With the start of the low season, the hotel sector has begun remodeling lodging facilities to prepare for the winter season. At least 292 rooms in the city center have already begun work, while in three destinations, including Cancún and Puerto Morelos, the total reaches 2,500.
Jorge Alberto Hernández Martínez, president of the Downtown Hotels Committee, explained that they are beginning the low season with occupancy rates of 40% to 45% and expect to close September, October, and November at around that level, although there is concern about external factors that are already affecting the entire state and could cause those figures to fall even further.
“We are doing everything possible to promote tourism in the city center,” he said, but acknowledged that the current levels are barely sufficient to remain operational.
Hernández Martínez said that so far they have no indication that this season could be worse than in previous years, although they are keeping a close eye on factors such as air connectivity or fuel prices that could worsen at a given moment and affect the flow of visitors.
To try to counteract the low number of visitors, the committee he heads met with 65 travel agents from Cancún and is maintaining talks with the Secretariat of Tourism, the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council (CPTQ), and Rodrigo de la Peña Segura, president of the Cancún, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres Hotel Association, to develop promotions that will allow them to get through the lowest months of the year.
Strategies include discounts of 15% to 25% on rooms, as well as additional amenities such as Mexican nights, buffets, and day passes for the local market. The hotelier said that no downtown hotel has expressed an intention to operate seasonally, as already occurs in Tulum, noting that downtown Cancún has historically reported lower figures than the beach area. Therefore, occupancy rates of 30% or 40% are not desirable, but there is preparation in advance to deal with them.
To avoid layoffs, he acknowledged that they provide vacations and solidarity days to their employees, in addition to temporary closures for remodeling. Regarding requests for loans, he reported that the committee has not been informed of any hotels turning to banks to get through these months.
Part of the actions to cope with the low number of visitors is their participation in the revitalization of Yaxchilán Avenue, where renovations of commercial establishments and restaurants are being prepared.
Source: sipse
