State offers both beaches and culture
IAN STALKER
A tourism body promoting the Caribbean-fronting Mexican state of Quintana Roo says that the jurisdiction offers visitors an unmatched fusion of cultures and landscapes that make it attractive to people curious about experiencing different aspects of our planet on the same trip.
Lizzie Cole — executive director of promotion for Quintana Roo Tourism Board — notes that her part of the world marks the spot where the Caribbean Sea meets Mexico, something she says should be appreciated by visitors.
“We have a unique blend of attractions that you cannot find anywhere else,” she said during a recent Toronto visit. “First we are Mexico and and, second, we are the Caribbean.”
Quintana Roo has built a huge tourism following, with such tourism hotspots as Cancun and the Riviera Maya drawing millions of visitors a year. But Cole adds that her “huge state” has many different sides, praising the southern part of Quintana Roo as a particularly natural and authentic area where tourists can explore numerous Maya archeological sites.
Quintana Roo tourism authorities routinely cite white-sand beaches, archeological sites that Cole said are often “stunning,” modern resorts in the major tourism centres and traditional communities when promoting their part of the world.
Mexican Caribbean business cards actually replace the A in Mexican with an image of a tiered Maya temple, underlining Quintana Roo’s Maya legacy.
Cole said Quintana Roo tourism has rebounded from the darkest days of the pandemic, noting airplane traffic at Cancun’s airport is above 2019 levels, welcome news for a state in which the governor labelled tourism an “essential activity.”
“Everything is back on track,” Cole said.
Covid restrictions have been eased noticeably, although some venues such as airports and some shops may require them.
Cancun now has some 42,000 hotel rooms of the over 123,000 hotel rooms found in Quintana Roo, with Cole labelling the “variety of lodging” in Cancun as amazing. As well, the culinary scene in Cancun has actually grown during the pandemic, she added.
Cole in turn declared that Playa del Carmen is the “heart of the Riviera Maya” and “any type of accommodation you’re looking for will find there.”
She said the island of Cozumel offers visitors “wonderful diving,” while those who venture south to the city of Chetumal — found close to the Belize border — can visit archeological sites that aren’t as well known as such Yucatan Peninsula sites as Tulum and Chichen-Itza but which remain interesting.
Chetumal and the surrounding area don’t see large numbers of tourists and have smallish hotels. Visitors will be able to “forget about the world” while vacationing in the area, which has a relaxed ambiance.
More information can be found at www.mexicancaribbean.travel/.
On hand for a Toronto event promoting the Mexican Caribbean were Evelyn Pintado; Manuel Paredes Mendoza, Riviera Maya Hotel Association; Cole; and Laura Nesteanu and Allison Ferguson, who represent the Mexican Caribbean in this country.
