes it will be more complicated to successfully anticipate market trends.
- Bhogaraju revealed that the challenge these executives face will also be an opportunity to demonstrate their value in the industry, so it is important to adapt to new conditions.
Airlines
Iberojet reopens the door to Spain
- The airline became the first to fly from Spain to Cancun months after the pandemic began.
- Evelop’s Airbus A350 to Cancun International Airport from Madrid will have 432 seats and three weekly frequencies.
Global Information
China announces Covid certificate for international travel
- The country announced the launch of a digital Covid-19 vaccination certificate for its citizens wishing to travel abroad.
- According to the Consular Affairs Department of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the document would consider Covid-19 vaccination information and coronavirus test results.
March 8th Update
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
New cases per day: 2,734
Confirmed: 2,128,600
Suspects: 438,973
Deaths per day: 247
Deaths: 190,604
Update: March 7th, 2020, 7:00 pm
AMLO calls to avoid a third Covid-19 wave
- After the spike in Covid-19 infections recorded in December, the trend decreased in February, said President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
- He called on the population to take care of themselves to avoid a third wave. He said that the advantage is that there is already a vaccine that will be applied throughout the country.
- López Obrador pointed out that there is currently 70 percent availability of hospital beds and that only Mexico City has an occupancy rate of more than 50 percent.
Cases of Covid-19 coronavirus decrease in Mexico
- José Luis Alomía, General Director of Epidemiology, informed that for the last seven weeks, there has been a constant decrease in the number of covid-19 coronavirus cases.
- Alomía explained that severe cases of covid have also decreased and this is reflected in the reduction of hospitalizations nationwide.
- However, the official warned of a possible reactivation of infections in the coming weeks, due to the fact that the epidemiological curve is slowing down.
Local Tourism
Cancun’s reactivation takes off
- According to Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez, Governor of Quintana Roo, the Mexican Caribbean received 7 new flights during March.
- The governor detailed that this weekend the first flight arrived from Miami to Cancun, which will have four weekly frequencies. He also announced the Cincinnati-Cancun route that will have a Saturday frequency and the Houston-Cozumel and Phoenix-Cancun routes that will have a daily flight starting March 11.
Hotel occupancy exceeds 40% in Cancun
- According to the Ministry of Tourism of Quintana Roo (Secretaría de Turismo de Quintana Roo, Sedetur), last weekend, hotel occupancy in Cancun reached 43% and increases were registered in other nearby destinations such as Grand Costa Maya (24.8%), Rivera Maya (25.0%) and Cozumel (34.8%).
- In Cancun, 15,000 North American students are expected to arrive for the Spring Break season that runs until March 20, half of the tourists registered in 2019.
- Also, the Ministry of Tourism of Quintana Roo expects a drop in tourist arrivals during Easter, which it estimates 45% less compared to the same period in 2019.
Acapulco launches WhatsApp chatbot
- The municipal government of the destination announced the launch of an automated chatbot to provide tourist information through the Whatsapp application.
- Through this tool, tourists will be able to know the status of the destination, learn more about its attractions and purchase services from tour operators.
- “It is a robot that will answer messages 365 days a year 24 hours a day, but it will also help companies to market their services and promote tourist corners and by-products that we already have but are little known,” informed José Luis Basilio, Ministry of Tourism in Acapulco.
Travel Industry
Grupo Presidente announces management changes
- The Mexican hotel company recently announced changes in its Regional General Managers in Mexico City and in the southeast of the country.
- Guillermo Valencia has returned as Regional General Manager of the Presidente InterContinental Cozumel Resort & Spa, Presidente Cancun Resort and the soon-to-be-opened Courtyard By Marriott Merida.
One out of every three tourist destinations is still closed
- The World Tourism Organization reported that one out of every three tourist destinations worldwide remains closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- The organization indicated that at the beginning of February, 69 out of 217 destinations in the world (32%) were still not operating, of which 30 are in Asia and the Pacific, 15 in Europe and 11 in Africa.
United States asks not to travel to Mexico during Easter
- Through the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, the U.S. government issued a security alert asking its citizens to avoid traveling to Mexico during the Easter vacations due to the health emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
- S. authorities warned about the high number of hospitalizations in most parts of the country and reminded that, if traveling to Mexico, it will be necessary to present a negative test for Covid-19.
Despegar, recognized for ecommerce sales
- The Asociación Mexicana de Venta Online (Mexican Association of Online Sales, AMVO) and the eCommerce Institute awarded the travel company the eCommerce Leader in the travel industry award for its contribution to the digital industry in the Travel & Tourism sector in Mexico.
- The eCommerce Institute created these awards to recognize the most outstanding companies in eCommerce and Internet Business in Mexico in the categories of travel and tourism, retail, fashion and beauty, entertainment, etc.
Airlines
Volaris, with more fleet than in 2020
- Enrique Beltranena’s airline added an air fleet of 85 aircraft this year, when at the beginning of 2020 it operated 79.
- Also, at the beginning of last year, Interjet operated 68 aircraft and now has 6 available in its fleet.
- At the beginning of 2020, Viva Aerobus had 38 aircraft and now has 43.
- Finally, Aeromexico operated a fleet of 125 aircraft and now has 102 aircraft.
Global Information
European Medicines Agency urges caution with Sputnik V vaccine
- Christa Wirthumer-Hoche, head of the board of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), asked European Union members to avoid granting national approvals to Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine until its safety and efficacy are proven.
- “We may have Sputnik V on the market here in the future when the appropriate data have been reviewed. The ongoing review has now started at the EMA (…) When everything is proven, it will also be licensed in the European Union,” she reported.
March 3rd Update
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
New cases per day: 7,913
Confirmed: 2,097,194
Suspects: 437,513
Deaths per day: 1,035
Deaths: 187,187
Update: March 2nd, 2020, 7:00 pm
Possible third wave of Covid-19 expected
- The general director of Health Promotion in Mexico, Ricardo Cortés Alcalá, pointed out that there is a probability of a third increase of contagions and hospitalizations.
- Cortés said this third wave of Covid-19 is expected between March and April due to the contact expected during Easter Week.
- Despite the fact that on Tuesday March 2nd, were registered 7,913 new cases and 1,035 new deaths due to Covid-19, the official affirmed that the second epidemiological curve, which began in October last year, has decreased.
Local Tourism
Hotel Xcaret Arte to open its doors on July 1st
- Beginning July 1, Grupo Xcaret will open its second hotel property aimed at the Adults Only segment.
- Located in front of the Caribbean Sea, Hotel Xcaret Arte offers 900 suites with unlimited access to Xcaret, Xel-Há, Xplor, Xplor Fuego, Xavage, Xoximilco and Xenses parks, as well as Xenotes and Xichén tours.
Cancun and Riviera Maya are top travel preferences
- PriceTravel Holding revealed that in search and booking trends, 70% of clients show a preference for beach destinations, with Cancun, Riviera Maya and Riviera Nayarit topping the list.
- They are followed by Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Mazatlan, Los Cabos, Ixtapa Zihuatanejo and Huatulco.
- Flexible policies for date changes and free cancellations have been a determining factor for travelers.
- They also said that online sales have grown; on average the distribution of their sales is currently 60% online and 40% offline.
Travel Industry
The European Union proposes solution to reactivate travel
- Brussels will propose a personal electronic certificate of vaccination against the coronavirus.
- This as an effort to boost travel across the European Union, once the bloc’s sluggish immunization campaign picks up speed.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the “Digital Green Pass” would provide proof of inoculation, test results for those who have not yet received the vaccine and information on the holder’s recovery if he or she previously contracted the disease.
Key Cancun hotelier hospitalized for Covid-19
- The hotelier, Jose Chapur, was hospitalized in Miami due to complications from Covid-19.
- Chapur has headed one of Mexico’s most recognized hotel companies, Palace Resorts, which has expanded outside the country.
- The complications that led to his hospitalization and his current state of health are not officially known at this time.
20 hotels closed in the Mexican Caribbean
- Due to the restrictions imposed by Covid-19, another 20 hotels in Quintana Roo have closed, since tourism does not reach 60 percent of the permitted operation, but only 30 percent.
- In Bacalar, the Asociación de Hoteles del Centro y Sur (Association of Hotels of the Center and South) of the State reported of the 131 hotels that existed in the area up to March, today there are 111 active hotels.
- Enrique Bautista Ramírez, coordinator of the Association of Hotels of the Center and South of the State in Bacalar, emphasized that these closures are temporary and that they hope to reopen.
Airlines
Mexican government removes Interjet from its operating registry
- Due to several non-compliances, the airline no longer appears as part of Mexico’s monthly passenger transportation statistics.
- Among the non-compliances are that Interjet has not made a commercial flight in January 2021, as it last operated on December 10.
- In addition, it does not have complete information because ABC Aerolíneas S.A. de C.V. had not transmitted its statistical report for the last month of 2021.
Aeromexico increases flights to the Caribbean for Easter Week
- The airline is increasing its flights to 11 frequencies a week to Chetumal ahead of the Easter vacations.
- The new airport in Chetumal will boost tourism in the region, not only for Mexican tourists, but also for Belizeans.
Aeromexico launches packages to 8 sustainable destinations
- With the participation of Riviera Maya, Huatulco, Acapulco, Ixtapa, Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta and Monterrey, the airline launches an option for people who wish to choose an all-inclusive trip and at the same time support the development and conservation of the destinations.
- With this new product, customers can offset the carbon footprint of their flights through a $90.00 MXN contribution that the airline donates to projects that support the environment.
- The programs in these 8 destinations include hotels with sustainable certifications, in addition to carrying out actions that involve the wellbeing of their employees, social development, and support the local economy and care for the environment.
Global Information
One dose of vaccine reduces hospitalization of elderly people
- A British study shows that a single dose of Pfizer or AstraZeneca’s covid vaccine helps prevent hospitalization of elderly people with other illnesses.
- Findings from the Pfizer-funded project show that one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech injection was 71.4% effective from 14 days in preventing severe symptomatic illness requiring hospitalization among patients with an average age of 87 years.
