Are the "crowds" back to normal, yet?

[AZRN]

Wondering if business has picked up since that initial swine flu scare? Just realized this is my first trip to the Riv. Maya in July ever (since 1986)--and was curious as to the volume of tourist traffic this time of year. I'm sure the flu hysteria coupled with the economic downturn hasn't been kind to the workers and business owners of Playa. I was shocked at the pictures of empty beaches in Eileen's recent trip report...I've never seen the Shangri-La beachfront look like that!

[absoluteAL]

Originally Posted by AZRN

Wondering if business has picked up since that initial swine flu scare?

In a word, NO......things are still quite slow around town. I think there will be a lot more restaurants, etc. closing in the not to distant future.

[laurab]

no . Hotel occupancy down by at least 40%

[Jacko]

Originally Posted by laurab

no . Hotel occupancy down by at least 40%

Hang in there laura! It is bad here too.....it is very hard keeping the balance between trying to keep our costs lower due to lower sales while maintaining great quality....it is very hard work...but we take it one day at a time....

There are good things in all of this.....our core staff is pulling together in ways that will help us be a much better company in the future.

[laurab]

Thank you Jacko! You are absolutely right, we too are taking it to day to day and learning a lot. It's challenging, gave my job an edge it didn't have before. I'm enjoying it most of the time . Also the fact that our team is still intact gives me hope - they are all smiling as usual. If they smile, why wouldn't we?
Oh, and good luck to you and Linda too!

[Doggiemom]

I check flight availability every weekend from Houston hoping I can sneak in a quick trip! Every Friday flights on CO to CUN is full and every Sunday coming back! Are all of these people going to Cancun? I don't get it?

[Doggiemom]

Originally Posted by laurab

Thank you Jacko! You are absolutely right, we too are taking it to day to day and learning a lot. It's challenging, gave my job an edge it didn't have before. I'm enjoying it most of the time . Also the fact that our team is still intact gives me hope - they are all smiling as usual. If they smile, why wouldn't we?
Oh, and good luck to you and Linda too!

Great attitudes Laura and Jack!

[janied]

Originally Posted by Doggiemom

I check flight availability every weekend from Houston hoping I can sneak in a quick trip! Every Friday flights on CO to CUN is full and every Sunday coming back! Are all of these people going to Cancun? I don't get it?

me, too! I tried to get on the charter flight last Thursday from Pittsburgh and it was full ... where are these people going?

[absoluteAL]

Originally Posted by janied

me, too! I tried to get on the charter flight last Thursday from Pittsburgh and it was full ... where are these people going?

It is just a drop in the bucket. Total flight arrivals into Cancun is still way down.

[DarMI]

The flights from Michigan are filling up too....despite our economy. The amount of flights are way down. This is the first year that Apple is not running their non stop Charter through the summer / fall.

[laurab]

Yes. we used to have about 15 weekly direct flights from Italy, now it's down to 2. And they are probably cancelling these too. Now, to go home, it's about 18 hours against the 12 of a direct flight.

Originally Posted by absoluteAL

It is just a drop in the bucket. Total flight arrivals into Cancun is still way down.

[scarletfan]

We're here now and we have been seeing a lot of restaurants with no one in them...it's terrible!

[zacharysmommy]

Originally Posted by Jacko

Hang in there laura! It is bad here too.....it is very hard keeping the balance between trying to keep our costs lower due to lower sales while maintaining great quality....it is very hard work...but we take it one day at a time....

There are good things in all of this.....our core staff is pulling together in ways that will help us be a much better company in the future.

That is ashame. The drug cartel and swine flu have really impacted Mexico's tourism.

In today's Sunday paper, (Oregonian) had a nice column in the Travel section about why folks should go to Mexico. It talked about how wonderful of a country Mexico is with the diverse land and people. It also talked about the exchange rate and how good travel bargains can be found in Mexico right now.

[zacharysmommy]

Originally Posted by scarletfan

We're here now and we have been seeing a lot of restaurants with no one in them...it's terrible!

I am sure that won't be the case for Christmas time. Although it still seems like years away for me.

[hilfigerman]

I just got back from PDC today, hotels seemed full but airport was not! Best airport experience ever!!! flight was full both ways, in and out of airport in 15 mins.