Development of the Mayan Peninsula

Beginning as dense jungle, mangroves and a dream, Cancun was the first area to be developed, with initial infrastructure projects underway by the mid 1970's.

From the inception of the project, the Mexican government understood the economic potential of the region, and has continually infused resources into its development. In addition, the restructuring of traditionally strict land ownership laws has successfully attracted foreign participation.

The Master Plan for the region called for a bold, long-term, multi-phase project. A road south along the coast was constructed, connecting the then pueblo-sized Cancun with Tulum, site of some of the oldest Mayan ruins in Mexico. This area was referred to as the "Corredor," or corridor, and included Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Akumal, Xel-ha and Tancah. Many of these sites are rich in Mayan history, containing either temple ruins or "cenotes," ancient fresh water springs, and provided an additional tourism draw to complement the attraction of a tropical coastline.

As the phases of Cancun development progressed, simultaneous smaller projects were undertaken south along the coast that complemented the draw of tourists to Cancun and led to the development of many additional destination sites. As a result, the success of the "Mexican Caribbean" project has been nothing short of phenomenal. The latest statistics by Fonatur, the Mexican government tourist board, show that the volume of foreign tourists visiting the area has more than tripled in the past 15 years. At present, direct flights, both commercial and charter, from the U.S., Canada, and Europe (including Germany, Italy, Finland and Holland), as well as from the South American countries of Colombia, Brazil and Argentina account for the nearly threefold increase in the number of flights landing annually in Cancun since 1990.