Quintana Roo

When the federal government announced on Dec. 30 its new COVID-19 testing requirement for all arriving passengers, countries around the world were left scrambling to accommodate Canadians in destination who suddenly needed a PCR test three days before returning home.

The Mexican Caribbean has done all that it can to protect both travellers and residents throughout the pandemic, implementing a wide array of protocols across its tourism sector. Its efforts have certainly paid off – since reopening to tourism, there has been no reported rise in COVID-19 cases in the region. In this edition of Take Five, we sit down with Elizabeth Cole Guerrero, Executive Director of the Quintana Roo Tourism Board, to discuss what kind of numbers the region is expecting this winter season and what the current vibe is like in its most popular tourist destinations.

A strengthening Tropical Storm Zeta is expected to become a hurricane Monday as it heads toward the eastern end of Mexico's resort-dotted Yucatan Peninsula and then likely move on for a possible landfall on the central U.S. Gulf Coast at midweek.

Quintana Roo is sounding the all-clear following a lashing from Hurricane Delta, which made landfall Oct. 7 starting at 5:30 a.m.

Hurricane Delta made landfall Wednesday just south of the Mexican resort of Cancun as an extremely dangerous Category 2 storm, downing trees and knocking out power along the northeastern coast of Yucatan Peninsula, but without immediate reports of deaths or injuries.

With more Caribbean destinations reopening for tourism, tour operators launching winter programs and major players introducing COVID-19 insurance coverage, now’s the time to check in with clients to see who is making winter travel plans. 

Registration is now open for Travelweek’s Mexican Caribbean Virtual Seminar, set to take place on Aug. 20.

The Mexican Caribbean, which started its gradual reopening to tourists on June 8, has approximately 30% of hotel rooms now open and anticipates seeing this increase to 45% by June 15.

Following news of a new Clean & Safe Check Certification program in the Mexican Caribbean, the Quintana Roo Tourism Board (CPTQ) has unveiled a reactivation campaign aimed at highlighting the diversity of the region once global travel resumes.

The Mexican Caribbean has officially launched its Clean & Safe Check Certification in anticipation of the reopening of the tourism industry on June 8, says Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez, Governor of Quintana Roo.