- Adam Finn, principal investigator of the study at the University of Bristol, said the findings showed how vaccines can reduce the burden of severe covid-19 in high-risk and elderly populations, and relieve pressure on health services.
March 1st Update
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
New cases per day: 2,810
Confirmed: 2,086,938
Suspects: 435,613
Deaths per day: 458
Deaths: 185,175
Update: February 28th, 2020, 7:00 pm
The Undersecretary of Health is hospitalized
- Hugo Lopez-Gatell, Undersecretary of Health, has been hospitalized since last Wednesday due to a moderate case of Covid-19.
- Although the place of hospitalization was not specified, the Ministry of Health informed that Gatell is stable and in the process of recovering.
- Ruy Lopez Ridaura, director of the Centro Nacional de Programas Preventivos y Control de Enfermedades (National Center for Preventive Programs and Disease Control, Cenaprece), ruled out that the undersecretary is in a critical situation.
Local Tourism
These are the most searched beaches on Booking.com
- Despite the pandemic, Mexico’s beaches have shown acceptable occupancy numbers that are expected to grow next summer.
- Given the expectation that in summer it could be safer to travel, searches since January created the expectation to travel between June and September of this year.
- These are the most demanded beaches:
- Acapulco, Guerrero
- Cancun, Quintana Roo
- Mazatlan, Sinaloa
- Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo
- Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco
Confirm rebound of luxury packages to Cancún
- The Colombian travel agencies Mantilla Viajes and Seis Continentes, dedicated to luxury tourism and weddings, restarted the reactivation to Cancun.
- The companies are already working with their travel agents in the hotels of the Palace chain, the Tafer Resorts chain and the Karisma hotels chain.
Riviera Nayarit promotes its LGBT+ tourism offerings
- The destination’s Visitors and Convention Bureau presented the efforts made in terms of inclusion to promote the diversification of segments of its tourism offer.
- Together with the Unión Nacional de Empresarios Turísticos LGBT (National Union of LGBT Tourism Entrepreneurs), Riviera Nayarit highlighted the example of The St. Regis Punta Mita and the Tuna Blanca restaurant, as discrimination-free tourism companies that also provide the best experiences for the LGBT+ community.
- The LGBT segment is one of the fastest growing in tourism, with a notable impact on the local economies of the destinations, said Juan Antonio Arellano, president of UNET LGBT.
Travel Industry
Mayan Train and Tulum Airport will be operating in 2023: AMLO
- The President of Mexico assured that the Mayan Train will operate in the Peninsula in 2023, year in which the Tulum International Airport will also start operating.
- Regarding the Mayan Train, López Obrador said that the Tulum-Cancún section will be 120 kilometers long and that it will be the shortest and that it is expected to be finished in both directions “in one year at the latest” (2022).
The keys for a successful reactivation of the Mexican Caribbean are presented
- “The strict application of sanitary protocols is the key to the success of the economic reactivation,” commented Dario Flota Ocampo, general director of the Consejo de Promoción Turística de Quintana Roo (Tourism Promotion Council of Quintana Roo).
- Before members of the World Travel and Tourism Council, Flota presented the strategy implemented in the tourism reactivation of the Mexican Caribbean.
- Flota acknowledged that both the work carried out by the state government, as well as the efforts of the private initiative in the application of sanitation protocols allowed the arrival of more than four million tourists to the Mexican Caribbean from June 2020 to January 2021.
Los Cabos resorts join Virtuoso portfolio
- The luxury travel corporation included Chileno Bay Resort & Residences and Solaz, as well as Luxury Collection Resort in Los Cabos, in its Virtuoso portfolio.
- With this inclusion, Los Cabos is positioned as the destination with the largest number of Virtuoso properties in Mexico with 11 properties in this exclusive portfolio.
Vaccine against COVID, hope for health and economy: Concanaco
- The Easter holiday period will be key for Mexico’s commerce, services and tourism sector.
- It is expected to reactivate the influx of tourists and reach 65% hotel occupancy, which would represent economic revenue of 13,937 million pesos.
- The president of the Confederación de Cámaras Nacionales de Comercio, Servicios y Turismo (Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism, Concanaco-Servytur), José Manuel López-José, said that more than 5 million tourists are expected to arrive during the Easter holiday period to different destinations in the country.
Airlines
Viva Aerobus to connect Cancun and Acapulco
- Starting March 27, the airline will connect the Caribbean with the Mexican Pacific with three flights a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) on the Cancun – Acapulco route.
- Viva Aerobus will maintain an introductory fare of $299 pesos for a single trip, plus TUA. According to the airline’s Director of Corporate Communications, the flights will be operated with Airbus A320 aircraft that are part of Mexico’s youngest fleet.
The entry of foreigners to Cancun will be expedited
- The Commissioner of the Instituto Nacional de Migración (National Migration Institute), Francisco Garduño Yáñez, promised to place 100 migration agents at Cancun’s International Airport.
- This, as part of the agreements reached with the Ministries of Tourism, Miguel Torruco Marqués; of the Interior, Olga Sánchez Cordero; and of Communications and Transportation, Jorge Arganis Díaz-Leal, with the authorities of the country’s airport groups.
- The meeting highlighted the importance of promoting the digitalization of immigration services at airports, which the tourism industry has been requesting the government to do for years.
Global Information
AstraZeneca vaccine could reduce hospitalizations among the elderly
- British authorities announced that vaccines from Pfizer and AstraZeneca reduce hospitalizations of the over-70s by 90%, ruling out risks for that sector.
- “The data show that the protection obtained against covid 35 days after a first injection is even slightly better for the Oxford vaccine than for the Pfizer vaccine,” said Health Minister Matt Hancock.
February 24th Update
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
New cases per day: 8,634
Confirmed: 2,052,266
Suspects: 437,562
Deaths per day: 1,273
Deaths: 181,809
Update: February 23rd, 2020, 7:00 pm
Covax has not delivered vaccines to Mexico
- Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard stated that the Covid-19 Global Access Fund for Vaccines (Covax) has not delivered any of the vaccines purchased by the country.
- Ebrard said that 51 million vaccines were purchased and, so far, it is not known when the first doses will be delivered.
- The Chancellor commented that this is the only unilateral instrument to guarantee universal access and that he is concerned that it is taking so long.
Local Tourism
Riviera Maya predicts a tourist boom this summer
- Darío Flota Ocampo, director of the Consejo de Promoción Turística in Quintana Roo (Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council) pointed out that the European and South American markets will have an important recovery this summer.
- A tourist boom is expected in Riviera Maya this summer.
- Flota said that both markets are important for the destination and the reactivation of flights and routes for the coming weeks represent an incentive for tourism.
Hotel occupancy in Cancun rebounds
- According to data from the Ministry of Tourism of Quintana Roo, hotels in Cancun have had a recovery in the last few days, reaching 43 percent.
- Other Mexican Caribbean destinations such as Riviera Maya, Cozumel and la Gran Costa Maya reached, as of February 18, occupancy rates of 24.5 percent, 37.7 percent and 22.2 percent, respectively.
- After the drop during the first weeks of the year, Quintana Roo currently has a total of 70,701 domestic and foreign tourists.
- Cancun International Airport has registered more than 350 operations in the last few days, with close to 200 arrivals, more than half of them international.
Quintana Roo could reach 80% occupancy
- After the first day of the yellow epidemiological traffic light in the Mexican Caribbean, the expectation of an increase in occupancy is growing.
- Hotels and service providers that have extended protocols could have an occupancy rate of up to 80%, which creates enormous expectations for Easter Week.
- Roberto Citron Gomez, president of the Asociación de hoteles de Cancún Puerto Morelos e Isla Mujeres (Hotel Association of Cancun Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres) said that the change in the traffic light reflects the way the pandemic has been handled.
- For his part, Carlos Joaquín González, governor of the state of Quintana Roo, said that if this trend continues, the green light could be turned green very soon.
Fraud in travel packages to the Caribbean on the rise
- Due to the increase of frauds by fake online travel agencies, authorities have launched campaigns to warn about the risk of buying in unreliable websites.
- The Ministry of Tourism of Quintana Roo launched a campaign to make known some recommendations to avoid falling into these frauds.
- Travel agencies recommend quoting in three different agencies and verifying the qualifications or comments in the profiles of the suppliers, to avoid frauds.
- Eduardo Paniagua Morales president of the Asociación Mexicana de Agencias de Viajes (Mexican Association of Travel Agencies, AMAV) commented that they have tried to work with the cyber police but without success because “there are other more important things for them, supposedly”.
Travel Industry
BestDay, PriceTravel and Despegar rebound in bookings
- SiteMinder presented the top 12 channels that generated the most revenue during 2020 and after the rebound in hotel bookings.
- As revealed by the booking platform, OTAs BestDay, PriceTravel and Despegar strengthened as a result of restricted international travel.
Quintana Roo 2030 Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism presented
- The head of the Ministry of Tourism of Quintana Roo, Marisol Vanegas Perez, presented the plan that integrates concepts such as global leadership, conservation and restoration of ecosystems, destination management, visitor management, prosperity and mainly a better distribution of the benefits of the activity among its inhabitants.
- The plan has a diagnosis and outlook for tourism activity with a 2030 horizon, considering the impacts and new realities resulting from the Covid-19 contingency.
- In its strategic design it establishes an innovative classification of the destinations of the Mexican Caribbean in which a guideline and sector of action is established to contribute to the sustainable tourism development of each one of the destinations.
Airlines
World2Fly postpones landing in Cancun until the summer
- The new airline of the Iberostar Group has postponed its arrival in Cancun until next summer after announcing that it would be making its first flights during the spring.
- The low demand due to the presence of the Coronavirus has forced them to delay their plans, which were originally scheduled for Easter.
- The new tentative starting date would be June 18.
Viva Air announces new route to Cancun from Medellín
- The airline will inaugurate the Medellin – Cancun route with three frequencies per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, starting June 2, 2021.
- The launching fares will start at US$229.90 round trip.
