Right after London, Cancun managed to reach second place in the ranking of the most sought-after summer destinations, according to Expedia® Summer Travel Outlook 2024.
With its tropical beaches, vibrant atmosphere, aquatic sports, and exciting nightlife, Cancun doesn’t cease to allure travelers to its coasts.
On this occasion, Cancun has defeated Rome, Paris and Tokyo in the race for the preferred vacation getaway for Americans this year.
Knowing that Cancun is a popular destination for Americans, you may think these results were expected, but they weren’t.
Although Mexico is the most visited country by US citizens, with more than 39.3 million tourists a year, Cancun didn’t used to be a destination Americans were eager to travel to during the unsparing summer. But things are changing.
If you are planning an escape to Cancun this year, make sure to book your tickets 21 to 60 days prior to departure.
Suggested: TOP 5 Luxury Resorts In Cancun To Visit In Summer 2024
According to Expedia, a global travel company, purchasing your flights before May 2 will help you save up to 15 percent.
Traveling on Mondays is also 15 percent cheaper than taking off on Thursdays or Fridays, and using the window between mid to late August can save you up to $256, said the company.
Another tick to help you save even more money is landing in alternative airports such as Cozumel (CZM), Merida (MID), or Tulum (TQO).
Cancun’s key role as a business hub combined with a diverse tourism portfolio has catapulted the destination to the top most visited hotspots in the world.
In fact, in 2022, this city was the second most visited getaway on the planet after Dubai, according to Forbes.
One of the reasons explaining this phenomenon is the growing number of flights available from multiple cities across the United States.
Another aspect that makes Cancun so attractive is its versatility. This destination caters to both luxury and business travelers, as well as backpackers, families, couples, groups of friends, spring breakers, and even speleologists and pre-Columbian history lovers.
Cancun is also a world-class destination for weddings as well as aquatic sports such as parasailing, jet skiing, kayaking, and snorkeling. Others prefer Cancun for its cutting-edge golf courses like Moon Palace, Riviera Cancun Golf Resort or Iberostar Golf Club.
Another unique feature is its proximity to top-tier attractions such as the stunning Isla Mujeres, the majestic pyramids of Chichen Itza or the out-of-this-world Cenotes, a chain of underground freshwater wells, that can only be found in the Riviera Maya.
Last but not least, this year Cancun is seeing “unusual” low quantities of sargassum arriving at its beaches. As of today, the seaweed alert is at level two, “very low.”
To maintain this status, the Secretary of Navy is installing 8,600 meters of anti-sargassum barriers to prevent the seaweed from reaching the beaches of Cancun, Tulum and Playa del Carmen.