MID becomes VivaAerobus Hub; creates historical route by connecting Tikal in Guatemala and the colonial cities of Guanajuato
State of Yucatan – September 23, 2022 – The Mérida International Airport (MID) recorded a historical number of arrivals this past month of August with 278,854 passengers, a 4.9% increase from its previous record in December 2019. This according to data provided by Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR), represents a considerable increase in passenger traffic.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Tourism for the state of Yucatan (Sefotur) announced that the Mexican carrier, Viva Aerobus, will have a new operational base (air hub) at the Mérida International Airport starting this December and, with it, not only an increase in connectivity but almost 600 new jobs will be generated, both direct and indirect.
The work done by SEFOTUR has also created a Hispanic heritage route connecting the Maya sites of Tikal in Guatemala via direct flights with TAG and the colonial cities of Guanajuato, the cradle of Mexico’s independence, with direct flights to the state’s Bajio airport. Cultural tourism is a stronghold of the state of Yucatan, during the summer vacation period, Chichen Itzá remained the most visited tourist spot in the state, receiving 469,525 tourists during the months of July and August, according to reports from the Board of Trustees of the Units of Cultural and Tourist Services of the State of Yucatan (Cultur). Other archaeological zones, like Uxmal and Ek Balam, also saw similar numbers in visitors.
This year, the state of Yucatan, like many other destinations across the world, has been focused on post-pandemic economic and tourism recovery with an increase in direct flights announced from Toronto, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Oakland/San Francisco, and Tijuana/San Diego which brings the destinations airlift recovery beyond 100% when compared to pre-Covid flights. Sefotur, along with the region’s private sector, has been working to encourage travel to the state and has also reported that the Merida airport has received 1.8 million international and national passengers from January to August of this year.
“Currently we are not only recovering, but we are already seeing growth, that is, we are already exceeding many of the indicators that we had before the pandemic, as in the case of passenger arrivals, which is showing record and historical numbers,” Michelle Fridman Hirschshe, Minister of Tourism for the state of Yucatan said.
Fridman noted that this date reflects a positive recovery for the state of Yucatan and how it is advancing in economic and tourist matters; the result of the many short and long-term campaigns SEFOTUR has been carrying out in strategic markets, highlighting the 365 days in Yucatan campaign and the 365 flavors of Yucatan, proposals that have managed to position the state’s cultural, tourist and gastronomic traditions in front of those interested in experiencing what the state has to offer.
Recently SEFOTUR announced that it will be hosting Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants ceremony in the city of Mérida from November 11-13, within the framework of Los Sabores de Yucatán, a gastronomic “festival” that will take place in different points of the state, which will include dinner pairings, gastronomic samples and more activities around the flavors and colors of the state if Yucatan.
