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Cancun officials optimistic competitors will pick up British tourism

Cancun, Q.R. — In addition to hotels, there are other Cancun, Riviera Maya tourist companies that will be affected by the bankruptcy of Thomas Cook.

Darío Flota Ocampo, director of the Tourism Promotion Council of Quintana Roo says that dozens of other service providers, aside from hotels, are going to feel the affects of the bankruptcy. He says providers such as theme parks, transportation providers and nautical services, will also take a hit.

He said that both hotels and the rest of Thomas Cook’s creditors could file legal claims for the debt of vacation packages reserved for the remainder of the year, or services already provided, that the company had not yet liquidated.

In the same boat are British tourists who, after acquiring a vacation package to the Mexican Caribbean, are unaware of what will happen with their money or if they can still use the booked vacation packages now that Thomas Cook has declared bankruptcy.

La Secretaría de Turismo de Quintana Roo (Sedetur) announced that between October and December of this year, a total of 24,400 passengers were expected to the Mexican Caribbean by Thomas Cook.

The information states that 10,000 British passengers were expected for the month of October, 7,400 for November and 7,000 for December.

Fleet Ocampo explained that until now, the rescue plan announced by the British government consists of enabling charter flights for the transfer of passengers that have remained in Cancun, Riviera Maya and other international destinations where there are a significant number of stranded UK tourists.

He says that it is foreseeable that Thomas Cook competitors, mainly TUI, another European tour operator, could absorb the tourists that were expected for the remainder of the year in Cancun and Riviera Maya, although he clarifies that there has not been any information released about which companies could participate.

“In the medium and long term, it is practically a fact that the market share left by the British giant will be gradually absorbed by its competitors, but immediately, tourists who have been stranded must be served,” he said.

In a statement, Sedetur reported that the English government, through the United Kingdom Embassy in Mexico, has been providing support since last Monday to all passengers who were stranded in the Mexican Caribbean.

Carlos Trueba Coll, director of the Cancun International Airport, confirmed that durning the rest of this week, about 1,500 British passengers will be returned to the UK by the United Kingdom Embassy.

He said that connectivity with the United Kingdom will not be lost due to the suspension of operations by Thomas Cook, as other airlines such as British Airways and even Aeromexico fly the same routes.