TRAVEL
Acapulco, Mexico. (Photo Credit: rafalkubiak/Adobe)
Mexico’s tourism industry this year has started with positive numbers, mainly in destinations such as Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and Mexico City, places that have recorded high numbers of visitors from the United States and Canada, mainly.
Meanwhile, Acapulco is gradually recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Otis, which hit that area of the Pacific several months ago.
Mexico started 2024 receiving more international tourists, capturing higher income from foreign visitors, and obtaining an average expenditure of these tourists (who arrive in the country by air), higher than in the same period of 2023.
With data from the International Traveler Surveys of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi), the consultancy specialized in tourism, Gemes, announced that, in January, 3.6 million tourists arrived in Mexico, 124 thousand more than in 2023, which represented a growth of 3.6 percent.
On the other hand, each international visitor spent, on average, 808 dollars, which is the second-highest figure recorded. While the average spending of tourists arriving by air recorded an all-time high of $1,262. The total revenue collection for international visitors was 3,143 million dollars, representing the highest revenue in a month of January.
The consultancy firm Gemes reports that, in February 2024, the four airports that recorded the largest influx of foreign tourists were Cancun, Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos. These are the percentage increases reported compared to 2023:
- Cancun — 10.7 percent
- Mexico City — 2.4 percent
- Puerto Vallarta — 14 percent
- Los Cabos — 5.7 percen
Cancun Airport, which receives visitors mainly from the United States and Canada, recorded the arrival of more than 1 million travelers, which accounted for more than 46 percent of international arrivals in Mexico.
Acapulco Is Back After Hurricane Otis
Months after the devastating Hurricane Otis, the port of Acapulco has begun to recover and has already hosted international events such as the Tianguis Turístico 2024, in which 43 countries participated, as well as sports competitions such as the Mexican Tennis and the GNP Acapulco P1 Premium Padel.
As part of the work of the Tianguis Turístico 2024, the most important trade fair of the industry in Latin America, Miguel Torruco, Minister of Tourism of Mexico, said that about 36,000 business appointments were held in which 1,115 buyers and 833 companies participated.
He said that, after the effects of Hurricane Otis, Acapulco again began to be one of the main destinations for domestic and foreign visitors. This was demonstrated during the past Easter holidays and on the days that the Tianguis Turístico 2024 was developed, in which there was a hotel occupancy of 9,500 available rooms, which meant more than a 13 percent increase.
Little by little, this famous Pacific resort recovers the activities of the tourism industry and, in addition to starting to rehabilitate hotels, tour operators have returned to offer the products that for years have been distinctive of Acapulco, such as the emblematic nailed Playa Pie de la Cuesta (with its beautiful sunsets), Papagayo Park, Fort of San Diego, and Punta Diamante, and the iconic Quebrada, located in the old area of the port and in which visitors admire expert divers who throw themselves more than 30 meters high.
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Campeche, Campeche
”A fine place to let your imagination run wild. A fortress protected from pirates. A thriving modern city. A colonial gem. The State capital of….Campeche.”
Take your pick.”
Name: From the Mayan name for the City Ah Kim Pech. “Place of snakes and ticks.” The full name is San Francisco de Campeche.
Location: Located on the Gulf Coast on the western side of the Yucatan Peninsula.
”A fine place to let your imagination run wild. A fortress protected from pirates. A thriving modern city. A colonial gem. The State capital of….Campeche.”
Take your pick.”
Weather: Hot in the summer. Hot winters.
January Average Highs 29.1C (84.4F) Lows 18.2C (64.8F)
July Average Highs 34.5C (94.1F) Lows 23.5C (74.3F)
Population: 850,000
Elevation: Sea Level to 10 Meters (30ft)
Founded: Founded in 1540 by Francisco Montejo
Medical: Hospitals, clinics, doctors, dentists
Money: Banks, ATMs
History:
Today:
Getting there:
Drive from.Cancun South on Highway 180 for 170 kilometers for just over 2 hours.
