If you’ve been putting off making your vacation hotel reservations for popular beach hotspots like Cancun and Tulum for the holidays, the window in the Mexican Caribbean is quickly closing.
This is evident from news reports from 24 Hours Quintana RooExpect the more than 130,000 hotel rooms in popular Mexican Caribbean tourist resorts such as Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Cozumel and Tulum 90 95 percent occupancy for the fall and winter holiday seasons.
Strong bookings for the Cancun region through 2024
Reservations are currently pouring in for the popular autumn and winter holidays. This means that hotel properties expect an occupancy rate of more than 90 percent in the high season.
Additionally, Amazingly, they are already reporting advanced bookings for popular resorts in Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Tulum for Easter and the 2024 spring break, along with what is typically the slower summer season.
According to Miriam Cortés Franco, president of the Vacation Codes Association, reservations are already strong for the upcoming travel seasons, but are only expected to increase as the holiday season approaches.
Cortés Franco even hinted that many of the main resorts in the tourist zone of Mexican-Caribbean hotspots Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Cozumel and Tulum are likely to be close to sold out, if not completely full, during the peak season.
Hotel properties surprised by advanced bookings
Chairman of the Caribbean Hotel Council Tono Chaves noted that the Advanced bookings for spring break and the slower off-peak summer season have honestly overwhelmed many hotel properties.
He said this type of activity is something the hotels and resorts in Cancun and Tulum haven’t seen in several years.
While it provides comfort for the hotels and resorts in the Mexican Caribbean, it only means that travelers have to prepare their vacation plans to the beach resort destination even more in advance.
What drives the reservations?
The popularity of Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Cozumel and Tulum as tourist destinations leads to an increased number of visitors to the area.
The growth in demand for hotel rooms in the Mexican Caribbean has led to the opening of a third international airport in the area, the Tulum International Airport, in December this year.
Add to that the increase in flights to Cancun by Frontier Airlines, American Airlines and others and that just means additional passengers are traveling to the area.
What travelers need to know
The demand for hotel and resort rooms for a holiday in the Mexican Caribbean means that tourists have to book their room even earlier than in the past.
Previously, the booking window was just a few weeks before you went on holiday. Now, Visitors should reserve their hotel room or vacation rental at least six months in advance to get the best location and price.
Travelers should also anticipate higher room rates, as demand for the top resorts drives up the price hotels can charge, especially during peak seasons such as the fall and winter holidays.
The good news for tourists is that the additional number of flights and the opening of Tulum airport should keep airfares stable. It can even contribute to price wars that can put downward pressure on prices.
Travelers should be aware that fares for flights to Tulum have recently been set higher than those to Cancun. Budget-minded travelers may consider flying into Cancun’s older international airport and taking transportation to Tulum to save money.
Additionally, recent studies have shown that rates per room night are lower for vacation rentals than for luxury full-service resorts.
Tulum has a large number of cheaper holiday homes. However, that may change due to demand for rooms from the opening of Tulum International Airport later this year.
