CICOTUR Anáhuac Cancun Presents the Outlook of Tourism Activity in the Mexican Caribbean from January to April 2022

At a press conference, the International Faculty of Tourism through CICOTUR Anáhuac Cancún presented a report titled "Outlook of Tourism Activity in the Mexican Caribbean, Information for Business Decision Making" for the period from January to April 2022. The presentation was also coordinated with efforts from the National Tourism Business Council (CNET), the Association of Hotels of Cancún, Isla Mujeres, and Puerto Morelos, Anáhuac Cancún University, and Anáhuac Mexico University.

At the event, Dr. Francisco Madrid Flores, Director of the Tourism Research and Competitiveness Center (CICOTUR) at Anáhuac Mexico University; Mtro. Abraham Mendoza Martínez, Director of the International Faculty of Tourism and Director of the Division of Tourism, Hospitality, and Gastronomy; and Mr. Jesus Almaguer, President of the Association of Hotels of Cancún, Isla Mujeres, and Puerto Morelos, were present.In his presentation, Dr. Francisco Madrid Flores provided statistics on tourism and its performance as a business in the first quarter of 2022. He highlighted several aspects, such as the behavior of the national GDP and the importance of income from tourism for it. For example, a third of the national GDP fell in 2019 because tourism also declined. However, by 2022, the national current account deficit is 6.523 billion pesos, much lower than the 12.027 billion pesos it would be without the participation of the tourism industry.Other notable data include that, compared to the manufacturing, oil, and commercial industries, tourism recovered 5.495 billion dollars this quarter, the only industry with real growth. Another important point is that the United States, Canada, and Colombia are the most important markets with the highest number of travelers to this tourist destination. 

Tourism generated 26,634 formal jobs in the hotel, transportation, and entertainment sectors, and 3.3 million in the restaurant sector. Dr. Madrid made it clear that the recovery and reopening of other tourist destinations post-pandemic would cause the positive tourism numbers in Quintana Roo to decrease due to these alternative vacation spots. Therefore, it is time to inject promotion to tilt travelers' preferences toward the Mexican Caribbean.

Jesus Almaguer, a hotel industry leader, took advantage of the forum to ask the authorities to regulate accommodation platforms, which do not bring any revenue to the State and do not play fair in the sector as they lack regulation, permits, and do not pay any taxes. With this kind of positive action leadership, Anáhuac Cancún University and CICOTUR contribute to development.