#traveling to cancun during pandemic

[mordormr]

Exploring the Growth and Future Trends in Mexico’s Hospitality Industry

Market Overview

The Mexico Hospitality Market is projected to reach a size of USD 22.96 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to grow to USD 30.12 billion by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.57% during the forecast period (2024-2029). The hospitality industry in Mexico has experienced significant growth over the past decade, driven by a combination of its booming tourism sector, investment in infrastructure, and evolving consumer preferences. This blog will explore the key trends shaping Mexico’s hospitality market, including the post-pandemic recovery, rising demand for sustainable tourism, and the role of technology in transforming guest experiences.

1. Mexico’s Tourism Boom: A Key Driver for Hospitality Growth

Tourism as an Economic Engine: Highlight how tourism has been a critical pillar of Mexico’s economy, contributing significantly to GDP and job creation. Share insights on popular tourist destinations like Cancun, Mexico City, and Riviera Maya that are attracting international travelers.

Post-Pandemic Recovery: Discuss the rebound of international tourism post-COVID, focusing on increased occupancy rates in hotels and growing interest in leisure and business travel.

2. The Rise of Sustainable Tourism in Mexico

Demand for Eco-Friendly Hospitality: Explore how sustainability has become a core focus for many hotels and resorts. Consumers are increasingly seeking eco-conscious accommodations that emphasize responsible tourism, green energy, and cultural preservation.

Government Initiatives: Mention any Mexican government policies promoting sustainable tourism and how hospitality companies are responding with eco-friendly practices.

3. Technology’s Role in Shaping the Hospitality Experience

Digital Transformation: Examine how technology is reshaping guest services in Mexico’s hospitality sector. From AI-powered booking systems to contactless check-ins, technology is enhancing convenience and operational efficiency.

Personalized Guest Experiences: Look at the use of big data and analytics to offer personalized services tailored to individual preferences, creating more engaging guest experiences.

4. The Emergence of Boutique Hotels and Alternative Accommodations

Growth of Boutique and Luxury Resorts: Explore the rise of boutique hotels catering to niche markets like wellness, luxury, and experiential travel. Highlight how smaller, independent hotels are distinguishing themselves through unique cultural offerings and intimate guest experiences.

Alternative Accommodations: Discuss the rise of non-traditional accommodations such as vacation rentals (e.g., Airbnb), eco-lodges, and glamping, which offer travelers unique and personalized experiences.

5. Key Challenges Facing Mexico’s Hospitality Market

Infrastructure Needs: Address the challenges of aging infrastructure in some regions and the need for more investment in modern facilities to keep pace with the growing demand for high-quality accommodations.

Sustainability vs. Mass Tourism: Balance between catering to mass tourism and preserving the environment. Delve into the tension between expanding hotel developments and maintaining Mexico’s natural and cultural resources.

6. Future Outlook: What Lies Ahead for Mexico’s Hospitality Market?

Positive Market Projections: Provide insights into market growth projections, focusing on increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) in the hospitality sector and rising consumer spending on travel and leisure.

Emerging Destinations: Explore the potential of lesser-known destinations in Mexico gaining popularity, helping to diversify the country’s tourism offerings beyond traditional hotspots.

For a detailed overview and more insights, you can refer to the full market research report by Mordor Intelligence: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/hospitality-industry-in-mexico

[fishmech]

idk where op gets the idea its a big difficult deal for americans in general to go between the us and canada or the us and mexico, but yeah you're mostly only going to do that if you happen to live relatively close to the respective border. both borders were closed to most travel during the height of the pandemic, but they've both reopened now. like yeah there's real assholes working the customs stations, doesn't mean its difficult to actually cross the border as a citizen.

before the pandemic, US visitors made up ~15 million of the ~22 million tourists who stayed overnight in Canada in a typical year (there are many more non-overnight trips into Canada and back too, but you mostly see people doing that if they only live a few hours from the border). ~40 million americans visited Mexico overnight in 2019, and that actually includes a much larger proportion of visitors distant from the border who are going to big tourism hotspots like Cancun etc. There too, there's many more people who only made daytrips from a border state.

in total, the majority of Americans have indeed traveled outside the country at least once!

but most of the travel is going to be western hemisphere in general, and north america + carribbean in particular. because that's what is close. that's what doesn't require traveling 3000-4000 miles each direction over open ocean to go see lol.

speaking of which the reason why about half of american adults don't have passports yet well over half have gone to another country is very simple - before 2009 or so, American citizens could go show up in Canada or Mexico or in a large number of Carribbean nations via road, rail, or cruise without having to have a passport. you just needed some kind of id like a driver's license or student id and the kids you were traveling with didn't even need that. and now we've got that REAL ID regulation for the driver's licenses and state ids where you can do those land/water crossings without a proper passport, albeit with having had to source all the same proofs you need to get a full passport.

