Hotel supply in Mexico City survived the Covid-19 pandemic: Desplas Puel

Despite the effects caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in the tourism sector of Mexico City, the hotel supply was not reduced, assured the head of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur), Nathalie Veronique Desplas Puel.

During her appearance before the Congress of Mexico City, on the occasion of the gloss of the fourth report of the head of government, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, the local tourism secretary explained that since she joined her current position this year she decided to carry out an analysis of effects due to the health contingency, this from 2020 until the first seven months of that 2022.

The study ruled out that there had been a “significant decrease” in the hotel offerof the volume of establishments and rooms available.

“No significant decrease was suffered during the pandemic, despite the fact that during the second quarter of 2020 occupancy levels were recorded in hotels of less than 2% as a result of confinement and it was not less, since in some establishments accommodation was granted to medical personnel and tourists left behind in our country,” he said.

According to data from the capital dependency, in 2019 the capital registered 625 lodging establishments, in 2020 there were 631 hotels, in 2021 with 634, while from January to July 2022 the total is 640 properties.

By category, the 5-star establishments in 2019 amounted to 99, for 2020 they were 100 and in 2021 101; those with 4 stars in 2019 were 125, in 2020 with 129 and in 2021 with 130; while 3 stars in 2019 were 150, 2020 with 151 and 2021 with 152.

However, it is in the 2-star category that a decrease was registered, in 2019 there were 106 hotel complexes, while 2020 and 2021 closed with 105 units, respectively. 1-star hotels from 2019 to 2021 have remained at an average of 87. While unclassified hotel complexes went from 58 in 2019 to 59 in 2020 and 2021.

In terms of available rooms, during 2019 the city had a total of 51,601, for 2020 the figure was 52,666 rooms, in 2021 with 52,764, while from January to July 2022 with 53,135.

Investments in the tourism sector of CDMX

Desplas Puel stressed that the investments for the tourism sector of the capital have been maintained, as an example stands out that from 2020 to July 2022, 24 hotel construction projects have been registered.

Of this total, 10 projects add up to an investment of 31,244 million pesos -six are located in the Cuauhtémoc city hall, three in Miguel Hidalgo and one in Benito Juárez-, the remaining 14 project a medium-term investment of 16,779 million pesos -eight in Cuauhtémoc, two in Benito Juárez, three in Miguel Hidalgo and one in Álvaro Obregón.

In this 2022, the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Wyndham Grand Hotel and Hotel Esplendor have already come into operation, which have meant around 750 direct jobs and 1,550 indirect jobs.

By 2023, the Hotel Antara Phase II, Hotel Miyana Presidente Intercontinental and Hotel Nauchatel will come into operation, to date they have generated approximately 2,050 direct jobs and 6,813 indirect jobs during the work and construction process.

“Another relevant factor for the promotion of tourism investment was the support that the City Congress provided by approving 8 requests for changes in land use -two in Cuauhtémoc and six in Miguel Hidalgo-, which will make possible the construction of a equal number of hotels with a generation of 1,510 direct jobs and approximately 4,530 indirect jobs”, announced the secretary.

Headline changes in Sectur CDMX

Derived from the appearance, the local deputy, Daniela Gicela Álvarez Camacho, recalled that the Mexico City Sectur has had four headline changes, for which she asked to know if this has affected the local tourism recovery.

Meanwhile, the deputy, Guillén Ortiz, pointed out that the local Sectur had a budget cut for this year (79 million pesos less than the one labeled in 2021), in addition, she reiterated that it should be reviewed which should be adequate for 2023.

The PAN legislator asked to know what coordination the Sectur has with the new head of the Mixed Fund for Tourism Promotion and her opinion on the cut of 21 million pesos that this fund deducted from the item Development, Promotion and Positioning of the capital and on the Regulation of digital tourist accommodation platforms.

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