Sorry for using the ‘C’ word.
Just seeing ‘COVID’ makes everyone cringe.
And, why the HELL do they have to CAPITALIZE the word COVID?
Stop yelling at us……
Since people tend to remember the last thing anyone says, I am going to start with ‘The Ugly’.
BTW, my input is not hearsay, this info is hot off the planes.
My teammates and I have recently traveled to:
- Mexico (Cancun/Akumal/Riv Maya/Puerto Vallarta & Cabo)
- Jamaica (Mobay, Negril & Ochi)
- Dominican Republic (Punta Cana)
The Ugly………
Covid has been brutal on us all.
The emotional, psychological and financial impact on people’s lives has exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Economies relying on tourism for a large part of their GDP have been heavily impacted.
Some countries tried to ignore it, – and some went immediately into lockdown.
The toll on the people and their economies was (and is) devastating.
We love the people in Mexico and the Caribbean. They are hard-working, caring, and friendly.
Even as they deal with fake news, fake videos, hurricanes, cartels, seaweed and the U.S. Media’s dirty laundry.
Typically, like here in the states, they rebound quickly after an event.
But with variants coming out of the woodwork (Delta, Omicron) – and the regular cold and flu’s brought on by winter – and global war meltdown – it seems like a never-ending wave of bad news – every day.
Like in your town, the toughest job a resort company has is ensuring their staff is emotionally healthy, physically safe, and showing up for work.
The Bad……..
Every country’s infrastructure has been slow to rebound.
The Great Resignation is a worldwide phenomenon – and warm, sunny beaches are not immune.
Getting people back to work and trained on the new COVID processes and procedures is no small task.
The resorts are actually rebounding quickly.
But, many areas impacting all-inclusive resorts are out of their control.
The airlines are canceling flights constantly. Overnighting in an airport is the new norm.
Airport transfers are also suffering.
All it takes is one traffic hiccup and everything backs up.
You arrive at the airport excited about getting to the beach.
Not about sitting around an airport until your transfers arrive 3 hours late.
Get private airport transfers and you can avoid some of the chaos.
Otherwise, try chanting your mantra while draining that bottle of tequila you bought in Duty Free.
Food services are pretty much back to normal.
Gone are the days of most restaurants being closed.
And the quality of the food now that the resorts are busy again has gone back to normal.
You have just 2 words to remember – Be patient……everything is moving slower these days
The Good………
The resorts have used this time to renovate the properties and install state-of-the-art cleanliness procedures.
Growth in All-Inclusive Resorts is exploding!
In just the past year, Marriott has added 25 All Inclusives, Hyatt has purchased Apple Leisure Group for $2.7B and Hilton has jumped in with a bunch of new resorts and a new sales team.
Everywhere I traveled I saw cranes and construction.
Especially in the Costa Mujeres section of North Cancun which has the nicest beaches in Mexico IMHO.
The resorts we have stayed in were spotless.
The staff was attentive and VERY health conscious. (they can’t be out of work either)
Just 1 bad TripAdvisor review about Covid can crush a resorts sales and staff jobs.
In Summary……….
- The 4 & 5-Star resorts are an oasis of cleanliness.
- Food & entertainment quality is mostly back to normal.
- Airlines have been canceling flights left and right. Download their app and watch it like a hawk the day before and the day of your flight.
- Airport Transfers, especially your return transfers, are sketchy. Be sure to reconfirm.
- Local Tours are slowly getting back to normal. But are not there yet.
- Growth in the All-Inclusive Resort sector is exploding.
That is how it looks from the Back Seat……
So take this info with a grain of salt, a squeeze of lime, and a big shot of tequila.
And Be Patient.
~~Jake
P.S. I’ll keep the sand warm for ya!
Don’t Miss:
Flights Cancelled? 10 Tips on What To Do Next
[Jake’s Tips] – Finding Cheap Vacation Flights