also kind of weird that op talks about traveling between us cities primarily in terms of flight prices where way more people in the US are simply gonna drive for a number of hours more likely than to take short flights of course but i get they're used to extraneous air travel in europe. prepandemic numbers from 2019 indicated that ~41% of americans did not take any flights in the last year, ~28% made only a single round trip in the last year. all the more frequent travelers only made up 31% of the population, with a lot of those people traveling for business/employment purposes.

europe's big craze for flights is kinda fucked up when you think about it tbh. like we all know that cross-border rail travel in Europe can get real pricey and complicated real fast due to historic issues if you're not looking to travel on the better optimized city pairs and all but really you would expect improvements in that to reduce flights. (fun challenge: put together a sensible all rail route to Lisbon from anywhere in France. for whatever reason Spanish and Portugese rail authorities/companies hate having coordinated schedules)

since moving here ive noticed europeans have no concept of how few americans ever leave USA. every american tourist youve met is of an economic crust that is vastly unobtainable to the other like. 85% generously. no matter what you have believed i can guarantee this. even getting to canada isnt really a possibility and the mexico-US border is highly controlled and militarized.

to put it into perspective. a ~2 hour flight from london to warsaw is like. 30 to 45 USD?

and a 2 hour flight from one US city to another would be about 130 USD

it was very cheap to fly here. i make over 100k USD now and i dont know if ill ever be able to afford leaving. if that gives you an idea of how prohibitive travel is here. i havent even touched on how the US has Zero guaranteed holidays by the govt. many people here go years without ever having an entire week off of work

this has had a like. massive impact on American Brain and they dont even know it because travel isnt even a consideration economically. they dont even know how much more vacation time european countries have guaranteed

[college-girl199328]

Ted Cruz Speaks Out Over Joe Biden's Vacation During Winter Storm

Texas Senator Ted Cruz has weighed in on conservative criticism of Joe Biden's family vacation to the U.S. Virgin Islands. On Tuesday, Cruz tweeted a Fox News clip discussing the president's holiday plans with the caption: "Enjoy St. Croix," followed by palm tree, cocktail and sunshine emojis.

The White House has defended the vacation and said the president will still be working during the period. The Bidens will return to Washington D.C. on January 2. "No matter where the President is, he is working," a White House spokesperson told Newsweek in a statement. "The President will continue to closely monitor updates and will remain in close touch with staff over the New Year."

Cruz's tweet appeared to be a lighthearted nod to the criticism the Republican received for his trip to Cancun, Mexico, in February 2021 amid a deadly winter storm in Texas.

The senator came under fire for flying out to Cancun with his family as Texas dealt with power outages and no running water during freezing temperatures. Cruz originally defended his actions by claiming that he flew to Cancun to "be a responsible dad" after his daughters asked to embark on a trip with friends when school was canceled.

Upon his return to the U.S., Cruz admitted that he wanted to spend a few more days in Cancun, but came back earlier amid the uproar. "I didn't want all the screaming and yelling about this trip to distract even one moment from the real issue that I think Texans care about, which is keeping all of our families safe," Cruz said.

"It was obviously a mistake, and in hindsight, I wouldn't have done it," the Republican added. Leaked text messages later revealed that Cruz's wife Heidi had planned the trip for the entire family on short notice because their home was "FREEZING!" during the winter storm.

Biden and the first lady Jill Biden left on Tuesday for St. Croix to bring in the New Year having celebrated Christmas in the White House. The Bidens have frequently visited the U.S. territory situated in the Caribbean, and were on vacation there at least once a year between 2009 and 2017.

Biden spent his Christmas vacation in his home state of Delaware in 2020 and 2021 because of travel restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, with this year's visit being his first as president.

Biden was criticized by a number of other Republican figures for his vacation abroad at a time of freezing temperatures across the U.S., which have left dozens dead.

"The optics of this are horrible," conservative commentator Michele Tafoya told Fox News on Tuesday. "Not only is it a vacation, but it's somewhere warm and pleasant while others are freezing, literally, to death."

[cancuniairport]

How to Stay Safe While Flying During the Pandemic

How to Stay Safe While Flying During the Pandemic

Although the vaccination against Covid-19 has started and a considerable portion of the world population has already received it, we still have to follow some precautionary measures when traveling. Unfortunately, things still haven’t got back to normal completely. Nothing happens overnight, so the vaccine cannot magically propel us back to how everything used to be. However, we may allow…

[brucestambaughsblog]

Christmas in Canun

The beach along the Gulf of Mexico at the resort where we stayed. My wife and I wanted to wrap up our 50th anniversary year with the entire family in someplace warm. It didn’t quite work out that way. Since our son’s career is in hospitality, we let him make the reservations. He found a family-friendly, eco-friendly resort south of Cancun, Mexico. However, it ended up that he and his wife…

[tomorrowusa]

Beto O’Rourke describes how Texas is becoming a failed state under Republicans.

Texas has been run by Republicans since George W. Bush became governor in 1995.

Even by national Republican standards, Texas Republicans are off the deep end. They have devoted more time lately trying to declare Texas a “sanctuary state for guns” than to making sure the electrical grid is sound.

