While the meeting and convention industry has been focusing on the continuing recovery of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, another hurricane-battered destination has been getting back on its feet as well.
Following a visit to Cancun last month, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli lauded Mexico’s quick recovery from the effects of Hurricane Wilma.
“Getting these resorts back into action so quickly after such a destructive hurricane is a credit to the combined efforts of both public and private sectors in Mexico,” Frangialli said. “With climate change increasingly threatening the livelihood of the tourism industry, the speed and efficiency shown in the recuperation of these resorts is worthy of being a role model to be followed by other destinations around the world.”
According to the Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau, as of April 30 about two-thirds of the destination’s 27,822 lodging units were open. The latest resort to reopen is the Hyatt Cancun Golf & Spa Resort, complete with a $40 million dollar renovation. This includes the restoration of its white sand beach, which was formerly 150-feet wide and has now been extended by another 50 feet.