Cancun has been the long-haul success story of recent years, its white sand beaches, good standard of accommodation and affordable price-tag striking the right balance between mainstream appeal and exotic image.
Unijet claims Mexico is outselling all of its Caribbean destinations for winter 1999 and summer 2000 and, with a brochure lead-in price of £529 for a week in Cancun, it’s not hard to see why.
For the mass-market operators, Cancun has acted as a safe inroad into Latin America and a platform for the growth of more adventurous Mexican product.
Add-on tours of Mexico’s colonial cities or the Mayan sites of the Yucatan peninsula are an increasingly prominent feature of many programmes. Sovereign claims that 50%of its Cancun clients opt for its seven-night Yucatan Explorer tour.
In addition to its Cancun and Puerto Vallarta beach product, Hayes and Jarvis features add-ons to Mexico City, Acapulco and Copper Canyon and new seven and 14-night touring options for 2000.
The resorts of Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco are also gaining ground, with Airtours going into the latter resort for 2000.
Despite the growing popularity of Mexico, the rest of Latin America remains the domain of the specialist operators, appealing primarily to backpackers or well heeled travellers.
Upmarket operator Abercrombie and Kent is so confident of demand for its premium product in this region that it is has launched its first dedicated South America and Costa Rica brochure for 2000. It features five-star hotels or the best available accommodation in each destination.
The release of the new programme has taken Abercrombie and Kent into Costa Rica, Chile and Argentina for the first time. It already featured Ecuador and Peru in its escorted tours programme.
Tailor-made options include riding in Ecuador or Patagonia, trips through the Atacama desert in Chile and fishing holidays in Argentina. Prices start from £2,232 for a 14-night self-drive itinerary in Costa Rica.
Cox and Kings said it is convinced there is a demand for luxury holidays to Latin America. New to its programme for 2000 is a luxury tour of Mexico featuring accommodation in converted colonial houses and haciendas. It costs from £2,545 for 12 days.
Product manager Latin America Lucy Nicholson said: “This is a very posh holiday with fantastic hotels and clients also get their own car and driver. We believe there is a market out there for this kind of holiday, and it is just a question of developing it.”
Cox and Kings has also cut down the length of many of its tours to 12 days and increased the number of extensions on offer for 2000 to make them more accessible to people with limited time.
Operators said more affluent travellers would also be attracted to Peru as Orient Express Hotels has invested in two properties, one in Cuzco and one at Machu Picchu, with a train service that links the two areas.
To try to raise awareness of Latin America among all markets, specialist Trips Worldwide has organised the UK’s first dedicated Latin America travel show, to be held in Bristol later this week.
There will be about 25 exhibitors, including tour operators, airlines and tourist boards, at the show, which will be at the Bristol Watershed on Saturday, October 30, from 10am-6.30pm. Entry costs £3, but agents will receive a special discount if they contact Trips in advance.