Texas Republicans are clueless in addition to fanatically ideological. Sen. Ted Cruz flew off to Cancún to frolic on the beaches while his constituents were freezing and going hungry in the dark back in Texas in the middle of a pandemic -- a pandemic made worse by the national leader of his own party.

Ted Cruz escaped to Cancun during a crippling Texas storm in a pandemic, and travelers have so many questions

All Texas Republicans can do is to make feeble accusations about the (nonexistent) Green New Deal somehow being responsible for the disaster in their state which has been under GOP control for 26 years now.

A quarter of a century is far too long to have a bunch of fanatical hypocritical loonies in charge of the second most populous state in the US.

[zot3-flopped]

They never keep the energy when calling out anyonne else they are fans of. Louis has traveled to a different country, gone to a wedding with his gf, met with many fans and partied unmasked is currently partying in a crowded club,organized a festival. All during the pandemic but I guess harry deserves hashtags and scoldings,you know because hes changed and his actions have made him arrogant. Louis is is innocent and couldnt possibly do anything wrong,All hail king louis! (gag)

Louis last wore a mask at Cancun airport in March. He's not been seen in one since, unlike Harry who was in one last week.

[logicalstansadvice]

Timothee traveled to Mexico in the middle of the pandemic, his obsessed fangirls did not drag him because of this, but because he was with Eiza. They did not hide their jealousy. Tulum, Ibiza, Mexico, Cancun, St. Barts, are celebrity points.

If you've been following us since pre-Ibiza, you know that we aren't afraid to call Seb out when he's acting like a dumb fuck.

All of the mods here were angry and disappointed when he showed up on that yacht. Didn't matter to us if he was alone, with a woman, with family & friends, his dry cleaner or the entire cast of Hamilton....he was vacationing at the height of a pandemic....repeatedly.

Vamp

Anon #2

I have a lot of upper class business school friends and they literally all went to TULUM during the pandemic. Rich ppl gonna rich ppl 🤷🏽‍♀️

Rules don't seem to apply to rich folk or those without a lick of sense.

Vamp

[chrissorensen]

A couple years ago the lovely redhead and I flew into Cancun on our way just south to Tulum. It was wonderful. Of course, it wasn't during a global pandemic and while friends and neighbors were freezing and dying in part because of my political choices. Fuck Ted Cruz and the rest of the state government who put Texas where I lived for many years through this. Swipe ⬅️ to see all four images. . . #Tulum #ruins #Mexico #beach #ocean #cliff #landscape #landscapephotography #travel #travelgram #travelbug #travelphotography #travelphotographer #instatravel #wanderlust #beautifuldestinations #bestplacestogo #passionpassport #mytinyatlas #myfeatureshoot #myfujifilm #fuji #fujix #fujifilm #fujifeed #x100f #traveldeeper #suitcasetravels #postcardplaces #postcardsfromtheworld https://www.instagram.com/p/CLetCYcANNF/?igshid=fmqnxkgfejyh

[newstfionline]

Friday, November 13, 2020

A thought experiment (Washington Post) The political scientist Brendan Nyhan has often responded to events by asking a question: What would you say if you saw it in another country? Imagine that a president of another country lost an election and refused to concede defeat. Instead, he lied about the vote count. He then filed lawsuits to have ballots thrown out, put pressure on other officials to back him up and used the power of government to prevent a transition of power from starting. How would you describe this behavior? It’s certainly anti-democratic. It is an attempt to overrule the will of the people, ignore a country’s laws and illegitimately grab political power. President Trump’s efforts will probably fail, but they are unlike anything that living Americans have experienced. “What we have seen in the last week from the president more closely resembles the tactics of the kind of authoritarian leaders we follow,” Michael Abramowitz, the president of Freedom House, which tracks democracy, told The Times. “I never would have imagined seeing something like this in America.”

Biden’s Policy Agenda Rests Heavily on Senate Outcome (NYT) President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s transition team is preparing multiple sets of policy proposals for the economy, health care, climate change and other domestic issues, including the ambitious agenda Mr. Biden laid out in his winning campaign, while acknowledging it may have to be pared back in recognition of divided government. Where the incoming administration lands depends heavily on two Senate runoffs in Georgia in early January. If Democrats win both races, close aides to Mr. Biden and economists who helped advise his campaign say the president-elect will try to push through a large stimulus plan for the flagging economic recovery—most likely along the lines of the $2.2 trillion that House Democrats approved this fall. His stimulus plan under such a scenario would include hundreds of billions of dollars for state and local governments that have lost tax revenue amid the pandemic recession, extended unemployment benefits for people who lost jobs during the crisis and a new round of aid for small businesses. A narrow majority in the Senate would also give Mr. Biden the chance to push through his proposed tax increases on corporations and the rich—tax hikes that would be used to fund the president-elect’s more ambitious plans like rebuilding roads and bridges, speeding the transition to a carbon-free energy sector and helping Americans afford health care. But if Republicans win even one of the Georgia seats, Mr. Biden will most likely need to settle for a wave of executive actions that would bring more incremental progress toward his policy goals, while trying to cut compromise deals with Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader.