- This new route once again opens the possibility of consolidating the Colombian market, one of the most important in South America for the Mexican Caribbean.
- Viva Air also announced the launch of two routes to Mexico City, one from Bogota and the other from Medellin, starting June 2 and 8, respectively, with four flights per week.
Global Information
J&J Vaccine Safe and Effective against severe cases of Covid-19
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration notified that Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine is safe and highly effective against the most severe effects of covid-19.
- The favorable review came two days before a meeting of independent FDA advisors is scheduled to discuss the company’s application for emergency use.
February 22nd Update
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
New cases per day: 3,104
Confirmed: 2,041,380
Suspects: 435,803
Deaths per day: 310
Deaths: 180,107
Update: February 21st, 2020, 7:00 pm
Hugo Lopez-Gatell tested positive for coronavirus Covid-19
(Source: Uno TV news)
- The undersecretary of Health, Hugo López Gatell informed through his Twitter account, that on Friday night he started with mild symptoms and that, after an antigen test, he tested positive for Covid-19.
- Lopez Gatell headed the usual conference that same Friday to report the situation of COVID-19 in Mexico without the use of mask.
- He was accompanied during the conference by Ana Lucia de la Garza Barroso, coordinator of the Unidad de Inteligencia Epidemiológica (Epidemiological Intelligence Unit).
Local Tourism
Occupancy plummets in Vallarta
- Hotel occupancy so far this year has plummeted in Mexico’s main vacation destinations, Puerto Vallarta is the most affected destination.
- During the fourth week of the year, the destination’s hotels have suffered a 58 percent drop in occupancy compared to the same period in 2020.
- Cancun is next, with a 48.4 percent drop; and Los Cabos, with 44.1 percent, according to data published by the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur).
Cancun’s flight trend is picking up again
- After a reduction in the number of flights since Christmas, Cancun International Airport registered 360 flights on Friday, including 236 international flights.
- According to the scheduling of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (Asur), there were 182 arrivals, of which 67 were domestic and 115 international, and of the 178 departures, 67 were to destinations within the country and 111 outside of it.
Travel Industry
February will be the worst month for tourism
- The president of the Consejo Nacional Empresarial Turístico (National Tourism Business Council, CNET), Braulio Arsuaga, stated that tourism continues to fall sharply and that February will be the worst month for the sector so far during the pandemic.
- Arsuaga said that the negative trend is also observed towards the Holy Week period, since the levels of reservations are not encouraging.
- He explained that the trend would be caused by a weak demand from the market, including Canada and the United States.
Congresses and conventions land in the Mexican Caribbean
- Representatives of companies from the United States, Mexico and Latin America visited the Mexican Caribbean to organize congresses, annual conventions and expos.
- There is the intention of holding an annual convention of 500 people from the United States, to be held in September 2021.
- An expo for 900 national attendees would be held in Cancun, focused on large spaces and outdoors.
- Also, a digital media company visited Grand Costa Maya, where it made recordings about places for weddings, events, congresses and conventions.
Dominican Republic, the Caribbean’s most biosafe destination
- The Dominican Republic is promoted as the safest destination in the Caribbean, according to the country’s Ministry of Tourism.
- It is expected that by the end of 2021, 70 percent of Dominicans over the age of 18 will be vaccinated, which will boost international tourism confidence in the Dominican Republic.
- The Dominican Minister of Tourism, David Collado, believes that the vaccination plan against the coronavirus will be beneficial for the travel sector, as it will reduce the number of contagions and hospitalizations.
Travel agencies in Guerrero collapse
- The president of the Asociación Mexicana de Agencias de Viajes in Guerrero (Mexican Association of Travel Agencies), Santos Ramirez Cuevas, informed that the sector has dismissed about 60 percent of its staff in the last year and sales have fallen 80 percent compared to last year because of Covid-19.
- Although for now no one has closed businesses; many abandoned their offices but remain in the tourist strip or group together to rent an office, although there are staff cuts almost every day.
- For its part, the Municipal Tourism Ministry reported that hotel occupancy in February has been 40 percent lower than in the same period in 2020.
Airlines
Direct flights to Cozumel from Europe to be launched this summer
- During this month, Southwest Airlines with a daily frequency from Houston, and Frontier with a weekly flight from Chicago, will land on the island of Cozumel.
- Viva Aerobus will be joined with a direct flight from Monterrey, and Evelop, which will arrive directly from Madrid.
- Cozumel’s Municipal Tourism Director, Pedro Hermosillo López, pointed out that during the first month of 2021, more than 125,700 passengers arrived in Cozumel.
Global Information
Israel has already vaccinated almost 50% of its population
- In just two months, Israel has managed to vaccinate 4 million citizens.
- Chaim Rafalowski, Coordinator of Magen David Adom, an agency similar to the Red Cross revealed that it was possible by a strong enforcement of the law to ensure that every citizen has health insurance and protection for the elderly in nursing homes.
February 17th Update
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
New cases per day: 8,683
Confirmed: 2,004,575
Suspects: 433,438
Deaths per day: 1,329
Deaths: 175,986
Update: February 16th, 2020, 7:00 pm
Vaccination at home begins tomorrow in Mexico City
- Around 1,000 elderly people unable to go to the 70 centers set up in Mexico City, will be vaccinated against Covid-19 at their homes, starting this Wednesday.
- According to sources involved in the vaccination process, in Magdalena Contreras district at least 476 people could be immunized at home.
- Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum assured that medical personnel were instructed to give priority to the elderly or those with mobility problems.
Local Tourism
Quintana Roo reaffirms itself as a wellness destination
- SHA Wellness Clinic will open its second world headquarters in Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo.
- The brand established in Spain, will invest in the entity 150 MDD and consolidates the region as a leader in Wellness at a Global level.
- The opening of its first health and wellness complex in the American continent will generate more than 500 jobs in the destination.
Travel Industry
WTTC postpones Global Summit in Cancun by one more month
- The World Travel & Tourism Council rescheduled the date of its Annual Global Summit for April 25, 26 and 27.
- Since the beginning of 2021, WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara Manzo and Governor Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez declared that everything was ready to host the summit in March, which has been postponed since last year due to the pandemic.
- The decision to move the meeting to April is to coincide with the easing of travel restrictions and the beginning of the recovery, informed the organization.
Pandemic eliminated thousands of tourism jobs in 2020: Sectur
- Miguel Torruco, head of the Ministry of Tourism, announced the Covid-19 pandemic generated the first loss in history in the sector by reporting almost 290 thousand tourism jobs last year.
- The secretary pointed out that hotels, airlines and travel agencies reported a decrease of 289 thousand 582 jobs compared to 2019, according to data from Inegi’s National Occupation and Employment Survey-New Edition (Encuesta Nacional de Ocupación y Empleo-Nueva Edición, ENOEN) that is taken up by Sectur.
- This decline represents the first decrease in tourism employment in the country since there has been comparable information since 2006.
Grupo Posadas will admit unemployed young people to Cancun hotels
- The hotel operator joined the program “Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro” (Young People Building the Future) through which it will admit 15 apprentices between 18 and 29 years of age for different vacancies it offers.
- The young people will be able to work at the Grand Fiesta Americana and Fiesta Americana hotels in Cancun, Acapulco, Los Cabos, Guadalajara, Mexico City and Morelos.
- Grupo Posadas will support this program so that young people have the opportunity to develop their skills through training at its various properties and with the guidance of a tutor within the hotels.
Uber seeks dialogue with authorities in Cancun
- Due to citizens who are self-employed in the destination through the application continue to be affected by operations by the authorities of the municipality of Benito Juarez, the company seeks dialogue.
- The technology company made a call to stop the operations carried out by the Directorate of Public Safety and Transit in order not to further affect those who generate profits for their families and the municipality.
- Uber pointed out that the transit authorities detain drivers under the argument that they do not have a concession to offer mobility services, even though Uber is not public transportation but an agreement between private.
Airlines
Upward trend in air bookings noted
- Sabre CEO Sean Menke noted a sequential improvement in net air bookings in the latter part of 2020.
- Menke revealed that bookings were down 81% in October, then 79% in November and then 77% in December, showing improvements in all regions.
- Saber’s director said that although the pace of improvement slowed in January, average daily booking trends through mid-February are above January’s results and are back in line with 2020 departure levels.
Iberojet confirms 4 weekly routes to the Mexican Caribbean
- The airline announced that for the summer it will have 5 weekly routes to the Mexican Caribbean, from Madrid, 4 to Cancun and a premiere to the island of Cozumel.
- In this way it strengthens its position to promote long stays on the island and not to depend only on the disembarkation of the trips.
Global Information
Biden guarantees citizens immunization before August
- The President of the United States yesterday defended his health plan and assured that all citizens of the country will have access to vaccines against covid-19 before August.
- The president also said he wants to get students back to school quickly, and he supported moving teachers up the priority ladder to receive the vaccine.
- By next Christmas “we will be in a very different circumstance,” Biden responded to a question about the return to normalcy.
February 15th Update
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
New cases per day: 4,099
Confirmed: 1,992,794
Suspects: 433,516
Deaths per day: 436
Deaths: 174,207
Update: February 14th, 2020, 7:00 pm
Vaccination will be only for those registered: Ssa
- Elderly who come to receive the Covid-19 vaccine without having registered will not be able to receive it, according to the Ministry of Health (Secretaría de Salud, Ssa)
- The vaccination campaign of AstraZeneca’s immunological vaccine, which starts this Monday in the country, does not include the almost 10 million seniors who have not registered on the web page and who could go directly to the vaccination centers.
- Ricardo Cortés Alcalá, General Director of Health Promotion, asked for patience in this situation and assured that there will be vaccines for everyone in the country.
Ssa prioritizes vaccination in rural areas
- Due to the fact that there are currently only 870,000 doses available, the Ministry of Health (Ssa) started a vaccination plan against Covid-19 for older adults in rural areas, and not in urban areas.
- Ricardo Cortés Alcalá, General Director of Health Promotion, pointed out that this decision is due to the fact that it would have practically no epidemiological impact in rural areas, he assured.
