Riviera Maya Hotels May ‘Skip’ COVID Restrictions

Hotels in the Riviera Maya May ‘skip’ COVID Restrictions in the middle of the third wave of the pandemic.

RIVIERA MAYA – According to reports, from January to June 2021, approximately 1,300 foreign tourists in Quintana Roo have tested positive for the new coronavirus.

State officials have authorized special permissions to 280 hotels, mainly in Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Cancun allowing them to exceed capacity up to 20 percent higher than the occupancy normally allowed during the orange traffic light.

Last Friday, Cancun, Puerto Morelos and the mainland of Isla Mujeres reported an occupancy of 66 percent. This corresponds to 20,473 reserved rooms of the 47,000 that these three destinations offer collectively.

The Riviera Maya, which includes Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Xcalak and Tulum, reported an occupancy rate of 67 percent with 32,160 of the available 48,200 rooms reserved.

During the orange traffic light, the capacity allowed for hotels is set at 50 percent.

Roberto Cintrón Gómez, President of the Hotel Association, assured that the permits were issued throughout the year and are valid only in the holiday seasons due to the large influx of tourism. He accepted that there may be hotels with occupancy rates that exceed the permitted percentage.

The hotel association leader pointed out that, since the pandemic began, all hotels and resorts have followed very strict safety and hygiene protocols. In recent weeks, some properties have been providing PCR tests for their guests.

He explained that the hotels are very motivated to adhere to the COVID guidelines that are indicated, given the risk that is run should the destination be forced back into the red traffic light.

From January to June 2021, approximately 1,300 foreign tourists have tested positive for COVID in Quintana Roo during the laboratory tests that are carried out before returning to their country. Guests testing positive are required to remain in quarantine in Cancun, reported Alejandra Aguirre Crespo, State Secretary of Health.

The average number of new COVID cases reported in recent weeks is 400, with the group of people between 20 and 35 years old having the highest rate of new infections.

Source: El Economista