Millions Face Loss of Jobless Aid: ‘Without It, I’m Dead in the Water’ (NYT) Two critical unemployment programs are set to expire at the end of the year, potentially leaving millions of Americans vulnerable to eviction and hunger and threatening to short-circuit an economic recovery that has already lost momentum. As many as 13 million people are receiving payments under the programs, which Congress created last spring to expand and extend the regular unemployment system during the coronavirus pandemic. Leaders of both major parties have expressed support for renewing the programs in some form, but Congress has been unable to reach a deal to do so. It remains unclear how the results of last week’s election will affect prospects for an agreement. That means that for now at least, people like Randy Williams must prepare for the possibility that they are weeks away from losing their only income. Mr. Williams, 56, lost his job as a manager at a Memphis-area Cracker Barrel in the first weeks of the pandemic. His state jobless benefits ran out last month, leaving him to rely on a 13-week extension under the federal Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which ends in late December. Already, Mr. Williams is struggling to get by on his $275 weekly benefit check, the maximum allowed in Tennessee. He has fallen behind on rent, racked up thousands of dollars in credit card debt and turned to a food pantry run by a church. Even with the benefits, “I may have got behind on this or that, robbing Peter to pay Paul this month,” he said. “But without it, I’m dead in the water.”

Hospitals brace for problems (Washington Post) The number of new daily coronavirus cases in the United States jumped from 104,000 a week earlier to more than 145,000 yesterday, an all-time high. Nearly every metric is trending in the wrong direction, prompting states to add new restrictions and hospitals to prepare for a potentially dark future. “We’re at a fairly critical juncture,” said Dave Dillon, a spokesman for the Missouri Hospital Association. The day will soon come when hospital staffing will fall below standards that are normally required, he said.

Police crackdown rocks top Mexican tourist resort (AFP) Images of terrified protesters fleeing police and gunfire have shaken one of Mexico’s top beach resorts and dealt another blow to a tourism industry already reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. The crackdown on Monday in front of Cancun city hall, where hundreds were demonstrating against the murder of a local woman, sparked national outcry and protests in Mexico City. Three people were injured when police fired in the air for several minutes and chased the mostly female demonstrators through a budget hotel district after property was vandalized. Live fire by police against protesters is unprecedented in Cancun and rare across Mexico, where security forces usually limit themselves to using shields and sometimes pepper spray. It was criticized by authorities at the regional and national level, cost the local police chief his job and led to the suspension of Quintana Roo’s head of security.

Evo Morales makes gleeful return to town he fled (Guardian) Tens of thousands of jubilant followers have welcomed Evo Morales back to the coca-growing region from which he fled into exile exactly one year ago after what they branded a racist rightwing coup. “Evo, Evo, Evo,” chanted the people who had travelled from all over Bolivia to witness their leader’s triumphant return home in the jungle-flanked town of Chimoré. Bolivia’s first indigenous president resigned and abandoned the South American country on 11 November 2019, making his escape on a Mexican air force jet that whisked him out of Chimoré’s airport. Morales decided to bolt when security forces withdrew their support after later questioned claims of electoral fraud in the presidential election sparked street protests and deadly unrest. But on Wednesday, two days after re-entering Bolivia at the start of an emotional, politically-charged homecoming, he made a gleeful return to the same town—to a rapturous reception.

Italian hospitals face breaking point in fall virus surge (AP) Dr. Luca Cabrini was certain his hospital in the heart of Lombardy’s lake district would reach its breaking point caring for 300 COVID-19 patients. So far, virus patients fill 500 beds and counting. Italy, which shocked the world and itself when hospitals in the wealthy north were overwhelmed with coronavirus cases last spring, is again facing a systemic crisis, as confirmed positives pass the symbolic threshold of 1 million. “We are very close to not keeping up. I cannot say when we will reach the limit, but that day is not far off,” said Cabrini, who runs the intensive care ward at Varese’s Circolo hospital, the largest in the province of 1 million people northwest of Milan. The Italian doctors federation called this week for a nationwide lockdown to forestall a collapse of the medical system, marked by the closure of non-emergency procedures. The government is facing tougher criticism than in the spring, when the health crisis was met with an outpouring of solidarity. As of Wednesday, 52% of Italy’s hospital beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients, above the 40% warning threshold set by the Health Ministry. Nine of Italy’s 21 regions and autonomous provinces are already securely in the red-alert zone, above 50% virus occupancy, with Lombardy at 75%, Piedmont at 92% and South Tyrol at an astonishing 99%.

