Domestic and foreign tourists visiting Yucatán get a generally favorable impression of the attractions, services, service and security, according to a survey of the Mexican Chamber of Hotels Yucatan.
The analysis highlights the friendliness of the locals, the regional cuisine and archaeological sites, in that order, followed by city activities on Sundays, the beauty of the cenotes, the tranquility of the state, the historic center, the beaches and Mérida in general.
Travelers also cited issues that must be tackled: garbage on the roadsides and streets was on the top of the list, followed by poor signage on roads and the poor quality of public transportation.
After those issues, tourists most complained about the presence of hawkers on the streets, the lack of English-speaking workers in the tourism industry, higher prices than expected and the need to improve services available at resorts such as Chichen Itza.
The survey, which was taken from Dec. 26 to Jan. 3, awarded an overall tourist rating of 8.85 on a scale of one to 10.
Tourists were 77 percent from within Mexico and 22.57 percent from abroad, mainly from the U.S., particularly California, Texas, Washington, Florida, New York, Wisconsin and Georgia. European tourists were largely German and French.
Year to year, hotel occupancy rates were flat (46.4 and 46.8, respectively) despite an increase in tourist numbers, a fact attributed to the increase in the number of hotel rooms available. Visits to Mérida rose 1.2 percent, while Chichen Itza visits increased 5.9 percent; Valladolid, 8.61 percent; and Uxmal, 2.91 percent.
