After more than 16 months without arrivals, the state of Yucatan’s Puerto Progreso has been incorporated into the new itineraries of Carnival Cruises, which resumes commercial operations in Yucatán with the arrival of the Carnival Breeze cruise from Gaveston, Texas with 2,825 passengers and 1,367 crew members.
Passengers and crew arriving at the port , where greeted by “Friends of Health” whose objective, is to reinforce the respect of the sanitary measures by tourists both in the area of the International Cruise Terminal, and in the areas with the highest concentration of pedestrians in the area; They will distribute antibacterial gel and face masks if necessary. This is the first and only group of its kind in any port to date and reinforced the state of Yucatan’s commitment to the health and safety to is guests and locals.
Once in Puerto Progreso, passengers traveled in “bubble” mode, providing unvaccinated passengers, with a special tours of markets and shopping areas around the port. While passengers who have been completely vaccinated took tours in small groups to open areas following sanitary protocols put in place by the CDC, WHO, Carnival Cruises, local tour operators and port authorities.
The arrival of cruise ships to Puerto Progreso is part of stages three and four of the Covid Recovery plan of the state of Yucatan, which correspond to the gradual and responsible reactivation of the tourist offer, together with the recovery of markets.
The head of Yucatan’s Ministry of Tourism (Sefotur), Michelle Fridman Hirsch highlighted that in 2019 work began on the port’s infrastructure, this included the reimagination of the boardwalk and surrounding public spaces, with additions of tour operators, giving way to cultural spacesl, shopping centers, restaurants and new tourism products.
“Progreso is a clear example of what good tourism can generate, an industry that, when invested on and practiced within a framework of sustainability, generates development, well-being, economy, prosperity, pride and social well-being for tourists and locals”, added the official.
She also recalled that prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, a 20% increase in cruise arrivals had been announced for 2020, with new shipping companies for the port such as Disney and MSC, among other major shipping companies.
“Today the cruises returns, and we expect about 28 other arrivals in the remainder of the year, in terms of air we have already recovered 80% of the seat offer, 70% of domestic routes and more than 100% of international routes available prior to COVID ”.
Fridman Hirsch, ended her participation in the welcome reception with the exchange of plaques, thanking the authorities for the excellent work done in the Port, the private initiative and the Yucatecans, for having resisted with strength, resilience, patience and responsibility the long process for the one that the State has passed for its recovery, as well as thanked Carnival Cruises and the industry.
