REPORT - LONDON - WTM 2007: The New Frontiers Award 2007 was presented to the Mexican resort of Cancun at World Travel Market (Monday 12 November) for ‘Outstanding resilience and positive contribution to Tourism Development in wake of Hurricane Wilma’. The award was announced at Arabian Travel Market, sister exhibition to World Travel Market in May.

 

Tom Nutley, Chairman, Reed Travel Exhibitions, said: “With considerable support from local state and federal government and international aid agencies such as the Red Cross, but mainly the local residents of Cancun made an indelible impact on Cancun/s recovery and tourism development through the investment of the private sector. Together they have now managed to rebuild the battered coastline, improved its shattered local economy, which was losing US$ 15 million per day and now tourism numbers are once again approaching levels not seen since before Wilma.”

Besides a commemorative crystal trophy, Cancun has also received US$ 10,000 worth of complimentary exhibition space at Arabian Travel Market 2008 in Dubai.

Receiving the award, Mr. Felix Gonazalez Canto, Governor of the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico said: “I am delighted to accept this New Frontiers Award on behalf of the people of Cancun and indeed of Quintana Roo- Mexico.”

“It is my honour and obligation to confirm and acknowledge the tremendous way in which the people of Cancun have worked together with our Mexican institutions such as the Army, Navy, CFE, Sectur, among others, to restore Cancun and Puerto Morelos and make it better than ever. Do come and admire for yourselves our achievements, beauty and richness of Mayan history, ecotourism and the world patrimony biosphere of Sian Kaan; we would love to welcome you in our very special Mexican Caribbean way”.

“Cancun was chosen by an international panel of judges after taking into consideration a number of decisive factors such as, their use of aid packages, support from local and national government, tangible efforts of recovery and the sheer determination of the human spirit.”

In October 2005, category 4 Wilma slammed into Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula at over 150 mph and lasted for more than 60 hours. When it had passed, an eight-mile stretch of Cancun's beach was almost washed away. Insured damage alone was close to US$8 billion and the hurricane is said to have cost Cancun and the local tourism industry over US$15 million daily.

The beaches were stripped of their white sand during the storm and the Mexican government paid more than US$ 20 million to dredge offshore sand and pump it back to resorts. In less than a year, out of a total of 27,500 rooms, over 24,500 were fully renewed. This prompted the UNWTO to declare Cancun a model to emulate in the aftermath of future disasters.