Mexico's Caribbean tourism resurfacing

[George]

Mexico's Caribbean tourism resurfacing

By Jayne Clark, USA TODAY

Even as Mexican tourism officials sound the all-clear for parts of its Caribbean playground ravaged by Hurricane Wilma last month, potential visitors may find the destination cumbersome and costly to access thanks to cutbacks in air service among U.S. carriers.
 
  In Cancun: Hurricane Wilma left a swath of destruction in October, and only about 20% of the area's hotel rooms have reopened. 
Israel Leal, AP

American Airlines, a major player in the market, won't resume normal schedules until February, though it has added flights in December to meet holiday demand. United, Delta and Continental also have reduced service until at least mid-December. US Airways resumes its full schedule Dec. 1.

In the meantime, officials hoping to salvage the lucrative winter season are trying to balance visitor expectations with post-Wilma realities.

"We want to be very direct with people so (they) can decide whether they want to go," says Mexican tourism minister Rodolfo Elizondo. Clearly, officials hope they will, given that the region generates 38% of the nation's foreign visitor revenue.

The area has three distinct vacation meccas, some more heavily affected than others. But overall, visitors in coming weeks and months can expect to see stripped foliage, some beach erosion and varying amounts of ongoing reconstruction. Still, roads reportedly are clear. Electricity has been restored. Gradually, hotels are reopening, as are restaurants and attractions.

If you're considering a trip, ask about the status of facilities, beach conditions and surrounding areas. An update:

• On the Mayan Riviera, an 81-mile stretch south of Cancun, about 70% of the 25,000 rooms are open. Because of spillover demand from harder-hit Cancun, it's unlikely there'll be discounts this season, says Michael Halle, who owns a local reservation agency.

• About four miles of Cancun's 15 miles of sugary beaches were decimated and another five-plus miles suffered erosion. But five miles at the north end of the hotel zone actually gained ground. A $20 million beach restoration project is due to begin in a month. As of midweek, about 5,500 of the resort's 28,000 rooms have reopened, and officials forecast close to 12,000 will be habitable by Dec. 20. Some observers expect high-season discounts to rekindle demand.

• Shallow-water reefs off Cozumel, a renowned dive haunt, were damaged, but officials say they're "optimistic" about the state of deep-water reefs. Cruise ships returned this week. Most in-town hotels are open, but the island's major oceanfront resorts won't begin receiving guests until January.

As a whole, the region has "done a tremendous amount of work in a short period of time," says Bill La Macchia, Jr., of Mark Travel Corp., which sends about a million tourists annually to Mexico. "Our biggest problem is there isn't the level of demand. We're worried more about demand than capacity."