- Cortés said that when the vaccines arrive by the millions, they can be concentrated in urban areas with more vaccines available and then there will be an epidemiological impact, he affirmed.
Local Tourism
Cozumel entrepreneurs request the issuance of an Economic Emergency Decree
- Organizations from Cozumel’s business sector requested President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to issue an Economic Emergency Decree for the island due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- The letter is in addition to a campaign, called for tomorrow, in which Cozumel’s people are asked to send messages via whatsapp and social networks to promote the Law of Islands with the hashtags #PisoParejoParaLasIslas and #DecretoLeyDeIslas.
Travel Industry
Ixtapa Zihuatanejo presents new campaign
- The destination presented its new campaign for 2021: El año de las ballenas (The Year of the whales).
- The campaign focuses on the greatness of humpback whales and their passage along the coasts of Ixtapa Zihuatanejo.
- One of the main objectives of this campaign is to raise awareness of the marine wealth of the Mexican Pacific coast and responsible whale watching with certified guides of these extraordinary animals.
New SLS brand property opens in Cancun
- The new property is the sixth SLS hotel among 17 additional properties planned to open around the world, including SLS Dubai and SLS Puerto Madero.
- Chadi Farhat, Chief Operating Officer of SBE, noted that the exciting opening of SLS Cancun will establish a new space for luxury and leisure in yet another world-class destination.
New host of Tianguis Turístico Digital 2021 revealed
- The state of Sinaloa and Mazatlán will host the second edition of the Tianguis Turístico Digital to be held on March 23 and 24.
- The Minister of Tourism, Miguel Torruco Marqués, announced the news and highlighted that given the current conditions, this virtual space launched last year will be retaken.
- Torruco said that to date 512 buyers from 374 companies from 31 countries, including Mexico, and 116 exhibitors are registered.
- It is expected that by the day of the event, these figures will exceed those reported in the 2020 edition held in September.
Airlines
Delta extends center seat blocking until April 2021
- The airline announced that it will extend its middle seat blocking policy through April 2021 to provide peace of mind and confidence to its passengers.
- With this measure, the U.S. airline’s customers will be able to plan their travel for the spring season.
- By preventing the use of the middle seat, it also limits the capacity of passengers on board, and thus the airline avoids a high concentration of people in the travel process, which will now remain in force until April.
Aeromar launches promotion to 5 Mexican beaches
- The airline launched a special price for year-round travel to Mexico’s traditional beaches at a cost of $99.00 plus taxes.
- From February 10 to 16, passengers will be able to purchase their flight and travel from February 10, 2021 to January 31, 2022 from Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta, or from Mexico City to Acapulco, Puerto Escondido, Veracruz and Ixtapa Zihuatanejo.
- The cost of the single flight includes a carry-on baggage of up to 10 kg, with the option to fly all year round, including Easter, long weekends and holidays.
Aeromexico recognized for its safety measures
- The airline received the “Platinum” rating in its new APEX Health Safety standard from the Airline Passenger Experience Association (Asociación de Experiencia de Pasajeros de Aerolíneas, APEX).
- Aeromexico was recognized for its work and commitment to offering its customers and employees the best health and safety practices.
Global Information
U.S. expands Access to Vaccines, supply Drops
- S. entities have opened mass vaccination sites and expanded people’s eligibility, but supply is not increasing fast enough.
- The United States is gradually administering more doses every day, now averaging about 1.7 million, according to The New York Times.
February 10th Update
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
New cases per day: 10,738
Confirmed: 1,946,751
Suspects: 433,834
Deaths per day: 1,701
Deaths: 168,432
Update: February 9th, 2020, 7:00 pm
One million anti-Covid vaccines to arrive in the country this Sunday
- The President of Mexico announced the arrival of one million doses of the vaccine against Covid-19 produced by AstraZeneca.
- The President said that the shipment is expected to arrive this Sunday at 3:00 a.m. from India.
- The president López Obrador stated that the doses will be destined to begin vaccinating the country’s elderly and teachers.
24 states show reduction in cases: Ssa
- The Ministry of Health informed that at least 24 of the 32 states in the country have shown a two-week reduction in the intensity of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- The Ministry alerted that the state of Morelos presents an upward trend, for which it called to reinforce preventive measures.
- Although the reduction in the occurrence of new cases is a good sign, the Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, called to keep the measures.
Local Tourism
Cancun launches new flights from the United States and Europe
- On March 27, the destination will inaugurate a TAP flight from Lisbon, Portugal.
- The connection with Spain through Evelop also returns on March 8 from Madrid with a weekly flight, which will increase to three flights for the summer.
- Orbest will resume a weekly flight from Lisbon.
Travel Industry
Hotel occupancy fell in the last week of January
- Miguel Torruco, Mexico’s Minster of Tourism, informed that from January 25 to January 31, overall hotel occupancy recorded an average of 22.8 percent, which is 1.2 percentage points less than the previous week.
- Torruco indicated that the information is based on the results of twelve representative sites, which contain 42.5 percent of the rooms in the seventy destinations usually monitored.
Canada without cruise ships until 2022
- Omar Alghabra, Canada’s Minister of Transport, informed that cruise ships will return to Canada until February 2022, as “this is the right and responsible thing to do”.
- For the importance of this tourist activity, it is estimated that the measure will have a devastating impact on local businesses and cruise lines.
- Those who do not comply with the measures imposed could be subject to penalties: $5,000 per day for individuals and $25,000 per day for groups or corporations.
Cuba requires quarantine and tests to enter its territory
- The Cuban government established that visitors must arrive in the country with a negative PCR test with 3 days of validity.
- In addition, travelers must undergo another test upon arrival to the island, the results of which will be delivered in 3 to 5 days, during which time visitors must remain in quarantine in a hotel paid for themselves.
- Due to these restrictive measures, the number of visitors to the island has been greatly reduced, as well as flight occupancy.
Airlines
These are the first airlines to land in Santa Lucia
- Volaris, Viva Aerobus and Aeromar will be the first airlines to land at Santa Lucia International Airport during its inauguration.
- The exhibition and test flights are part of the work on the new airport, so they will not carry passengers and will only have a crew of three people.
Cofece fines Interjet and HBC
- The Plenary of the Federal Economic Competition Commission (Comisión Federal de Competencia Económica, Cofece) imposed a fine to the airline, as well as HBC, close to one million pesos for not notifying the merger in time.
- Although Cofece authorized the transaction by which HBC acquired part of the airline’s capital stock, this transaction was carried out before notifying the agency as required by law.
- For this delay, the authority imposed a fine for a total of 955,680 pesos, after finding that HBC and Interjet failed to comply with the legal obligation to notify the merger.
Delta seeks to improve the travel experience
- The airline is finalizing details to offer a digital concierge for its customers.
- Delta will share travel requirements to its customers based on the destination booked. It will provide them with available Covid-19 test scheduling options and automatically validate the results obtained.
Global Information
AstraZeneca vaccine validated by WHO
- The vaccine against Covid-19 can be used in people over 65 years and in places where the variants of the virus circulate, according to experts from the World Health Organization (WHO).
- According to the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, the vaccine can also be used in places where “variants are present”, despite recent studies suggesting that this immunizer is less effective against the strain initially detected in South Africa.
February 8th Update
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
New cases per day: 6,065
Confirmed: 1,932,145
Suspects: 431,956
Deaths per day: 414
Deaths: 166,200
Update: February 7th, 2020, 7:00 pm
AMLO reappears recovered from Covid, says he will not use a mask
(Source: El Universal newspaper)
- Now recovered, the President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador reappeared in his morning conference, where he assured that he will not use the mask because he is no longer contagious.
- The President pointed out that in Mexico there is no authoritarianism, and this type of measures are voluntary, and everyone must assume their responsibility.
- The President said that he was infected with the virus because he went out to work like millions of Mexicans and because he did not take advantage of his power to get vaccinated, as other presidents have done.
Local Tourism
Soldiers remove tourists from Acapulco’s beaches
- Due to the restricted hours as a preventive measure against Covid, elements of the Army evacuate visitors from the beaches at 17:00 hours.
- According to the Government of Guerrero, federal and state agents are walking the beaches and exhorting the population to wear masks and respect the healthy distance.
Puerto Vallarta, the travel intention of Americans
- The agency Expedia informed that it has detected an upturn in North Americans’ searches for places to vacation during the spring.
- American travelers are looking for warm climates and beaches, and among the destinations on their wish list for a trip in March or April is Puerto Vallarta.
- The report mentions the Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa and the Hotel Mousai Puerto Vallarta as the favorite VIP establishments of those surveyed.
The U.S. will help Quintana Roo to fight against Covid-19
- The U.S. government will donate 4.5 million pesos to the State through the Coronavirus Assistance Program to collaborate in the fight against the pandemic.
- The Consul General of the United States in Merida, Courtney Beale, explained that the donation is part of the 10.5 million pesos, which are being donated to the Yucatan peninsula through the health Ministries of each State.
- The funds are to be used to purchase medical and personal protective equipment for health professionals in general hospitals in Quintana Roo, Yucatan and Campeche.
Travel Industry
Canada’s tourism rebound, until 2022: Sunwing
- The president and CEO of Sunwing Travel Group, Stephen Hunter, does not see an encouraging scenario this year for tourism after the closure of flights to Canada from Mexico and the Caribbean.
- Hunter forecasts a recovery of the Canadian market and a rebound in tourism until 2022.
- The executive of Canada’s largest issuing group is not clear about how the return will be, as uncertainty about the progress and/or control of the pandemic is still very high.
The Ritz-Carlton Cancun provides Covid-19 testing
- The hotel has set up a space for antigen and PCR testing for the safe return of its guests.
- In the event that a guest tests positive must comply with a 14-day quarantine at a special rate with food and beverage service.
Fematur calls for rapprochement with countries that closed borders with Mexico
- The Mexican Federation of Tourism Associations (Federación Mexicana de Asociaciones Turísticas, FEMATUR) urged the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, Economy and Tourism to take actions to help minimize the effect of the closing of borders with Mexico.
