| | |  Travel & Outdoors | June 2009 
After the Flu, the Bargains are in Mexico
 Kristin Finan - Houston Chronicle
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June 28, 2009
If you took Mexico off your “to go” list during the flu scare, it's time to reconsider: All that bad press is translating to major bargains for summer travelers.
“It would not be unusual to see packages now on sale from 30 (percent) to 50 percent below what they were last year at this time,” Priceline spokesman Brian Ek said. “If you have the discretionary money to travel, it's a great deal.”
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifted travel restrictions to Mexico last month, the country's tourism industry still is struggling to rebound from the loss of revenue caused by flu-related flight and hotel cancellations.
With hotels reporting occupancy down as much as 80 percent after the outbreak, tourism officials are ready to do just about anything to get Americans — 18 million of whom visited Mexico in 2008 — to return.
Bolstered by a $1.3 billion economic stimulus package intended to help the country recover, hotels, airlines, cruise lines and vacation vendors are offering serious deals to attract visitors.
“It is a good time to book a vacation in Mexico because we want to attract tourism,” said Martin Gonzalez, the Mexico Tourism Board's director for the southern United States. “You can get a very good bargain now. We want to welcome you back.”
Offers on popular discount travel Web sites include half-price flights (www.bookit.com), all-inclusive hotels for less than $100 a night (cheapcaribbean.com) and vacation packages discounted by as much as 70 percent (applevacations.com).
Cruise lines were also affected by the flu. Carnival, which stopped service to Mexico for about six weeks, will resume travel there by mid-June, spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz said.
“Now is definitely the right time to book,” de la Cruz said. “The impact of the economy on us is that we are still filling our ships but we've had to bring pricing down to do so. That's a win for the consumer.”
Some resort-hotel chains, including Dreams, Real and Secrets, are even offering “flu-free guarantees” promising free vacation packages if visitors contract the flu during their stay.
“They're trying to do anything to bring that travel back,” Ek said. “You're likely to see really good Mexico travel deals right through the summer and probably well into the fall.”
But if you wait too long, Gonzalez warned, you might miss your chance. Some Cancun-area hotels already are back up to 50 percent capacity, and some flights for later this summer are full.
“The demand is picking up,” Gonzalez said. “If you want to do it, do it now.”
Here's a sample of Mexico-related deals found this June 1:
Vacation packages
Three nights at the Hotel Cozumel and Resort, including airfare out of Houston, for $349. Various July dates. www.gofox.com
Three nights at the all-inclusive Oasis Cancun, including airfare out of San Antonio, for $299 in June (add $50 for July). www.travelbyjen.com
Seven nights at the Hyatt Regency Cancun, including airfare out of Houston, for $592. Various dates in July and August. www.priceline.com
Five nights at the all-inclusive Barcelo Tucancun Beach, including airfare out of Houston, for $659. Various dates in July and August. www.applevacations.com
An airfare discount of $100 to $400 at Palace Resort hotels in Cancun, Riviera Maya, Cozumel or Riviera Nayarit. Book by June 30 for travel through Sept. 30. www.palaceresorts.com
Hotels
Gran Melia Cancun Resort, $88 a night for select June dates. www.priceline.com
Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun, $114 a night. www.fiestaamericana.com
Los Cabos Riu Santa Fe all-inclusive, $129 a night for select June dates. www.priceline.com
Cruises
Five-night cruises out of Galveston on the Carnival
Ecstasy to Progreso and Cozumel starting at $374. Select dates. www.carnival.com
Seven-night cruises out of Galveston on the Carnival Conquest starting at $549. Stops include Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Various August dates. www.cruise.com |
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