Azerbaijan’s drones owned the battlefield in Nagorno-Karabakh (Washington Post) The drone’s-eye view over Nagorno-Karabakh defined much of the six-week war in the mountainous enclave within Azerbaijan: The video first showed soldiers below in trenches, then came blasts and smoke, then nothing. Drone strikes—targeting Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh soldiers and destroying tanks, artillery and air defense systems—provided a huge advantage for Azerbaijan in the 44-day war and offered the clearest evidence yet of how battlefields are being transformed by unmanned attack drones rolling off assembly lines around the world. The expanding array of relatively low-cost drones can offer countries air power at a fraction of the cost of maintaining a traditional air force. The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh also underscored how drones can suddenly shift a long-standing conflict and leave ground forces highly exposed. “Drones offer small countries very cheap access to tactical aviation and precision guided weapons, enabling them to destroy an opponent’s much-costlier equipment such as tanks and air defense systems,” said Michael Kofman, military analyst and director of Russia studies at CNA, a defense think tank in Arlington, Va. “An air force is a very expensive thing,” he added. “And they permit the utility of air power to smaller, much poorer nations.”

Wolf sentinels (Foreign Policy) The Japanese town of Takikawa on the northern island of Hokkaido has found a novel solution to its growing bear problem: wolf robots. More like mechanized scarecrows, the fake wolves come equipped with loudspeakers producing wolf howls once bears come within range. Sightings of bears in Japan are at their highest levels in five years, and two fatal bear attacks have already taken place in 2020. Takikawa officials say they have not encountered any more bears since the lupine sentinels were deployed.

Biden vows to defend Japan as China asserts power in Asia (Washington Post) As China flexes its muscles, President-elect Joe Biden is offering assurances to America’s top allies in the Asia-Pacific region that he’s not going to be a soft touch. Biden spoke with the leaders of Australia, Japan and South Korea on Wednesday night in Washington, underlining in each call his commitment to “strengthen” their bilateral alliance. “The president-elect underscored his deep commitment to the defense of Japan and U.S. commitments under Article 5,” Biden’s team said, referring to the two countries’ joint security treaty that commits the United States to respond to any attack on Japan. Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga went further, saying that Biden had given “a commitment” that Article 5 would cover an attack on the Senkaku islands, a chain of five rocky outcrops administered by Japan but claimed by China, which calls them Diaoyu. With the world struggling to contain the coronavirus pandemic, and the United States distracted by its marathon electoral process, China has been seizing the moment to assert itself. On Wednesday, China dramatically intensified its clampdown on Hong Kong, a subject of bitter dispute between Beijing and Washington. Chinese coast guard ships, meanwhile, have been ratcheting up the pressure around the Senkaku islands, appearing in the nearby waters almost every day this year, more than ever before.

Typhoon Vamco batters the Philippines, leaving millions without power (Washington Post) A week and a half after suffering a deadly hit from a super typhoon, another storm battered the Philippines overnight into Thursday, cutting power to millions and leaving at least one person dead and countless others stranded. Typhoon Vamco, the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane, struck the northern island of Luzon, the third typhoon and fifth tropical cyclone to affect the Philippines in less than three weeks. Super Typhoon Goni narrowly sidestepped the capital region of more than 12 million this month, but Vamco brought rain and winds of up to 105 mph Wednesday night into Thursday. On Thursday, houses were submerged and Filipinos were stranded on rooftops. The hashtag #RescuePH trended on social media, with people posting their whereabouts and contact details, begging for help. Many were stranded with the elderly, children and pets. Some were rescued on rubber life boats; in one video, a child was floated out in a basin. The Manila Electric Company said almost two million households—a fifth of its base—were still without electricity at midday Thursday.

In ruins, Syria marks 50 years of Assad family rule (AP) On Nov. 13, 1970, a young air force officer from the coastal hills of Syria launched a bloodless coup. It was the latest in a succession of military takeovers since independence from France in 1946, and there was no reason to think it would be the last. Yet 50 years later, Hafez Assad’s family still rules Syria. The country is in ruins from a decade of civil war that killed a half million people, displaced half the population and wiped out the economy. Entire regions are lost from government control. But Hafez’s son, Bashar Assad, has an unquestioned grip on what remains. It wasn’t clear whether the government intended to mark the 50-year milestone this year. While the anniversary has been marked with fanfare in previous years, it has been a more subdued celebration during the war. “There can be no doubt that 50 years of Assad family rule ... has left the country what can only be described as broken, failed and almost forgotten,” said Neil Quilliam, an associate fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa program.

Trump may be headed out the door, but Saudi Arabia’s global enablers remain (Washington Post) In November 2017, Jamal Khashoggi told me “In Saudi Arabia, we cannot choose our leaders. We can only hope they get it right.” Less than a year later, the Post contributing columnist would be murdered by agents of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a leader he did not choose. Throughout his bloodstained rise to and consolidation of power, MBS, as the crown prince is generally known, placed his hopes in President Trump and Jared Kushner. Trump and Kushner, almost from the very beginning of the Trump administration, signaled that Saudi Arabia would be given extra special treatment. “We put our man on top,” Trump reportedly bragged when Mohammed bin Salman became crown prince after wrenching power from his older cousin in 2017. Saudi Arabia was the first country that the then-freshly elected and notoriously travel-averse Trump flew to early in 2017, to an extravagant fete put on by the regime, which is said to have spent as much as $68 million on the summit. MBS would go on to say, “Trump was the right person at the right time” for Saudi Arabia. The Saudi and Emirati governments reportedly offered the Trump campaign help to win the 2016 election, according to the New York Times. In 2018, MBS reportedly bragged that he had Kushner “in his pocket,” according to the Intercept. While Trump has been in office, Saudi Arabia has arrested influential personalities and activists, including women’s rights advocates. It also tried to pursue an impulsive war against Qatar, and imposed a blockade on the country. Kushner reportedly gave advice to Mohammed bin Salman on how to weather the storm after Jamal’s gruesome murder, and Trump later bragged to Bob Woodward about shielding MBS from congressional scrutiny.

