Cancun set for another successful tourism year with new hotels, expansions and events

After the success of 2016 and record-breaking visitor number, Cancun is celebrating further growth this year in its tourism industry. Over the next few months, the coastal region in Mexico will open another five hotels with at least 2,300 guest rooms, renovate several existing hotels and resorts, expand its international airport, and host a number of music and food festivals.

Following its success in 2016, Cancun is looking forward to an even more successful year in 2017. Last year, the coastal region in Mexico celebrated record-breaking visitor numbers, with more than five million visitors recorded.

This year, Cancun is looking to record further growth in its tourism industry thanks to a variety of renovations, expansions new hotels and festivals. At least five new hotels are expected to open before the end of the year, bringing another 2,300 guest rooms to the market. Several existing hotels are also undergoing renovation and expansions in the region.

Lizzie Cole Guerrero, the CEO of the Cancun Convention & Visitors Bureau, stated:

“Closing out a successful year, we are very confident about 2017 and the continued growth of the destination.

“With the rise in flights from the U.S. and Canada, it will be easier than ever for tourists to visit Cancun and take advantage of the new hotels and top-notch activities and events that are scheduled for 2017.”

New hotels that have recently opened or are in the pipeline in Cancun include the Hampton Inn by Hilton Cancun Cumbres, which opened in the spring near Pabellon Cumbres Mall, and has 141 guest rooms. There will also be a new 126-room hotel at Cancun International Airport, and the adults-only Hotel Ushuaia Cancun which is owned by Palladium Hotel Group and will have 600 rooms and suites will open on the site of the former Hotel El Pueblito. Next year, the Riu Costa Mujeres resort is scheduled to open at Playa Mujeres on Isla Mujeres, and Hotel Xcaret will open on the grounds of Xcaret Park by December with 900 rooms.

Many hotels will be refurbishing or upgrading their offerings over the next few months. Oasis Hotels and Resorts recently opened the new Oasis Arena, a 30,000-square-foot of event and entertainment space outdoor decks, and poolside terraces. Palace Resorts unveiled The Grand at Moon Palace Cancun, which was part of a $450-million-dollar investment programme; the adults-only Temptation Resort & Spa Cancun will conclude its multimillion-dollar renovations in August; and Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun launched its new kid’s amenities in April, which included a brand new16,145-square-foot outdoor area of its Kidz Club.

Further expansion plans in Cancun include the addition of a new fourth terminal at Cancun International Airport. The terminal will increase the airport’s capacity, making way for extra flights from international destinations. The Kukulcan Plaza shopping centre will complete its renovation programme this year, providing more fashion and lifestyle outlets for visitors, and Downtown Cancun will feature in a public art project with work from international artists and giant murals covering buildings in the Hotel Zone.

Events taking place in Cancun this year include the Whale Shark Festival on Isla Mujeres from 20th to 23rd July, and the sea turtle egg-laying season between May and November where several hotels offer programmes that are dedicated to protecting the endangered marine species. Music lovers will be in for a treat on 15th July when Ricky Martin takes to the stage to perform at Andres Quintana Roo stadium.