- Among other measures, FEMATUR called for the establishment of groups to analyze and establish sanitary measures with said countries and regions, in order to monitor and correct anything that could inhibit the expected tourist flows.
Let’s define the risk in passengers not in countries: Guevara
- Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council called on governments around the world to change their approach and redefine risk to focus on ‘high risk’ people.
- Thus, WTTC is calling on governments to abandon the concept of ‘high-risk countries’ and focus on how to deal with ‘high-risk travelers’. Changing this approach would revive leisure and business travel.
Airlines
Current owners of Aeromexico will lose control to Apollo
- Following Apollo’s rescue of Aeromexico, the current owners of the company will lose control of the company and will have to abide by the conditions imposed by the fund.
- Among the conditions set by Apollo were the wage cuts that were finally accepted by the pilots and flight attendants unions in order to save the company.
- With this agreement, Aeromexico will be able to continue the process to access the additional US$625 million from the line of up to US$1 billion to be provided by the investment partner Apollo, which will allow the company to reposition itself globally.
Viva Aerobus occupancy drops 14 points after U.S. restrictions
- The airline began the year with a decrease of 18.9% in January, compared to the same month of the previous year.
- During the first month of the year, the airline recorded an occupancy factor of 72.3%, 14.3 percentage points lower than the same period in 2020.
Global Information
British variant spreads quickly across the US
- Experts from the Scripps Research Institute analyzed a variant of the coronavirus detected in the United Kingdom.
- The study reveals that the variant is spreading quickly in the United States as the infection rate is at least 35-45% higher than more common strains.
- The variant, introduced by multiple points to the country in November 2020, maintains a low incidence but is expected to be the dominant strain during the month of March.
February 3rd Update
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
New cases per day: 4,384
Confirmed: 1,874,092
Suspects: 426,862
Deaths per day: 433
Deaths: 159,533
Update: February 2nd, 2020, 7:00 pm
Vaccine for elderly does not depend on registration date: Gatell
(Source: El Universal newspaper)
- After the registration platform was excess demand and caused the system to be saturated, the Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo López Gatell informed that the order of registration will not depend on the date on which the people registered on the platform.
- He assured there are and will be vaccines for everyone so it will not be necessary to hold of a place to get the vaccine.
- The undersecretary detailed that between 65 and 70 thousand entries per second were registered in attempts to access the registry.
Local Tourism
Sellers of fake Covid-19 results were arrested in Cancun
- At least four people were arrested for allegedly selling fake COVID-19 tests to tourists.
- At a cost of $160 dollars, the accused offered the negative tests so that tourists could fly back to the United States, Canada or Europe.
Travel Industry
Torruco proposes to make tourism an essential activity
- The Ministry of Tourism sent a request to the Ministries of Economy and Health for the sector to be considered as an “essential” activity.
- Miguel Torruco, head of Sectur (Secretaría de Turismo), informed that yesterday he sent the request to Tatiana Clouthier, from the Ministry of Economy, and to Jorge Alcocer, from the Ministry of Health.
- Torruco pointed out that the request is based on the importance of the tourism industry for the country, since it represents 172 billion dollars a year in income and generates 10 million direct and indirect jobs.
- If tourism is considered an essential activity, there will be no problem in closing down activities despite the fact that an entity is in an epidemiological red light.
Concanaco warns of risk in Canada’s decision
- The president of the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Confederación de Cámaras Nacionales de Comercio, Servicios y Turismo, Concanaco) warned of the risk of other countries imitating the restrictions imposed by Canada on travel to Mexico.
- José Manuel López Campos urged to apply measures and protocols in airports and tourist establishments, as well as to certify compliance with sanitary standards.
- The leader emphasized that, if they are not stricter, the probability increases that more countries will impose decisions like those of the Canadian government.
Riviera Nayarit will expand its resort offerings in 2021
- The destination has scheduled the opening of five resorts of major hotel chains during 2021.
- Among the properties contemplated in the destination is the arrival of AMResorts with two hotels. Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort and Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort will start operations on June 1. On the other hand, Auberge Resorts Collection will open the ultra-luxurious Susurros del Corazón property in November of this year.
- Marriott International plans to open the Westin, Autograph Collection and Ritz Carlton brands. By December 2021, Iberostar plans to open its second property in Riviera Nayarit, which was delayed due to the pandemic-related drop in the European market.
90% of the foreign tourism arriving to the Mexican Caribbean comes from the USA
- The U.S. market is the only one that keeps Cancun and the Riviera Maya’s tourism activity alive.
- Only yesterday there were 102 international flights arriving at Cancun International Airport, of which 87 were from several destinations in the United States.
- The restrictions for re-entry to the United States have caused a decrease in the number of travelers. A month ago, the Mexican Caribbean had consecutive days with more than 500 operations and now it barely exceeds 300.
Massive drop in Canadian tourists expected due to restrictions
- Following the announcement of the suspension of flights to Mexico from Canada, the National Tourism Business Council estimates that around 1.2 million Canadian tourists will stop arriving.
- For the organization, the Canadian government’s decision will be a hard blow to our country’s tourism, which could even make 2021 worse than 2020.
- Canadian tourism is the second most important international market for Mexico and its fall will affect destinations such as Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos.
Airlines
Frontier returns to Cozumel after 6 years
- The airline will reactivate this month flights from Chicago and Denver as well as one more from Philadelphia, American Airlines, all with a weekly frequency.
Global Information
Russia celebrates success of Sputnik V Vaccine
- Russia welcomed the recognition abroad of the efficacy of its coronavirus vaccine, showing its ambition to produce it worldwide.
- A study, validated by independent experts, establishes the efficacy of the Russian vaccine at 91.6% in symptomatic forms of covid-19.
- The treatment has already been approved in 15 countries, including former Soviet Republics, political allies such as Venezuela and Iran, and countries such as Argentina and Mexico.
February 1st Update
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
New cases per day: 7,030
Confirmed: 1,864,260
Suspects: 431,898
Deaths per day: 462
Deaths: 158,536
Update: January 31st, 2020, 7:00 pm
Mexico expects 25 tons of vaccine active ingredient
- Marcelo Ebrard, Minister of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that Mexico will receive vaccines from AstraZeneca during February and March.
- The Foreign Minister also confirmed that a second shipment of 25 tons of AstraZeneca-Oxford’s active ingredient vaccine will leave Argentina tonight, which will be packaged and distributed from Mexico to Latin America.
Fake Covid-19 tests charge $40 dollars to leave the country
- For 800 Mexican pesos a fake test can be obtained in the Riviera Maya, according to El País newspaper.
- In less than an hour you can get a personalized document to travel from Mexico to any country.
- A spokesman for the Quintana Roo Ministry of Health assured that there is no record of any complaint for this type of fraud, according to the entity Ministry of Tourism.
Local Tourism
Sanitary measures reinforced on Riviera Maya beaches
- In order to verify compliance with the 30 percent quota on the beaches, the municipalities of Solidaridad and Puerto Morelos installed sanitary filters and carried out awareness operations with bathers.
- The filters make sure that the capacity is not exceeded, as well as visitors keep a healthy distance from the beach and the use masks and antibacterial gel.
Hotels on Cozumel Island offer Covid19 testing
- Partner hotels and resorts that are members of Cozumel Hotel Association (Asociación de Hoteles de Cozumel) can provide guests antigen tests by health professionals or provide easy access to testing prior to departure.
- If any guest tests positive during their stay at a partner hotel, there will be options to offer special quarantine arrangements, from free stays to special packages.
Travel Industry
Canada announced suspension of flights to Mexico and the Caribbean
- To curb the spread of Covid-19, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the suspension of air services to all destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico.
- The country’s major airlines, Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing and Air Transat will not travel to Mexico and the Caribbean from January 31 until at least April 30.
- Trudeau said Canadians still in the destinations will receive information about rescue flights so they can return home. International flights will only be able to land in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary.
Sectur warns of deep crisis without flights from Canada to Mexico
- Mexico’s Minister of Tourism, Miguel Torruco Marqués, pointed out that the cancellation of flights from Canada to beach destinations in Mexico could affect the income of foreigners by 782 million dollars.
- Torruco said that 791 thousand Canadian tourists would stop coming to Mexico, while 372 thousand Mexican travelers would stop traveling to Canada, leaving losses of 368 million dollars.
- Despite these figures, Jorge Morfin Stoopen, Director of Destination Canada in Mexico, pointed out that this decision will not have a negative tourism impact for Canada, since it was only open for essential activities and the arrival of Mexican tourists would be null.
Fonatur announces consortiums interested in section 5 of the Mayan Train
- The Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo received ten proposals for section 5 North of the Mayan Train, which runs from Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen North, in Quintana Roo.
- The interested consortiums will be in charge of the development of the executive project of the electrified railroad.
- The decision will be announced on February 10.
Airlines
Aeromexico reaches agreements with unions
- The airline reached a satisfactory agreement with the pilots and flight attendants unions to restructure its Collective Bargaining Agreements, which will allow it to face the crisis it is going through.
- The Mexican Airline Pilots Union Association (Asociación Sindical de Pilotos Aviadores de México) agreed to reductions of 350 million dollars in salaries, severance, leaves of absence, among other benefits.
- The Aviation Flight Attendants Union Association (Asociación Sindical de Sobrecargos de Aviación) also voted in favor of supporting Grupo Aeroméxico in complying with the commitments and requirements requested by the funders under the guaranteed preferential financing.
Global Information
Racial inequality in vaccination in NY warned
- New York Mayor Bill de Blasio noted that there has been “a profound problem” around racial inequality.
- White residents are nearly half of the people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine, even though they are only one-third of the local population.
- The Hispanic community – whose representation in the Metropolis is about 29% of the total population – made up 15% of the total number of people vaccinated.
