Share the article
Last updated
Travelers looking for a sun-filled vacation in Mexico usually have a select number of beach destinations to choose from.
Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos are the main beach getaways, but there are so many other beaches to visit.
Whether it’s quiet towns like Loreto, underrated resorts or digital nomad hubs like Puerto Escondido, Mexico is the place to be for an incredible beach trip.
For various reasons, a Mexican beach town has lost its luster over the years, but is still a household name.
Holidaymakers often choose the most popular beaches, but 2024 is the year to give this, let’s say iconic, beach destination another chance.
What happened to Acapulco?
Let’s go back in time for a moment.
Before the swanky five-star resorts of Los Cabos and all the sleepy beach towns turned into popular holiday destinations, there was the beautiful seaside town of Acapulco.
Known worldwide as the place to be, Acapulco became the shining star of Mexico for years.
The state of Guerrero’s most recognizable seaside resort has skyrocketed in popularity to this day.
Since the days of being mentioned in Frank Sinatra’s songs, when the rich and famous set their sights on Acapulco as their destination of choice, crime has been a huge factor for the entire state.
Today, the US State Department placed Guerrero on its ‘Do Not Travel’ list, citing violent crime and unpredictable checkpoints by armed personnel.
The advisory goes so far as to ban government personnel from visiting tourist areas, including Acapulco.
As crazy as it sounds, some may remember viral videos of violent attacks on jet skis at beach resorts in recent years, which certainly didn’t help Acapulco’s reputation.
The good news is that Acapulco is ready to turn the page and is committed to making the necessary changes to become a major player in tourism again.
Acapulco is ready for a revival
Acapulco may not want to call it a comeback since they’ve been here for years, but they’re certainly ready for a hard reset.
The beautiful beach city has declared 2024 the stepping stone to a historic tourism revival.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day,” as they say, but Acapulco is a step forward, as the city isn’t starting from scratch.
Of course, progress takes time, and this certainly won’t be an overnight transition to a place tourists consider safe.
Only time will tell if the US State Department will lower their advisory level for the region, but Acapulco is doing its best to increase safety measures for tourists.
Mexico thrives on tourism, and an important factor is ensuring that tourists not only feel safe, but also that they return home unscathed.
Acapulco is investing heavily in security by deploying more National Guard troops, while construction of twelve new barracks is underway.
The National Guard will focus heavily on tourist areas and monitor public transportation.
Beach resorts are back
Not only has crime become a deterrent for travelers with much safer destinations in other parts of Mexico, but also a disastrous hurricane that is destroying hotel grounds.
Hurricane Otis devastated southern Guerrero in 2023, causing severe damage to many beach resorts.
Reports indicate that Acapulco’s accommodations are almost halfway to previous levels, with 7,000 rooms currently open to holidaymakers.
There were about 19,000 before the hurricane wreaked havoc, but Acapulco is focusing on taking small steps to make a big comeback.
One of the best parts of Acapulco is staying at beachfront hotels, which are located around the famous Acapulco Bay and extend further along the scenic coastline.
With premium prices for some of the more popular Mexican vacation hotspots, one way to entice travelers to vacation here is the much lower resort prices.
The 5 stars Hotel Las Brisas Acapulco is under $100 for many dates in the spring, and under $100 for many others.
American Airlines is the only U.S. airline flying to Acapulco and offering connectivity through Dallas, otherwise travelers in Mexico will have to connect until more flights are added.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to the latest Travel Off Path breaking travel news, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