La Paz Baja California Sur
“I remember the first time we saw La Paz. A sunny Sunday morning after we disembarked off a ferry from Mazatlan. It was quiet, peaceful and clean.
“God this is beautiful” I said as we drove down beside the malecon. “Bill I think we should retire here.”
Of course this was only one of the many places in Mexico that we fell in love with. It has remained a very sentimental favorite for us.” Dorothy Bell
Name: La Paz means Peace in Spanish
Founded: May 3 1535
Elevation: – Sea Level
Climate: – Desert. Little rainfall.
Daily average temperature:
January High 23.6 C (74.5F) Low 11.2C (52.2F)
July High 36.6C (97.9F) Low 22.9C (73.2F)
Hurricane season June to November 30.
Rainy season: Minimal rain in the desert. Occasional unpredictable downpours. High humidity July to September.
High Tourist Season – Christmas, Semana Santa (Holy week) The bulk of Americans and Canadians come to La Paz between November and March.
Population – 216,000
History:
Peace? Anything but…
The Spanish conqueror Hernan Cortez arrived on May 3, 1535 in the Bay of La Paz. (Indian hunter gatherers had lived here and throughout the Baja for over 10,000 years previous. You can visit many cave paintings nearby.) Cortez’s attempts at forming a colony – named Santa Cruz – failed.
Sebastián Vizcaíno in 1596 attempted to settle the area again – renaming the settlement La Paz. The Jesuits then built a mission settlement in 1710 but it was abandoned as were the others due to disease, harsh desert climate and the Indian uprisings.
A hurricane destroyed Loreto in 1829 and the capital of the Baja was moved to La Paz.
In 1854 US promoter and entrepreneur William Walker captured the Baja and made La Paz the capital of his newly formed republic. It lasted 5 months as the US didn’t support the annexation.
John Steinbeck wrote the novel “The Pearl” (1947) and discusses La Paz in his “Log from the Sea of Cortez.” The strong pearl diving industry here was destroyed by disease in the 30’s.
The Trans-peninsula highway was completed in 1973 and fisherman, explorers and tourists arrived in droves to discover the marvels of this land.
La Paz Today
La Paz is the Capital city of Baja California Sur and thus has the advantage of government money and educational centers.
It is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy your time under the ancient laurel trees or coconut and date palms.. There are beaches, city plazas and of course the 5 kilometer malecon and a number of places to sit and watch the magnificent sunsets.
Enjoy the city square or the 19th century cathedral. Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Paz by Dominican priests on the site of the city’s original Jesuit mission. You can see pictures from the original mission here.
Seafood, seafood, seafood. Dorado, sailfish, tuna, blue marlin, rock oysters, clams and abalone and lobster. There is a plethora of good eats with some international cuisines fusing with the local. You will find Italian, Japanese and even a very good Chinese restaurant!
Attractions and Activities
French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau dubbed the Sea of Cortez “the aquarium of the world” and La Paz sits at the sea’s southern door. Fishing is excellent and boat charters are much more reasonable than the mega resort are to the south.
The natural environment attracts divers, eco-tourists, naturalists and whale watchers. Whale watching is spectacular and provides eco-friendly employment to many families.
Beaches are plentiful and vary from quiet and deserted to family party places. Take your pick. If you are a boater or kyaker you can explore many pristine islands and beautiful unspoiled bays. There are many small cruise boats for those that want to discover more of this amazing sea playground.
The Regional Anthropology and History Museum of South Baja California the museum has paleontological and archaeological displays about the region including fossils dating back to 60 million years, cave paintings and engraved of the original Indians on the peninsula and the regions missions
Major Events Festivals
There are numerous Mexican Celebrations you can experience in La Paz. It is also known for a very entertaining Carnival in the spring as well as a plethora of off-road races from various parts of the peninsula. Go here for a good local calendar.
Getting there:
Drive Highway 1 down the Baja or ferry from Mazatlan or Topolobampo (Los Mochis) on the mainland of Mexico.
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