The Mexican Caribbean is a favorite holiday destination for sunseekers thanks to its miles of pristine beaches, spectacular scenery, diverse culinary options, archeological sites, and vibrant culture. While the coronavirus pandemic had a huge impact on tourism in the destination, the state of Quintana Roo has seen a considerable decrease in the number of COVID-19 infections. Due to the drop in the number of cases, Quintana Roo is now green in the national traffic light system.
COVID Traffic Light System
Ever since the pandemic hit, Mexico has been using a traffic light system to indicate the severity of coronavirus cases in Quintana Roo and other states. The traffic light system includes four colors: green, yellow, orange, and red. Green indicates a low risk of contagion while red indicates a maximum risk of contagion.
The state of Quintana Roo is currently green, indicating a low-level health alert, which is great news for travelers who are hoping to vacation in Cancun over the holidays.
Currently 27 of the 32 states in Mexico are green and 5 are yellow. The states in yellow include: Baja California (the northern part of the peninsula), Baja California Sur, Sonora, Chihuahua, and Coahuila. All other states are in the low-risk green traffic light status. Even though almost all of the states have achieved a green light, they have not lowered their guard and continue to be cautious to avoid COVID-19 outbreaks. The Secretary of State for Health in Mexico has explained that once the traffic light color changes to a low-risk alert, there will be no modifications to the sanitization measures that were carried out at the other higher risk stoplights. The change to the green traffic light does not mean that coronavirus has been eradicated, it just means that there is a lower risk of infection.
Tourism in Quintana Roo
Quintana Roo´s economy is very dependent on tourism, which is why it is very important for the destination to control the epidemic in a sustained way and make efforts to reduce the risk of transmission.
According to Marisol Vanegas Pérez, Head of Quintana Roo’s Ministry of Tourism, in 2020 there was a pandemic-related decrease in overnight visitors between 32 and 34% compared to the previous year’s records. Hopefully when the numbers for 2021 come in, they will indicate economic recovery due to the efforts made to contain the epidemic.
The interventions that the health authorities implemented in Quintana Roo include stricter health and sanitization protocols, social distancing, the mandatory use of face masks and hand sanitizer, and temperature checks. Additional measures included reducing hours in restaurants, closing non-essential businesses, canceling events and avoiding large public gatherings. The joint activities between the government and its citizens managed to go a long way in reducing the transmission of the epidemic. Due to these efforts, it is expected that over the Christmas season hotel occupancy in Cancun, Riviera Maya, and Cozumel will reach normal levels. This gives us hope that there will be an eventual return to ’normality’.
If you have made vacation plans to travel over the holiday season, if everyone continues to take the necessary health and safety measures, including getting fully vaccinated, it makes it possible to travel and enjoy at least a few days on the beautiful beaches of Cancun. If you are traveling to Mexico over the holidays, don’t forget to wear a mask and wash your hands regularly. When in public areas make sure to maintain a healthy social distance of at least 6 feet from other people who are not traveling with you.
Pre-departure COVID-19 testing is now required in the USA, Canada, the UK, and other countries. Check the COVID-19 requirements for reentry to your country before making your travel plans and make sure to stay up-to-date with the latest information, as it continuously changes.
Holidays in Mexico
If you are planning to spend the Holidays in Mexico, Garza Blanca Cancun is a brand new resort, which is gearing up to celebrate its grand opening in early winter 2022. It has been on a soft open since December 15th, 2020 and phase 3 of 4 is complete. Be one of the first to stay in contemporary luxury accommodation in a prime beach location once the resort is fully finished. Upon completion it will boast 452 luxury suites, lofts, and penthouses; 4 gourmet restaurants; a Rooftop restaurant and bar with an adults-only infinity pool; a Kids’ Club, world-class spa, state-of-the-art-gym, an opulent ballroom for weddings and events; and more!
Now that the state is green in the national traffic light system, people can get back to their vacation plans and enjoy this beautiful destination. We hope to see you here soon.
