Hoteliers in Mexican Caribbean Pin Hopes on 85,600 Event Attendants

Following a bonanza that stretched out for nearly a month and a half with thousands of tourists flocking to Cancun and other sightseeing spots in the state –where they spent some $130 million- the local hotel sector is now hoping against hope that conventions could take up that occupancy slack of coming weeks.

After logging occupancy rates of up to 100 percent in hotels, the tourist meltdown that started last week with the beginning of the school year is now making a dent in the hotel industry.

Jose Chapur Zahoul, chairman of the Quintana Roo Hotels Association (AHQROO) says that regardless of a not so dramatic slowdown in hotel bookings, the destination will continue to snare scores of visitors.

“We won’t see a real downfall until a few weeks from now because summer breakers will start swarming over the location as soon as the weather gets balmy. Moreover, there’ll be lots of people coming to town for events and conventions,” he explained.

Officials from the Cancun Center –formerly known as the Conference Center- say there’ll be a grand total of 123 events this year with a turnout of 85,600 attendants. Some 44 other events that could bring roughly 43,000 additional visitors to the state still remain unconfirmed.

Mr. Zahoul notes Cancun is benefiting from the federal decision to levy no taxes on conventions, from a stronger U.S. economy and a rising European currency.

The estimates reckoned by local tourism authorities were at least outdone in the course of the now waning high-peak season, as the state nabbed $89 million instead of the projected $62.5 million.

As far as the Spring Break season is concerned, authorities had considered $40 million worth of revenues, though no on-the-record figures have been disclosed yet.

”Business meetings have generated good investments, and that can only be done through a well-defined promotional campaign,” Mr. Zahoul concluded.