Jamal’s assassination was personal and devastating. But the entire country of Yemen has been bludgeoned by Saudi Arabia and its partners in the gulf coalition that has orchestrated airstrikes against it since 2015. The United States has been one of the main suppliers of bombs to the Saudis in a quagmire of a blood-soaked and unwinnable war; some 13,500 Yemeni civilians have died from targeted attacks. Even after Jamal’s murder, when mounting political pressure was aimed at the United States to stop arming the Saudis, the Trump administration not only refused to budge but also Trump himself used the arms deals and the price of oil as a reason to justify continuing to engage with the Saudis. The situation is so bad that U.S. officials are reportedly now worried that they could face prosecution for war crimes for continuing to sell arms to the Saudis despite the mounting body count. But Trump is not the only enabler of Saudi Arabia. The focus on Trump, ironically, seems to glide over the fact that the Group of 20 countries have largely gone on with business as usual with Saudi Arabia. And as long as the international community continues to turn a blind eye to Saudi Arabia’s worst impulses, the so-called guardians of the liberal world order have blood on their hands, too.

Ethiopia claims ‘liberation’ of west Tigray, humanitarian crisis looms (Reuters) Ethiopia’s military has defeated local forces in the west of Tigray state, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Thursday, accusing his foes of atrocities during a week of fighting that threatens to destabilise the Horn of Africa. Air strikes and ground combat have killed hundreds, sent refugees flooding into Sudan, stirred Ethiopia’s ethnic divisions and raised questions over the credentials of Abiy, Africa’s youngest leader who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. With communications down, transport blocked and media barred, independent verification of the status of the conflict was impossible. There was no immediate response from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which rules the mountainous northern state of more than 5 million people. More than 10,000 Ethiopian refugees have crossed into Sudan since fighting started and aid agencies say the situation in Tigray is becoming dire. Even before the conflict, 600,000 people there were reliant on food aid. The United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said aid agencies were unable to restock food, health and other emergency supplies due to lack of access.

[zorbatulum]

High Demand for Vacation Homes

A great demand for vacation homes near scenic locations is on the rise. This is good news for North Americans as it can improve job market opportunities and the country's economy. Investing in summer homes or getaway spaces can also add fun during your vacation times.

Property Buying Has Gained Momentum

Property agents and estate brokers suggest that second-home sales have picked up after the lockdown period. Nowadays, the main attractions for homebuyers are factors such as low-interest rates and the best deals. Realtors feel that cash is still the most preferred payment method for second-home buyers. According to a second-home buyers survey, nationwide sales of personal vacation homes rose by almost 25% in the year 2020. There was a general rebound in the American housing market after the pandemic. Companies and businesses offered work-from-home flexibility to many employees and demand for vacation homes grew further.

Reasons For A Solid Lift In Second-Home Sales:

People were fed up with being cooped up in their houses without any fun travels

Buyers in scenic vacation spots are eager to make all-cash offers rather than wait for slow-process deals with banks

More property spaces were being built exclusively as seasonal and recreational units

Quick economic growth post-pandemic contributed to the home-buying spree

Beach vacation spots, mountainous locations, tourist destination areas, and small picturesque townships are all prime vacation-home buying spots.

A promising and active market in all kinds of home-buying price segments, especially for the higher-end properties

Hottest Mexican Locations for Vacation House Market

You may consider Tulum vacation homes in Mexico. Tulum city is one of the leading hotspots attracting hoards of travelers and global tourists. Other places such as Puerto Vallarta, Rocky Point, Carmen, Los Cabos, and Cancun have also gained popularity as vacation spots over the years.

Tulum Villas & Deluxe Vacation Homes

Once a forgotten seaside town in the Mexican archaeological site in the Yucatan area, Tulum has transformed into a vibrant resort city with numerous vacation destination areas. With sandy beaches, a turquoise-colored sea, and charming oceanic beauty, Tulum is now seen as a sparkling diamond. It is home to ancient Mayan ruins and archaeological sites.

Trendy oceanfront Tulum villas and apartments built near amazing cenotes and other cultural wonders can be considered ideal Tulum vacation homes. If you want a vacation home in a natural and spectacular Mexican place, Tulum with its share of oceanfront activities and archaeological adventures can be the most inspiring second-home property to invest in.

