Mexico's Pacific coast beach resort town of Acapulco enjoys warm winter days with record number of guests. One of the destination’s most successful winter seasons in the last few years reporting an average hotel occupancy of 95 percent for the holiday period of December 20 – 31 and 80 percent over the Mexican holiday weekend of February 4-6.
According to the Secretary of Tourism of Guerrero, the destination registered the highest occupancy on record in the past eight years with 98.1 percent on January 1, an increase from the 98 percent reported during the same day in 2016. Interest for Acapulco was especially high during weekends and holidays as this is the fourth consecutive year that the destination showcases an increase in occupancy of over 94 percent on New Year’s Day, much higher than the 74 percent registered in 2012.
“We are so thrilled to continue to see consistent high occupancy throughout the winter season with records of over 80 percent hotel occupancy in the State of Guerrero,” said Pedro Haces, president of the Acapulco Destination Marketing Office. “We look forward to the exciting new developments from Grupo Autofin’s billion-dollar Master Plan, the new state-of-the-art airport terminal and the several infrastructure updates including the macrotunnel that will connect the area of Playa Iacos to the Diamond Zone, all of which are working towards enhancing our tourism experience to encourage more travelers to visit Acapulco.”
Investments
In late 2016, Grupo Autofin, one of Mexico’s largest investors, announced a US $1B “Master Plan” to enhance tourism in Acapulco. The “Master Plan” includes projects like XTASEA, an over-the-ocean zip line that will reach 75 mph at an altitude of 328 feet that promises to be the largest, in its category, in the world. The project is scheduled to launch in March 2017. Likewise, renovations of the iconic Pierre Mundo Imperial and Princess Mundo Imperial are programmed under this US $1B investment.
The destination will also welcome, under Grupo Autofin’s investment, the following developments: Spa Tlalli, Turtle Dunes Golf Clubhouse, Gourmet Beach, Hotel Prince by Mundo Imperial, Hotel Marqués Boutique, Residences and Luxury Condominiums, Hotel Boutique Only You, Diamante Retirement Homes, Princess Medical Center, Premium Shopping Center, an eco-amusement park called Aventura Guerrero, a new tennis stadium, security towers, and Princess University. These projects are expected to be completed between 2017 and 2022 and will boost tourism and generate more than 10,000 new jobs.
Acapulco will debut a new state-of-the-art airport terminal by late 2017/early 2018 to welcome over 1.3 million visitors per year. The new terminal features an eco-conscious design and the latest in airport safety regulation. The building, to be located alongside the current terminal, was designed by TAX Arquitectura of Mexico City and will feature more than 194,000 square feet of space, nearly doubling the airport’s current facilities.
Also, to promote accessible tourism within the destination, Acapulco is constructing a new Macrotunnel that connects the area of Playa Icacos to the Diamond Zone, set to open in March 2017. In addition, Acapulco debuted ACABus, public buses that provide transportation for tourists and locals alike from the Traditional Zone to the Diamond Zone.
Major Events
Acapulco will host the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, the Telcel Mexican Tennis Open, from February 27 to March 4, 2017 at the Acapulco Princess Mundo Imperial hotel. Sponsored by communications company Telcel, along with HSBC, the Open is one of 13 ATP World Tour 500 series tournaments. Players for this this year’s tournament include returning champion Dominic Thiem of Austria, along with Spain’s Rafael Nadal, Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro, and John Isner of the United States, among others.
From March 27-30, Acapulco will be host to the annual “Tianguis Turistico,” Mexico’s most important travel tradeshow. The main objective of the Tianguis Turistico Mexico, is to encourage the promotion and marketing of Mexico’s tourism products and services.
In May, Mexico’s traditional Spanish culinary roots are celebrated during the Paellas Festival, with paellas cooked on the beachfront at El Cano Hotel. Surf’s up in July during the Vans Surf Open, hosted by the World Surf League at Acapulco’s Revolcadero Beach. July is also the time for Corona SunSets, a massive beach party and concert held on the waterfront at the Princess Hotel, sponsored by Corona.
Music lovers should visit Acapulco during Tropico, a three-day festival full of non-stop entertainment, held this year from December 2-4 in the Hotel Pierre Mundo Imperial on the Costera De Las Palmas. Art exhibitions, fashion shows, gastronomic events and cocktail-fueled pool parties are also part of the festivities.
Safety
Tourism is a top priority for the destination and the public and private sector continue to work together to provide a safe and secure environment for all. To reinforce Acapulco’s security, the government continues to instill the prevention of incidents and protection of locals and visitors through training programs for the State Police and the support of the Gendarmerie Police Force, a special division of the Federal Police.
Likewise, with the support of the Federal Government, Acapulco created its Tourist Assistance and Protection Center (CAPTA, in Spanish) to provide local and international tourists a place where they can ask questions, obtain information, report any incidents and receive assistance. CAPTA is a unique and innovative model for tourist assistance and safety that was implemented in Mexico for the first time in Acapulco.