- The lowest proportion was among Afro-Americans, who, despite are almost a quarter of the city’s population, accounted for only 11% of those immunized.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
January 27th Update
New cases per day: 7,165
Confirmed: 1,778,905
Suspects: 427,692
Deaths per day: 1,743
Deaths: 152,016
Update: January 26th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Covid-19 is contained and with a slight decrease: Cordero
- The Secretary of the Interior, Olga Sanchez Cordero, affirmed that Covid-19 is contained and shows a slight decrease in Valle de Mexico.
- Cordero reiterated that President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is strong and optimistic after testing positive for the coronavirus.
- Also, the Secretary spoke briefly about the President’s health and asked that the specialists be asked at the 7:00 p.m. conference.
Local Tourism
Tourism in the Mexican Caribbean remains on the rise
- Benjamin Jiménez Hernández, Executive Director of Strategic Planning of the Council for the Promotion of Tourism in Quintana Roo (Consejo de Promoción Turística de Quintana Roo CPTQ, CPTQ), explained that the state maintains an upward trend in travel intentions.
- He pointed out the state has maintained a 79% flight occupancy rate since June 8 and projected that 1,700,000 tourists will visit in February and March.
Travel Industry
Optimism for summer tourism boom
- Gloria Guevara, president and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) said that thanks to vaccination, rapid testing and the use of face masks, the global travel and tourism sector is expecting a “strong” summer.
- Guevara said that at least 84 million jobs in the sector are expected to return this year and, in an optimistic scenario, this could reach up to 111 million.
- The WTTC chair said exit testing will remain critical to restoring travel and bringing back as many jobs as possible in travel and tourism and across the broader economy.
CNET proposes 10 key actions for the recovery of the tourism industry
- According to the estimates of the National Tourism Business Council (Consejo Nacional Empresarial Turístico) and the Centro de Investigación y Competitividad Turística Anáhuac, it is imperative to carry out 10 key actions for the recovery of the tourism industry.
- Among the most important points, it is proposed to put travel industry workers at the top of the vaccination stage, in addition to limit, in legally and normatively, the growing unfair competition.
- It also recommends the launching of campaigns to invite people to travel in Mexico, the integration of aid packages for companies, and channeling resources from the lodging tax to tourism promotion.
Spain to require PCR test for travelers coming from Mexico
- The measure is not exclusive to Mexico but will be required of all travelers from at-risk countries.
- The Spanish government clarified that travel agencies, tour operators, air or maritime transportation companies and any other travel agent must inform passengers of the mandatory nature of the provision.
Airlines
The CDMX airport installs PCR and antigen testing module
- With the installation of the laboratory, passengers and crew of international flights will be able to take the Covid-19 tests (PCR and / or Antigen), which are required by some countries for the entry of travelers into their territory.
- The module will be located between gates 3 and 4 of Terminal 1. The cost for the Antigen test will be 680 pesos, and it will be administered within 15 minutes.
- The PCR test will cost around 2,500 pesos and the results will be available in 24 hours. The cost will be determined by the laboratories located at the AICM.
AICM refers users for testing to an external laboratory
- Although the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) reported that it installed a module for Covid-19 testing between gates 3 and 4 of its Terminal 1, users are sent to an external laboratory.
- According to the newspaper Reforma, an airport security employee admitted that “many people” had asked her about this laboratory, but she does not know where it is.
- According to the newspaper, AICM officials referred to a laboratory installed at the Camino Real Hotel. It should be noted that between gates 3 and 4 of Terminal 1 there is a bridge that connects to that hotel.
Aeromar facilitates PCR testing for its passengers
- The airline, together with LMP, joined forces to provide the antigen and PCR testing service demanded by its customers and airline personnel.
- As of January 26, the United States requires passengers traveling to the United States to test negative for COVID-19.
- Passengers must obtain certification from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the form can be viewed and downloaded at “PASSENGER ATTESTATION REQUIREMENT”
Global Information
10 countries account for 75% of the vaccines administered
- The director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned that vaccines against Covid-19 are being administered mainly in wealthy nations.
- He said that 75 percent of the doses have been deployed in only ten countries and demanded that immunization be equal.
- According to Tedros, it would not be right for younger, healthier adults in rich countries to be vaccinated before the elderly and health workers in poor countries.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
January 25th Update
New cases per day: 10,872
Confirmed: 1,666,219
Suspects: 425,044
Deaths per day: 530
Deaths: 149,614
Update: January 24th, 2021, 7:00 pm
AMLO negotiates with Putin agreement for Sputnik V vaccines
- The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, reported that he agreed with the President of Russia to send 24 million units of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine to Mexico.
- Chancellor Marcelo Ebrard, through his Twitter, commented that the call was “cordial and successful.” He also said that the Undersecretary of Health, Hugo López Gatell, will advance with the support of the Russian government to ensure the arrival of the vaccine.
- Ebrard said that “I saw the President very well, with a high spirit, working and with a good semblance”.
AMLO tests positive for Covid-19, reports mild symptoms
(Source: El Universal newspaper)
- The president of Mexico reported through his Twitter that he tested positive for Covid-19 and that he has mild symptoms.
- López Obrador pointed out that it will be the Interior Minister, Olga Sánchez Cordero, who will be in charge of the press conferences.
- The president said he is optimistic and assured that he will recover.
Local Tourism
Cancun reduces its maximum occupancy
- Due to the increase in Covid-19 cases, the northern area of the state that includes the destinations such as Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, will go back to an orange epidemiological traffic light from today until January 31.
- The setback means limiting capacity in beaches, public parks, cinemas, theaters, shopping centers, casinos, hairdressers and beauty salons to 30%.
- Hotels will be allowed to have a 50% occupancy, the official has informed.
Travel Industry
Adaptation of hotels as vaccination centers is proposed
- The National Tourism Business Council (Consejo Nacional Empresarial Turístico, CNET) and the tourism industry in Mexico proposed the adaptation of spaces as vaccination centers within the country’s vacation centers.
- The president of CNET pointed out that the objective is to generate confidence and security for tourists, and different governments, to avoid drastic measures such as forced quarantine.
Grupo Presidente will offer free Covid tests
- The hotel group will offer free antigen tests to detect Covid-19 to guests of its beach hotels in the Mexican Caribbean who need to enter the United States by plane.
- The initiative came into force on January 23 until the restriction issued by the US authorities is lifted.
- The tests will be applied at the Presidente InterContinental Cancun Resort, Cozumel Resort & Spa and Kimpton Aluna Tulum hotels.
Biden signs order to quarantine travelers entering the US
- The US president signed an executive order requiring the use of masks during interstate travel in his country, including on airplanes, buses, trains, and ship or ferry services, as well as at airports.
- The order also requires quarantine for people entering the United States.
- Biden did not specify how long people will be required to remain in quarantine upon arrival in the United States.
France imposes PCR test to get in the territory
- Starting this Monday, the European country will impose the presentation of a negative PCR test carried out 72 before to European travelers who want to enter the country by plane.
- The measure, which had already been applied to non-European travelers, extends to other travelers from the European Union.
- If the test is negative, they will not have to isolate themselves.
Airlines
Despegar will apply PCR tests
- The airline added to its product offering the performance of PCR tests for detection of Covid-19 from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya and Tulum.
- Despegar customers can request the test on the company’s website or mobile application.
- The traveler can choose whether the team of specialists goes to his hotel or prefers to go to the laboratory to take the exam.
Global Information
Thousands Spaniards manifest against the “deception” of the coronavirus
- Thousands of people gathered in the center of Madrid to demonstrate against the government’s restrictive measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic and denounce the “deception” of a virus that according with some people “it does not exist”.
- Many of the attendees attended without a mask, despite of the legal obligation to wear it on public places and in the middle of the third wave of Covid-19, with more than 400 daily deaths this week.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
January 20th Update
New cases per day: 18,894
Confirmed: 1,668,396
Suspects: 421,255
Deaths per day: 1,584
Deaths: 142,832
Update: January 19th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Active substance arrives in Mexico for AstraZeneca vaccine
- The substance for the manufacture of the AstraZeneca vaccine and the University of Oxford against Covid-19 arrived in the country from Argentina.
- The 2.4 tons of the substance arrived in three Va-Q-Tainers type containers, which have a high-performance temperature control.
- Foreign Minister, Marcelo Ebrard highlighted the participation of Fundación Slim to help manufacture 250 million doses of the vaccine in Mexico that will be distributed in Latin America.
Local Tourism
Hotel occupancy in Cancun, in danger due to infections
- The epidemiological traffic light in the state could change from yellow to orange in the next few hours due to the increase in Covid-19 cases.
- The entity authorities are contemplating reducing hotel occupancy, from 60 percent to 30 percent.
Riviera Maya, ready for health requirements of US tourists
- Toni Chaves, leader of the Riviera Maya Hotel Association (Asociación de Hoteles de la Riviera Maya) estimated that tourism will continue to rise in the destination as the vaccination process against Covid-19 progresses.
- The Association celebrated that the United States authorities requested the antigen test instead of the PCR as an entry requirement for their nationals, which reduced the cost of the tests.
- Chaves added that the recovery is expected to be more active for the second quarter of the year.
Travel Industry
Mundo Maya 2021 Business Roundtable is reprogrammed
- Due to the health security measures applied by the United States and the strict provisions taken by Canada, it was decided to postpone the business event.
- The United States and Canada are the main source markets convened to the event, so the postponement opens the opportunity for more participants to join.
Sectur declares the possible scenarios for tourism in 2021
- The Ministry of Tourism projected three possible scenarios for tourism during this 2021.
- Divided into Optimistic, Conservative and Pessimistic, each scenario would become reality depending on the evolution of the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the progress in the application of the vaccine in the country.
- Miguel Torruco, head of Sectur (Secretaría de Turismo), pointed out that the evaluations were the result of the monitoring of seventy tourist destinations on indicators such as Hotel occupancy, Tourist consumption, Consumption by accommodation, Arrivals of international tourists and Income of foreign currency by international visitors.
Airlines
Volaris connects with the US from Mérida
- The airline’s new route will connect Mérida, Yucatán with Oakland, California with four flights a week.
- The route becomes the first international operated by Volaris from Mérida with a stop in Mexico City.