Your search for wondrous holiday homes in Tulum can find fruition at Zorba Tulum beach-side villas and resorts. You can enjoy a luxurious stay in their fabulous boutique-style homes with friends and family. You can thus experience the joy of vacation homes in Tulum before deciding to invest in one. 

[extreme-investor-network]

Living the American Dream… In Mexico

One of the hallmarks of the ‘American Dream’ has long been owning your own home— and it’s a dream people around the globe share. But now that housing affordability has hit its lowest levels since the early 2000s in many parts of the world, this ‘dream’ is looking more and more like a fantasy. When the pandemic started, governments and central banks in dozens of countries reacted by printing absurd quantities of money and hurling it all into their economies. In the US, the Federal Reserve more than doubled the size of its balance sheet, from roughly $4 trillion to $9 trillion. And in Europe, the European Central Bank increased from 5 trillion euros to 9. Central banks also slashed interest rates and made it cheaper and easier to borrow. One of the very predictable consequences of this tidal wave of cheap money was that real estate prices soared. In the twelve months from the start of the pandemic in March 2020, German home prices rose nearly 15%. In Australia (which suffered some of the worst lockdowns in the world), home prices jumped 30% during the pandemic. Canadian home prices rose similarly according to the National Bank of Canada’s Home Price Index. And in the United States, the median home price rose from $322,600 at the start of the pandemic, to $440,300 by the end of June 2022, a 36% increase. In addition to these rising prices, however, mortgage rates have also recently started to climb. The average 30-year mortgage rate in the United States reached a low of 2.65% during the pandemic, in January 2021. Today it’s hovering around 5%, and was recently as high as 5.8%. This combination of higher mortgage rates and higher home prices means that housing affordability is plummeting. It also means that a lot of housing markets around the world are due for a steep correction. And in some places, it’s already happening. Just last month, for example, home prices in Sydney, Australia suffered their worst decline in four decades. But prices have a LONG way to fall before they become affordable again. And my guess is that central banks probably won’t let that happen. Home prices last crashed in 2008, and that sparked a worldwide banking crisis and meltdown of the financial system. Central banks don’t want a repeat of that episode, so they’ll probably pull out all the stops to prevent a collapse in home prices. No wonder so many people are starting to look internationally to find their American Dream… because there are still plenty of places in the world where homes are extremely affordable. Mexico is one such place. I’m in Cancun right now; my wife and I are having our second child here, since the experience of having our first child here last year was so spectacular. I always tend to look at real estate prices whenever I travel. And the market here in Cancun is ridiculously inexpensive. For example, for about $480,000, you could buy a nearly 4,000 sq.ft. house with 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, and a pool inside a gated community with close proximity to the city center and beaches. That’s about $120 per square foot… and that’s very hard to find in North America. Even in Detroit, the average price per square foot according to Realtor.com is $131 per square foot. In Frisco, Texas it’s $198. Tampa, Florida it’s $269. In Phoenix, it’s $298. And in San Diego, the average home price is $666 per square foot. So $120 per square foot in Cancun is a great deal. I’ve also seen large, stately homes here in Cancun— 10,000+ square feet for just over a million dollars. There’s all sorts of inventory available. Another city near the northern coast, Mérida, is located three and half hours west of Cancún by car. Mexicans consistently rate it the most livable, and safest major city in Mexico. Some restored historic homes in a central location with about 2,700-3000 sq. ft. of living space, are listed for around $250,000-$300,000 USD. You can find something more modern, such as a 4,500 sq.ft. house with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and a pool for around $300,000 USD. That’s less than $100 per square foot. Our CEO and Sovereign Woman, Viktorija, has made her home in Mexico City— one of the largest and most cosmopolitan cities in the world. This isn’t Muskogee, Oklahoma, or St. John’s Newfoundland. As an ultra-urban area home to 20+ million people, real estate in Mexico City should be compared to London, Tokyo, Chicago, or Beijing. And by that metric, Ciudad de Mexico is an incredible bargain. You can buy a nice 3 bedroom 2 bathroom spacious condo in one of the best neighborhoods for less than $500,000. This is super-affordable compared to somewhere like New York City or Paris. As Viktorija and I discussed in a recent podcast, Mexico City is not what most people think. It’s clean, green, and picturesque. The food is some of the best I’ve ever had. The culture and vibrant. And as for safety, there’s obviously crime in any huge city. But the violent crime rate in Mexico City is actually lower than in most major American cities. (Or in the Mexican state of Yucatan, where Merida is located, the homicide rate (at 3 per 100,000) is lower than in Nebraska (3.7) and Wyoming (3.1) – which are not exactly known for their hard-core criminality.) The cost of living is also much less expensive in Mexico. Labor is inexpensive and abundant. Food is cheap. Gasoline prices are a bit cheaper than in the US and MUCH cheaper than in Europe or Canada. On average, Mexico is very attractive based on Sovereign Man’s cost of living index, which estimates typical monthly expenses in cities and countries around the world. Personally, I live in Puerto Rico. We love the island, and the tax incentives are undeniably attractive. But my wife and I do enjoy visiting Mexico. The government here was quite reasonable during the pandemic and generally remained open. And the medical care has been so great that I’ve opted to have two children here. Plus, anyone born in Mexico automatically receives Mexican citizenship at birth. Mexico is also an easy place to obtain residency, and this can lead to citizenship and a second passport. All this makes Mexico at least worth considering for your Plan B. Of course, we aren’t trying to convince anyone to move to Mexico. The idea here is to demonstrate that there are plenty of options in the world. You don’t need to be constrained by geography. And if you’re looking for a better life, you might just find the right place outside of your home country. Original Article Original Article Here: Read the full article

