The arrival of the springbreak phenomenon has decreased in Cancun, not due to changes in the segment itself, but due to the emergence of other destinations, coupled with the fact that the Mexican Caribbean has become more expensive, which is positive because it is attracting tourism of higher purchasing power, agreed the businessman Carlos Constandse and the municipal secretary of Tourism, Juan Pablo De Zulueta.
“I think many elements have influenced; they, by nature, change to different countries, to different tourist destinations and I think that for good our prices have increased in general and that is why obviously it is not easy for many to pay, young people especially,” he said.
Therefore, he insisted, the fact that the influx of this specific segment has been reduced, is not necessarily something negative, because the fact that prices increase is a limitation for many to visit the destination, but other segments leave more economic spill.
“Although I have always said that Quintana Roo is so versatile that it authentically has accommodation for all types of people. And I think that the factor that counts the most is that mobility that is being generated naturally, that new destinations open and young people move to those places,” he emphasized.
In this regard, the municipal secretary of Tourism in the Benito Juárez city hall, Juan Pablo De Zulueta, agreed that having so much offer for this segment, the groups of travelers have dispersed to many parts of South America, the Caribbean and in their own country.
“We are working, in fact the secretary of Tourism of the State (that Quintana Roo) is already in the tourist pool of ANATO … I will see if I can go to the ITB fair next week, we are to define, but I think that the strategy is to continue doing a lot of promotion, the segment that we also opened derived from the pandemic, different borders are opening and there are also more options and more varieties for them,” he estimated.
In addition to the promotion, they bet on working on security strategies, promoting the Guest Assist, the attention in the consular house and maintaining constant communication between countries.
Without a doubt, he pointed out, all markets are of great relevance for the destination, because they add to the hotel occupancies, and although there are fewer springbreakers compared to those who arrived more than a decade ago, they represent the increase in the general percentage.
“Cancun is like the number one in Mexico and in second place is Playa del Carmen, then the destinations of Quintana Roo still position themselves as the number one in all of Mexico, then well, I think this is important and continue working in coordination and then continue maintaining these figures and these percentages of hotel occupancy,” he emphasized.
Pandemic changed springbreak behavior
All tourist segments have changed over time, especially after the pandemic, so the springbreak in particular has sought more local destinations such as Miami and others that have sought to generate specific attractions for these vacationers, said Mariana Recio López, director of tourism at the Technological University of Cancun.
“There are changes, not only in the springbreak segment, I think that in general the behavior of the tourist and the needs, and with the pandemic it was another turn; if in this segment of springbreaker we already had changes, with the pandemic it also suffered that modification,” she said.
What this market segment is currently looking for is not to go too far from their place of origin and according to the research that has been carried out within the academic bodies of the university, focused on the different segments that visit the destination, the needs and market trends, they have identified these elements.
In addition, in these investigations they have been given the task of investigating this specific segment and as part of the trends found, destinations within the United States, such as Miami, have been strengthened, but also other destinations in Mexico where they are designing more products very attractive for young people, such as Mazatlan.
“Probably in Cancun they have also stopped promoting products that could be attractive for this segment. In addition to this, also the way they arrive, many are doing it through platforms (of vacation rental), so they are not seen so much in the hotels, except for those that specialize in activities that are for that market segment,” she specified.
Currently, she reiterated, there are hotels that specialize in capturing this market, it is still for them business to capture this type of tourism, while others by the type of customers they receive, prefer not to offer their services to this segment that seeks more party.
“I think there is something for everyone, products for everyone, hotels for everyone, we have a wide and diversified offer. There are hotels that have been very convenient to receive this segment, they are dedicated to young people and have the facilities, security, everything to continue receiving them and others prefer to focus on other markets, such as adults only, which although they could already enter because they are between 18 and 21 years old and in Mexico they already have legal age, they know that they are quieter hotels and with another type of attractions, so they do not choose them.”
Source: La Jornada Maya
