Authentic Experiences Drive Yucatan Tourism Growth

by Brian Major
Last updated: 2:00 PM ET, Mon September 9, 2024

Visitors are drawn by the diversity of [attractions] that we are offering.” – Michelle Fridman, state of Yucatan tourism ministry.

Yucatan has long been a tourist draw, but the Mexican state has exploded in popularity among travelers beginning in 2018. Since that time, Yucatan has posted record visitor arrivals straight through the present year.

According to data from Yucatan’s state tourism ministry, visitor arrivals increased by 34.2 percent between 2018 and 2023. Hotel developments surged similarly during that time, with the number of properties growing by more than 30.3 percent. Collectively, the new properties offer 16,483 rooms, a 22.6 percent increase.

The Yucatan attractions drawing visitors include ancient Mayan ruins, beautiful beaches and the destination’s vibrant culinary scene. The state is highlighting those attractions through "365 Days of Yucatan," a promotional initiative focused on more than 365 unique tourism opportunities spanning adventure, luxury, history and wellness pursuits.

Travelers responded strongly to the initiative, said Michelle Fridman, the state’s minister of tourism, driving a record 1.7 million arrivals at Merida International Airport through June. The Tourism Ministry expects to draw four million visitors through the end of 2024. TravelPulse spoke recently with Fridman regarding the state’s tourism success.

TP: How significantly has tourism to the Yucatan state grown following the pandemic period?

MF: Our numbers are hitting records since two years ago; 2022 and 2023 have been the years in which the [largest] amount of tourists have arrived. For the last five years, we have been around a 34 percent [increase] in the arrival of tourists.

TP: Has the state’s tourism infrastructure developed in that time?

MF: Our infrastructure has been growing a lot. We have grown from more than 12,000 [hotel] rooms to almost 17,000 rooms [between 2019 and 2024]. That’s a 23 percent growth in our hotel offers. Our connectivity also has been growing. We have 97 percent more seats on international routes, and 60 percent more passengers [from 2021 through 2024].

TP: What draws visitors to the state?

MF: Visitors are drawn by the diversity of [attractions] that we are offering, including our archaeology, culture, rural tourism, gastronomy, beaches and jungles, cenotes, haciendas and Mayan communities.

TP: What else are travelers coming to see?

MF: Another important new feature is the Tren Maya, so now it’s easier than before to make a peninsular trip. [Travelers] can use the connectivity from Cancun Airport in a different state to explore the rest of the peninsula on the train.

TP: Are there relatively new attractions for travelers to experience?

MF: There are many new activities, but all of them are related to the history of Yucatan. There are [excursions] which allow travelers to go to a Mayan community to take a language lesson or a cooking lesson or do some handcrafts. Those are new tourist activities, but the Mayans have been doing that for thousands of years. They are authentic but also ancient activities. That is the magic of Yucatan.

TP: Are new hotel companies also coming to the destination?

MF: Yes, very important [hotel] brands are arriving. We’re talking about brands such as the Belmond s[and] Six Senses, which are brands that have accepted our vision of remaining local, boutique and overall sustainable.

TP: What should travel advisors know about the state of Yucatan that they may not yet know?

MF: There’s a difference between the state of Yucatan and the Yucatan peninsula. Many people are staying at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun, which has not much to do with Mexican heritage, or even Mexican food, and they’re having to take excursions to Yucatan state.

So one very important factor to know is the geographic difference between Yucatan the state and the peninsula. After they understand that, it would be really important to let them know how our infrastructure and our connectivity has been growing.

TP: What have you observed about traveler behavior post-pandemic?

MF: I think that after the pandemic there are more and more visitors who want authentic experiences, and not so much to go to ‘mass’ destinations. Yucatan has been growing as a very authentic and sustainable destination. We have many beaches, but we don’t have huge resorts on our beaches. We have local gastronomy and a lot of new experiences, so now tourists can choose many [activities] and all of them are authentic.

TP: How does Yucatan compare with “mass” tourism regions including other parts of Mexico?

MF: I can only believe that nowadays we cannot allow ourselves to do that kind of tourism. That’s so 80’s. Destinations should be built in a completely different way. We’re committed to sustainability and we want to preserve our destination and the beauty of it for a long time.

Overall, we want to keep the authenticity of the destination otherwise, we would be what people can already find in many other destinations. If people want what Yucatan offers, they will only find it in Yucatan.?

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