[don-lichterman]

Can Mexico Lead A Revival Of Dufry’s Travel Retail Business?

Can Mexico Lead A Revival Of Dufry’s Travel Retail Business?

Sales at Cancun Airport have been very resilient for Dufry during the pandemic. (Photo by: Jeffrey … [+] Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Universal Images Group via Getty Images Global travel retailer Dufry has a long road ahead to get back to pre-pandemic trading levels. Last year the company was down by about 56% on its 2019 sales, but new business in Mexico, and the…

[wtflife01]

If you feel bad, complain about the people who are participating in the video and thought it would be a great idea to post about./ Need to agree, she's a friend of Charles and Charlotte but she isn't their responsability, they were not in that video. They just have a bad taste to choose friends 💀🗑️☠️ good luck to them

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And I feel obligated to say that we know that Charles/Charlotte are not the greatest examples of behavior during the pandemic. But at least they were aware of never doing that sort of thing, because it's just fucking stupid.

She could have posted the dance, saying she was happy with her 4 bitches for finally arriving in Cancun after hours of traveling. She had no need to mention the covid situation in France.

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[nextnewsorg]

A Basic Guide To Visiting Cancun On A Budget

A Basic Guide To Visiting Cancun On A Budget

Cancun is one of the three most expensive parts of Mexico, along with Mexico City and Los Cabos. As such, knowing how to travel to Cancun on a budget is essential if you’re a backpacker or don’t have a huge fund for your travels. Backpacking Accommodations in Cancun Cancun is a major destination for international travelers. During the pandemic of 2020-2021, it was one of the first places in the…

[kimberlycreed90]

Where Will You Go? (Part 2 – Tourist “Traps”)

We all know what is meant by the expression “Tourist Trap” – a place just crawling with tourists, usually with a bunch of stores selling the same souvenirs, watered down drinks, and so-called authentic experiences. Believe me – I live in Cancun half the year, I know this animal. But here’s the thing – there is a reason people flocked, year after year, to the same places. They do offer a great vacation experience.

This past year and a half has been devastating to these destinations. In most cases they don’t have an alternate industry, a plan B. Resorts and restaurants, markets and parks, all are suffering. The locals are losing work or pay. While it might be alien to Canadians or Americans, locals in these destinations who are fortunate enough to keep their jobs are being told they have to accept pay cuts of 25% or 50%. The alternative is to lose 100% and just go home. For this reason I ask you to consider going back to the traditional tourist destinations.

Me – I love Mexico’s Mayan Riviera. Swimming off Cancun’s beaches, walking 5th Avenue in Playa Del Carmen, diving Cozumel’s reefs, touring the ruins at Chichen Itza, Tulum, and Coba – these are some of my best times on vacation. And you could do all of those things in a one week holiday!

Can you feel the sand in your toes?

No doubt you have memories of past vacations too. Many of us have spent far too much time indoors during this pandemic. If you are able to travel, think of how good it would feel to lay out on the beach, swim in the surf, and take a local tour. Yes, there will be a bunch of other tourists there too – because they are having a good time!

For the scuba divers out there – can you imagine how much the dive shops are hurting? I have some friends in Cozumel, and they support their local dive shop when they can, but these businesses went from having a major stream of revenue all winter to just a trickle. Wouldn’t it feel great to be back on a dive boat, putting on your gear, back rolling into the ocean, and once again floating under the sea?

This is a dive with my favorite shop in Cancun – Scorpio Divers. (CLICK HERE to check them out)

Now, I’m not going to tell you that everything is the same. The experience of travelling is different. Airports, flights, executive lounges – they all feel a little different. (More on that in this blog post – CLICK HERE) But once you get where you are going – that will be very familiar. The staff at most resorts, sites, and shops are so happy to see business starting to return. The sand and surf and reefs and wrecks are as good – maybe even a little better – as you remember. Go back.

Now, if you are looking for a slightly different return to travel, what are your options? More on that in Part 3.

Need new dive gear before you return to the deep? Check out House of Scuba – HERE

And for a slightly different adventure:

Source: https://www.travellingmatti.com/blog/where-will-you-go-part-2-tourist-traps

from Travelling Matti https://travellingmatti.wordpress.com/2021/08/28/where-will-you-go-part-2-tourist-traps/