Los Cabos
(Photo : Wikitravel)

COVID-19 has negatively impacted one of the most important sectors of in Mexico, tourism industry, that leads to the closure of beaches and nearby hotels according to a recently published article.

TOURISM IN MEXICO

Tourism is one of the economic backbones of the country. It opens different opportunities such as small enterprises and businesses, hotels, employment, and much more. It is also one of the economic strengths of a developing country.

In Mexico, tourism plays a very important role. It is the largest service sector in the country and it produces the third-highest foreign exchange earnings. Tourism comes right after oil.

Mexico is one of the most popular destinations for American tourists and one of the favorite countries of ex-pats as well. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Travel and Tourism Office, more than 32 million U.S. citizens traveled to Mexico last year.

However, since President Donald Trump released an order not to travel abroad and closed the U.S.-Mexico border in the meantime because of the threat brought by COVID-19, this also means that Mexico's tourism industry is also affected because most of the travelers are Americans.

COVID-19 IN LOS CABOS  

Victor George, a local Health Secretary, announced that there were three cases of COVID-19 that occurred in the important tourist region found in the northern state of Mexico. This is one of the results of the epidemiological surveillance that has been carried out in the state.

Los Cabos in Baja California is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country. It helped to create thousands of jobs and has also helped the local and national economy. However, COVID-19 has negative impacts on the country's tourism industry. In Los Cabos alone, more than 14,000 workers will be affected because of global health pandemic. This is because of the partial or total closure of jobs primarily from the nearby hotels. 

In a statement released by the Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants (CROC) state leader Estaban Vargas, he said that the present situation of the country amid COVID-19 forced a couple of hotels to temporarily close. Each of these hotels has around 100 employees and the Jose del Cabo which has 500 employees will soon close.

Typically, the number of temporarily hired employees in the hotels and other nearby establishments increases every year because of the thousand guests and visitors, mainly students from the United States, who are coming to Los Cabos to spend their spring break. 

Other visitors also include Canada and Asia to enjoy the clear water of Mexico. This gives the tourism industry in the country with millions of dollars. Hotels are even fully booked and almost all establishments are very busy every day.

CANCELLATION OF TRAVEL DUE TO COVID-19

COVID-19 led to the cancellation of almost all reservations in the different hotels due to the fear of the global health pandemic. The tourism industry that contributes 8 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country and has employed around 2.3 million is now affected.

Los Cabos Hotel Association Executive President Lilzi Orcí Fregoso said that the "cancellation of the "spring break" season will represent a drop of between one and two percentage points in hotel occupancy that was expected."

As long as the virus is still around, the tourism industry is still affected as many countries around the world today restrict the gatherings of more than 10 or 50 persons and the stringent policy of social or physical distancing. This means that many employees will also be affected and most of them will rely on supports from their employers and the government.  

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