Puerto Vallarta is working hard to recover from the pandemic that affected everyone. As one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Americas, it was undoubtedly one of the most impacted. However, the destination is making a strong rebound in tourism.
With an even wider tourist market than before, the staff of airlines, hotels, tours, restaurants, businesses, and more allied with the Public Trust for Tourism Promotion and Advertising of Puerto Vallarta, does ‘magic’ to captivate travelers and achieve the return of tourists, and even exceed the numbers recorded before the pandemic.
A few months after reactivating the destination and modifying all the processes to include health protocols and thus guarantee the safety of all national and international travelers, they arrive to enjoy all the attractions that the port offers.
In Puerto Vallarta, you will find everything from a quiet tour along the coast or a walk through the Botanical Garden with hundreds of plants from the region and country, to pure adrenaline activities such as a tour with extreme zip lines, waterfall rappelling, and slides in the middle of the jungle, a tour with which you will undoubtedly overcome all your fears.
Greater access to Puerto Vallarta
International flights opened from Santa Ana with Southwest, Las Vegas with Frontier, Charlotte with American Airlines, Austin with Southwest, Mc Allen with Aeromar, Austin with American Airlines, and New York JFK with Jet Blue. While the new airlines are Spirit and Jet Blue.
As for operations at the Puerto Vallarta airport, the level of arrivals have exceeded 2020 numbers. In domestic flights, 6,718 were reported until last September, compared to 5,339 of the same period last year, and close to 8,492 in 2019 the marker known as ‘pre-pandemic year’. In international operations, the pre-pandemic level was already exceeded with 7,613 until last September, when in 2020 there were 5,267 and 7,345 in 2019.
In the number of passengers, the rebound in recent months has been considerable. Until last August there were more than 575,000 Mexicans arriving in Puerto Vallarta, a figure that exceeds that of 2020 with 475,750, but there is still a need to return to the pre-pandemic level of more than 919,000 in 2019.
Regarding international passengers, the behavior is similar, until last August more than 670,000 arrived in Puerto Vallarta, already very close to exceeding 792,000 in 2020 but still far from reaching more than 1.6 million in 2019. However, the outlook is very encouraging, because by the end of the year there are already a high number of reservations.
Also, Cruises have returned to Puerto Vallarta, and this month, 14 cruises with thousands of tourists are expected to arrive in the city.
Gabriela Ramírez, Group Manager at the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort and Convention Center, highlighted that travelers are already preparing to celebrate the holidays and start the year in the destination, which is already reflected in reservations.
She indicated that after the pandemic, both national and foreign tourists, from cities where they were hardly visited before, seek to escape from confinement to destinations such as Vallarta where they find a warm climate, safe beaches, and fun for the whole family.
Raquel Tacher González, hotel sales director, highlighted that the arrival of travelers and hotel occupancy is advancing rapidly and that there is a very good expectation to close this 2021 and start 2022.
What to do in Puerto Vallarta?
Being in Puerto Vallarta is already synonymous with relaxation and fun, however, there are activities that can far exceed your expectations.
From a walk along the coast with excellent landscapes, a luxury dinner in front of the sea at a table on the water to becoming a prisoner for a few hours and enjoying the show on the Pirate Ship of Marigalante tours.
If you like an adrenaline rush, there is no better option than riding on mules through the mountain to hanging bridges, zip lines, slides, and waterfall rappel deep into the jungle.
If you like roller coasters, imagine a fusion with a zip line, the feeling is unmatched. This is a new attraction, the Roller Coaster Zipline, a zip line with the ups, downs, and turns of a roller coaster. Adrenaline spikes are a guarantee.
From zip lines to swimming with dolphins, whale watching, snorkeling, scuba diving, ATV tours, skydiving, among others, there is plenty to do in Puerto Vallarta. From mild to wild.
Pirate Ship for the whole family
Being a prisoner of pirates for a few hours is an adventure in Puerto Vallarta. In the Marigalante Pirate Ship, you navigate the bay enjoying the family show and live music for around 4 hours aboard a 700-ton Galleon, an exact replica of the Santa María caravel with a capacity for more than 200 people.
In addition, aboard the boat made of 100 percent wood, you can enjoy a gourmet lunch or dinner under deck with a menu of up to nine dishes to choose from for adults and children, an open bar, and an impressive fireworks show.
Garden adventure
A guided tour to know hundreds of plants in the region and the rest of Mexico may be the best option for those who like something quiet or simply love plants.
The Puerto Vallarta Botanical Garden is unique in its kind, it is set in the mountains, it has an area of more than 30 hectares and has almost a thousand species of plants from fruit trees to exotic and toxic, and with beautiful views.
In the guided tour by Urban Navigator experts, in Spanish, English, and even French, you will discover botanical treasures, among which vanilla will be memorable, one of the most valuable spices in the world, in addition to chocolate and even the interesting gum tree and the 129 types of orchids of which 48 are native to Mexico.
Sea and Wine
Another activity of tranquility is to enjoy a delicious lunch or luxury dinner in front of the sea and at a table where your feet are relaxingly submerged in the water.
This is the experience at the Mar y Vino restaurant located in the romantic zone of Puerto Vallarta, an ideal place to go as a couple and enjoy spectacular sunsets from that beautiful terrace.
The Paradise
Las Caletas beach is like being in paradise. It is a beach that can only be reached by sea and you can enjoy the beautiful scenery sitting on the sand or reclining in one of the hammocks on the shore or over the sea.
Also, if you prefer a little more action, you can kayak, snorkel, take cooking classes, do a mezcal tasting or take a tour of the animal area and visit the macaw refuge.
You can also choose any of the adventure park activities such as zip-lining into the sea or sliding down the slide, or swimming with marine animals such as stingrays. Everything, all in one place that offers guaranteed fun for the whole family. The open bar, welcome breakfast, and buffet lunch are included.
Puerto Vallarta is working hard to recover from the pandemic that affected everyone. As one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Americas . . .
