Cancun, Cozumel dodge Dean's destruction - reopen fast

From the perspective of many of the people who inhabit parts of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Hurricane Dean was a disaster. Mexican authorities are still assessing the damage. From the perspective of the lucrative tourist industry that drives much of the region's economy, the storm could have been far, far worse. That's because the region's two prime draws - Cancun (CUN) and Cozumel (CZM) - were spared Dean's full fury.

The Cancun, Cozumel, and Merida (MID) airports are all open again for business. Grupo Aeroportaurio del Sureste (ASUR), the entity that operates the three fields reports “no damage to the airports' infrastructures”.

That's good, especially at Cancun, the prime international tourist artery for the area, and an airport that recently opened a magnificent new terminal to accommodate all the growth.

Airlines are resuming service to airports in the northern Yucatan. Continental Airlines is a case in point. The carrier, a major Central American player, says it has resumed a normal flight schedule to both Cancun and Merida.

The region's tourism authorities are anxious to get the word out that they're ready for visitors. “Cozumel is in excellent shape, and the island's tourism infrastructure is completely intact,” says a prepared release from a PR firm representing that resort area. “Fortunately, the hurricane did not pass through the island,” says Raul Marrufo, Director General of the Cozumel Tourism Promotion Board. He insists: “the island is set to resume operations on Wednesday (August 22) - including local schools, restaurants, and more.”

As for cruise ships, the release says they will begin returning on Thursday (August 23).

One of Cancun's premier hotels, the Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort, reports it “did not suffer any structural damage”. It plans to reopen on Thursday (August 23). Workers are busy cleaning up scatter debris and fallen trees.

Earlier in the week, when Dean's path was unknown, Yucatan's tourist infrastructure was preparing for the worst, a replay of the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Wilma two years ago. That storm crippled the local economy, and affected visitorship for months.

Not this time, not this hurricane.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler

Comments

[Chris Skelton]

I'm so glad there was minimal damage. I plan to return there for the Christmas holidays. I remember seeing damage there from previous weather systems. The island is not 100 percent from those. There is so much beautiful wildlife to see, and the coral also.