Delta bans emotional support animals in the cabin
- In accordance with the recommendation of the United States Department of Transportation, the airline no longer accepts emotional support animals in the cabin on any of its flights since January 11.
- The US authority established that airlines are no longer required to recognize emotional support animals as service animals.
- Delta will only accept dogs of any breed specially trained to assist a person with a disability.
Global Information
Pfizer vaccine would be effective against UK strain
- According to a study published on bioRxiv.org, the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine would be effective against the new variant of the coronavirus detected in the United Kingdom.
- The results of the study showed that neutralization of the new coronavirus mutation was observed in the blood samples of the participants who received the vaccine.
- Among the 11 study authors are Ugur Sahin and Oezlem Tuereci, co-founders of BioNTech.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
January 18th Update
New cases per day: 11,170
Confirmed: 1,641,428
Suspects: 416,205
Deaths per day: 463
Deaths: 140,704
Update: January 17th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Pfizer to reduce deliveries to Mexico by 50%
- Because the United Nations Organization requested that countries with the most difficulties can access the doses, the pharmaceutical company will reduce by half the delivery of vaccines against Covid-19 contemplated for tomorrow.
- López Obrador, President of Mexico said in this regard that there are nations that do not have the economic capacity to acquire vaccines, Mexico has to be in solidarity.
- The president said that his government is about to close an agreement with a Russian pharmaceutical company, in addition to that the doses of CanSino and AstraZeneca will also be available.
Local Tourism
Seaweed will not be a problem in Cancun this year
- The Ministry of the Navy (Secretaría de Marina-Armada de Mexico) announced that the arrival of seaweed bladderwrack to the coasts of the Caribbean and Quintana Roo during 2021 will be medium to low quantities.
- The institution explained that this is due to the fact that during the month of December there was no significant presence of algae in the Western Central Atlantic and Eastern Caribbean, in addition to that cold conditions will continue for the first half of the year.
Baja California Sur prepares to comply with EU sanitary measures
- The entity’s Health Authorities, together with the tourism sector, are already preparing the application of Covid-19 Antigen tests.
- This after the US government established that, as of January 26, all people who travel to the country must present a negative Covid-19 test.
- Also, the Minister of Tourism of the entity, Luis Humberto Araiza López, said that it is intended that the test is available in the main hotels, laboratories and hospitals of Baja California Sur and that it offers results in 40 minutes.
Travel Industry
Sectur reorganizes, but does not disappear
- The president of Mexico proposed a new internal regulation for the Ministry of Tourism where the rest of his administration will have as his main collaborator to Humberto Hernández-Haddad, who will become the undersecretary of Tourism.
- With this new suggested structure, the new undersecretary would have among his powers “to define the communication strategy for the use of the MEXICO brand and any other generated by the Ministry, as well as for the delivery of tourist information and for national and international campaigns”.
- The changes to the organization chart will be carried out during the worst crisis faced by national and international tourism due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
AMResorts will offer free test and hosting extension for COVID-19
- The hotel of Apple Leisure Group announced that it will offer guests traveling to the United States a free COVID-19 test to comply with the health requirements of that country.
- In case of positive tests, the hotel gives free accommodation for 14 days for recovery.
Best Day offers PCR tests to its clients in hotels
- The tourist corporate will provide its clients who require it with the PCR tests in their catalog of products and services.
- This in support of its clients due to the request of countries that require the test to all international travelers who return to their countries by air.
- Best Day has negotiated with laboratories in Cancun and the Riviera Maya to reduce the costs of the tests and with the exclusive benefit that they can be carried out in the hotels’ facilities.
Airlines
Airlines accelerate biometric identification against COVID-19
- In response to Covid-19, the airline industry has implemented biometric identity to avoid contact between airline personnel with passengers.
- While biometric technology continues apace around the world, adoption this year will be driven largely by return on investment.
- As the first signs of recovery from the COVID-19 crisis begin, biometric technology will be a top priority.
Aeroméxico implements protection policy for travelers to the US
- The airline reported that, from January 26, all passengers who wish to travel to the United States must present a Covid-19 test with a negative result.
- For passengers with a ticket issued to the United States with Aeromexico or in a shared code, the airline implemented the protection policy that applies to purchases made from January 13 to 25, and with trips scheduled until February 9, 2021.
- Aeromexico will not charge a date change fee or fare difference, as long as the same paid route and cabin is respected, and the ticket issuance fee is waived.
Global Information
Norway reports more than 20 deaths after being vaccinated against Covid-19
- Norwegian authorities adjusted their advice on who receives the Covid-19 vaccine after the death of more than 20 older adults after being inoculated.
- The doctors will be who decide whether or not a person receives the vaccine.
- The Norwegian Medicines Agency reported a few days ago that 29 people suffered side effects after being vaccinated against the coronavirus; 13 of them died.
- Today the figure rose to 23 and according to the Bloomberg agency, there would be up to 29 deceased.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
January 13th Update
New cases per day: 14,395
Confirmed: 1,556,028
Suspects: 412,576
Deaths per day: 1,314
Deaths: 135,682
Update: January 12th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Mass vaccination against Covid begins in Mexico
- After yesterday the vaccines against Covid-19 arrived at the hospital units in the states, today began the vaccination of health personnel.
- In Tamaulipas, Veracruz and Oaxaca the vaccine was applied this morning to the first health workers in those entities.
- Yesterday, the vaccines were distributed in 94 percent of the hospitals contemplated in the country, reported Luis Cresencio Sandoval, head of the Ministry of National Defense.
Local Tourism
Colombia and Brazil request PCR test who comes from Cancun
- Both countries will request the PCR test from travelers coming from destinations such as Cancun.
- The requirement worries Cancun hoteliers who fear the cessation of tourist arrivals due to the high costs of tests.
Cozumel, the safest destination in Quintana Roo
- The Municipal President of Cozumel, Pedro Joaquín Delbouis, highlighted that the incidence of high-impact crime decreased 58 percent.
- With these results, the island confirms its leadership as the safest tourist municipality in Quintana Roo.
Travel Industry
Disappearance of the Sectur worries to Fematur
- The Mexican Federation of Tourist Associations (Federación Mexicana de Asociaciones Turísticas, Fematur) expressed its concern and rejection of the possibility of disappearing the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) and merged it with the Ministries of Economy, and Communications and Transportation.
- The information is attributed to journalist Darío Celis, who pointed out that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador will present a series of reforms that would eliminate several agencies of the federal government, including Sectur.
- The president of the Fematur, Jorge Hernández Delgado, issued a newsletter in which he recalled when the Sectur has been tried to disappear, it was concluded that the budget savings did not justify that this measure implies for tourism in general.
- Delgado pointed out that the measure belittles the country’s global tourist importance and would adversely affect the institutional dynamics that tourism already has at the state and municipal level.
EU will ask for PCR tests but allows cheap ones
- From January 26, the United States will require travelers arriving by air to have a negative PCR test performed 72 hours before their flight departs.
- According to industry sources, the use of the antigen test is a “relief” for tourism entrepreneurs since “it is a faster and more affordable test.”
- Passengers must provide written documentation with the result of the laboratory test in printed or electronic format to the airline.
Mexico, the country most affected by Covid-19 in LATAM
- According to an analysis by the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, Mexico ranks 18th on the list of countries most affected by the coronavirus in terms of travel, and it is the number 1 in Latin America.
- The analysis considered the countries with the greatest loss of income in tourism and their impact on the contribution to their GDP between January and October 2020.
Social network for the tourism industry is announced
- With the aim of reactivating tourism activity, Sales International presented Hablo, the social network that will link companies, organizations and people dedicated to the tourism sector.
- The free platform allows you to create a profile for the user and company with the intention of making themselves known to the world tourism community.
- The platform also offers online training programs for its members’ own professional development.
Airlines
LATAM organizations urge to eliminate restrictions in the air sector
- The international organizations that group the airlines that operate in Latin America expressed their concern about the measures and restrictions that limit travel in the region.
- The agencies ask that the security measures required by the governments be based on the evaluation of risks and opportunity costs for the population.
- All agree that the reimposition of measures such as quarantines, tests or bans on flights to certain destinations, represent a setback to the recovery efforts of sectors such as tourism.
Global Information
The variant of Covid-19 that resists vaccines
- Ravi Gupta, a professor of microbiology at the University of Cambridge, said that the variant called E484K, “is the most worrying of all” due to its impact on the immune response.
- As revealed by laboratory tests, the organism seems to recognize the virus less, thus reducing its neutralization by antibodies.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
January 11th Update
New cases per day: 10,003
Confirmed: 1,534,039
Suspects: 410,574
Deaths per day: 502
Deaths: 133,706
Update: January 10th, 2021, 7:00 pm
First case with new strain of coronavirus Covid-19 is detected
- Health authorities detected in our country a case with the new strain, identified in the United Kingdom and known as B117.
- The carrier is a 56-year-old citizen of the United Kingdom, who arrived in Mexico City from Amsterdam and then he moved to Matamoros, Tamaulipas.
- Although the patient was asymptomatic, he underwent a test on December 31 by indications from his company, where his infection was confirmed.
- The patient was kept in isolation and on January 4 he was taken to a hospital due to an oxygen desaturation of 84 percent, and on January 9 he was intubated.
Local Tourism
Cancun hotels will offer PCR tests
- Hoteliers of the destination will facilitate PCR tests after Canada announced that it will require the test to passengers from the Caribbean to enter that country.
- Preventing the United States from doing the same after Biden’s takeover, the trade is negotiating with laboratories to reduce costs and establish contact centers at the airport or some hotels in Cancun.
- In Cancun there are three points that could be used for mass tests: Coral Beach hotel, Plaza Flamingos and the Maya Museum.
Is anticipated a “Critical situation” for Covid-19 after opening to tourism in Guerrero
- The Health Ministry of the entity warned that in the coming days there will be an increase in infections, deaths and hospital occupation by Covid-19.
- He explained that hospital occupancy in the first days of January increased to 45 percent when since September it had remained at 25 percent.
- He also commented that in the first 10 days of January, 139 people died from Covid-19, an average of 15 deaths per day.
Travel Industry
Xcaret postpones “Travesía Sagrada Maya 2021”
- Grupo Xcaret made the decision to postpone the emblematic event due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenge involved in gathering the participants.
- In the event, more than 300 participate will participate and it involves having meetings and rowing practices where it is not possible to keep a healthy distance.
CNET demands reopening of restaurants
- The National Tourism Business Council (Consejo Nacional Empresarial Turística) urged the Mexico City and Estado de Mexico authorities to authorize the immediate reopening of restaurants in Valle de Mexico for the critical situation the sector due to pandemic.
- The restaurant trade asks to allow the opening to 25 percent of capacity in closed areas and 35 in open areas, as well as a closing time at 10 p.m. and closing on Mondays.
Restaurant owners challenge authority and reopen from today
- Mexico City and Estado de Mexico restaurant owners decided to challenge the sanitary measures established by local governments and will open from today with food service in physical areas.
- The president of the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Restaurantes y Alimentos Condimentados, Canirac) said that, if necessary, they will offer food on the street, as they allow street vendors.
- According to Canirac, during the pandemic 13,500 restaurants have closed and 500,000 jobs have been lost in the Valle de Mexico alone.
Airlines
Strike breaks out at Interjet
- After months without being paid, airline workers decided to start a strike.
- The leaders of Section 15 of the Confederación de Trabajadores de México, accompanied by ground workers, flight attendants and pilots, placed the red-black flags at the airline counters at the Mexico City International Airport and in other service points throughout the country.
- The workers demand the payment of more than four months of salary, benefits, Savings Fund and bonuses; in addition to non-compliance with payments in Infonavit, Fonacot and in their IMSS contributions, all retained and not reported to the corresponding institutions.
Viva Aerobus, about to equal its 2019 numbers
- The airline transported one million 103 thousand 42 passengers during December, just 2.98 percent less than that registered in the same month of 2019.
- Preliminary figures speak of a year-end with 8 million 122 thousand 815 customers, a decrease of 32.4 percent, compared to the 12 million 19 thousand 114 passengers mobilized in all of 2019.
Viva Aerobus displaces Interjet
- Club América informed that now Viva Aerobus will be who carry its sponsorships and it will have the title of its Official Airline.
- The airline will be responsible for the safe and reliable transportation of the teams to the destinations where all the games will be played this year.
Global Information
Pfizer vaccine would neutralize new strains of Covid
(Source: El Universal newspaper)
- BioNTech / Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine would be effective against a “key mutation” in the British and South African variants of the coronavirus, the lab reported.
- According to the results of laboratory studies, antibodies from people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine neutralize SARS-CoV-2 with a key mutation that is also found in two highly communicable strains identified in the UK and South Africa.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
January 6th Update
New cases per day: 11,271
Confirmed: 1,466,490
Suspects: 403,467
Deaths per day: 1,065
Deaths: 128,822
Update: January 5th, 2021, 7:00 pm
Covid-19 vaccine will arrive in Mexico next week
- President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that his government will begin the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines to all 32 states of the country starting next week.
- So far, the vaccine has been applied 82% of the 53,625 doses received to health personnel in Coahuila, Nuevo León, Mexico City, the State of Mexico and other entities where the outbreak of the disease is at its highest peak.
- López Obrador reiterated the promise to vaccinate the nearly 15 million adults over 60 years of age who live in Mexico by the end of March.
Local Tourism
Cancun advances in tourism recovery
- The destination closed 2020 with positive figures, reaching 54.2 percent of hotel occupancy during the last days of December.
- The municipal president of Benito Juárez stated that thanks to the implementation of international health protocols, the confidence of tourists was strengthened.
Quintana Roo promotes reduction of plastics in tourism
- The state government will make available a practical guide to using less new material, reducing waste and making better use of it.
- The tool will allow hotels to lower their operating costs, while helping to reduce the generation of disposable plastic waste.
Ministry of Health warns about false vaccination brigades in Cancun
- The authority of health in the state warned the population about people who illegally offer vaccines against Covid-19 in exchange for Mexican voting credentials.
- The Ministry described the situation, detected in Cancun and Isla Mujeres, as “a fraud” and urged the population not to provide personal information or property to people who come to their home offering vaccines.
Travel Industry
Canada will require PCR test and quarantine for travel
- The new restriction, imposed by the Canadian government effective January 7, will require all passengers entering the country to submit a negative PCR test for Covid-19.
- The measure is in addition to the mandatory 14-day quarantine imposed on incoming tourists, strengthening restrictions and limiting the reactivation of trips.
- The airlines that operate in the nation protested against the measure as it was announced with very little anticipation due to the test requires a result of no more than 72 hours.
Marriott lands in Tulum with the new Aloft Tulum
- The chain will open the new Aloft Tulum, a hotel managed by Highgate Hotels, next February.
- Marriot will also bring its Edition luxury brand to the Riviera Maya within an ambitious expansion plan in Mexico where it plans to open this 180-room complex by winter 2021.
Complicated first semester for tourism is anticipated
- The president of the German Tourism consortium, TUI anticipated this transition scenario before tourism recovers the movement prior to the crisis of the pandemic.
- However, the head of TUI was hopeful that vaccination against the coronavirus will soon make restrictions unnecessary and that tourist trips will grow faster than trips for work reasons.
Airlines
Viva adds flights to Houston
- The airline strengthened its presence in Houston with its new route from Cancun, which is already operating with one flight a week.
- Viva also increased its operation at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport this January, offering the destination up to 6 flights a week from Mexico City. And from Monterrey, the airline also operates up to 11 frequencies a week.
Interjet keeps cessation of operations until February
- The airline canceled all its operations in January 2021 and only the merchandising can be viewed on its online portal, until February.
- Interjet holds the contingency responsible for Covid-19 and that it has affected all tourism.
Global Information
UK reports new record of Covid cases in one day
- According to official figures, the nation surpassed 60,000 cases on Tuesday for the first time since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic began in the country.
- The figure was recorded after that on Monday for the seventh consecutive day, new infections increased by more than 50 thousand.
Coronavirus cases in Mexico
January 4th Update
New cases per day: 5,511
Confirmed: 1,448,755
Suspects: 400,142
Deaths per day: 362
Deaths: 127,213
Update: January 3rd, 2021, 7:00 pm
AMLO reported the number of vaccinated in the country
(Source: Reforma newspaper)
- The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), affirmed the country has “almost 40 thousand” people vaccinated against Covid-19.
- He said that Mexico is the first country in Latin America located in the first places in applied vaccines.
- AMLO added that by the end of January there will be a little more than 1,400,000 doses of vaccines.
Local Tourism
Beach destinations close the year with 60% occupancy
- According to figures from the Ministry of Tourism, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and Cancun closed the year with more than 60 percent hotel occupancy.
- Miguel Torruco, Minister of Tourism, reported that, on average, in 12 representative tourist destinations were reported a room reservation of 43.4 percent at the end of 2020.
- The Association of Hotels of Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres (La Asociación de Hoteles de Cancún, Puerto Morelos e Isla Mujeres) reported that occupancy, at the end of the year, was, in general average for the three destinations, of 58.8 percent.
Tourist revenue drops in Guerrero
- During the holiday season, the main tourist destinations of the entity dropped more than 3 billion pesos compared to the same period of the previous year.
- According to data from the Ministry of Tourism in Guerrero, the economic income in December 2020 was 1,340 million pesos in Acapulco, Taxco and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, against 4,756 million pesos that were raised in 2019.
- The authority reported that Guerrero tourist destinations presented a 44 percent decrease in influx and hotel occupancy compared to last year.
Covid-19 cases increase in Mexico
- The Ministry of Health in Sonora reported that the Covid-19 pandemic has claimed the lives of 4,448 people, it has reached 50,918 infections and 44,640 patients have recovered.
- Morelos reached 10 thousand 25 confirmed cases and one thousand 658 deaths from Covid-19, reported the Ministry of Health of the state.
- In Nuevo León, 692 infections and 33 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, reaching a total of 124,621 positive cases since the start of the pandemic, and 6,612 deaths.
Travel Industry
Mexico, among the least affected in tourism in 2020: Sectur
- Miguel Torruco, head of the Ministry of Tourism (Secretaría de Turismo, Sectur) revealed that among the ten countries with the highest reception of tourism, Mexico registered a drop of 44.3 percent compared to the previous year.
- Torruco pointed out that, of the 10 tourism world power, Mexico turned out to be the nation with the least loss in visitor influx and foreign exchange earnings.
- The list of countries with the greatest loss in the reception of tourism is headed by China, with a disaster of 84 percent.
Mexican agencies suffer for new restrictions
- Peru, one of the main favorite destinations for Mexicans in South America, reported that, as of January 4, it will require mandatory 14-day quarantine from all foreign tourists.
- While passengers are willing to undergo a test (PCR), they are not willing to stay in quarantine for 14 days.
- Argentina keeps its land and air borders closed until January 8. However, a new total quarantine could start from January 15.
Grupo Posadas defaults on payments to continue operating
- The hotel group did not make the interest payment as part of the measures to face the challenges resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.
- The amount of approximately 15.5 million dollars, was omitted by the hotel operator was forced to sustain this measure to ensure the continuity of its business.
- Hoteliers reported that the objective is to prioritize the use of cash resources for the company’s operating activities.
Airlines
Interjet still does not face its customers and collaborators
- The airline still does not face its customers by not answering the phones and by not validating the flight coupons of some customers who had reservations to fly in the next few days.
- It is known of a class action lawsuit filed by the Tec Check company with the Consumer Attorney General’s Office, in which the institution is asked to publicly postulate on the validity of the coupons.
Global Information
United Kingdom reached new record of infections in 24 hours
- The nation added 58,784 new infections by Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, a new record for daily infections.
- Given the figures of daily infections caused in large part by the new most transmissible strain of the virus, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce new restrictions in England after Scotland has already decreed another total lockdown for the month of January.