Puerto Vallarta, renowned for its scenic beaches and vibrant culture, is poised for a remarkable uptick in tourism for the fall and winter seasons of 2023. Luis Villaseñor Nolasco, the director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust, announced the resumption of daily flight operations from Canada, further amplifying the city’s tourism prospects.
Key Canadian airlines, such as Air Canada and Westjet, are at the forefront of this tourism boost. According to Villaseñor Nolasco, Air Canada is slated to operate daily flights from Toronto and Vancouver. This connectivity is anticipated to provide an invaluable conduit for Canadian tourists, not just from these major cities but also from other regions connected via these hubs. Westjet is also contributing to this surge with daily flights from Vancouver and Calgary.
Westjet will deploy its Dreamliner aircraft for these operations, boasting a capacity of up to 300 seats. “We will have many seats this fall-winter season,” Villaseñor Nolasco stated, “which is very beneficial for both the destination and the metropolitan area of Puerto Vallarta. This increased seating capacity offers significant opportunities for travelers and bolsters our optimism for the long-awaited end of the year. We hope to close with at least a 75% average annual occupancy.”
In corroboration with this optimistic outlook, recent data from Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico reveals that Puerto Vallarta International Airport has already seen significant growth this year. During the first nine months of 2023, the airport welcomed 5.06 million passengers, marking an 11% increase in international users and a 13% increase in national users compared to the same period in 2022.
Further bolstering Puerto Vallarta’s connectivity, new routes have been inaugurated in 2023. Volaris has introduced flights to Guadalajara, while JetBlue is now connecting the city with Los Angeles. Volaris has also expanded its service to include routes to Mexicali and Culiacán.
Looking ahead, by the end of 2023, Puerto Vallarta International Airport is projected to serve an estimated 7 million users. New routes to Ontario and Las Vegas are also in the pipeline, promising to extend the city’s reach to more destinations.
As Puerto Vallarta gears up for what appears to be a promising end to the year, the enhanced flight connectivity and expanded route offerings provide compelling opportunities for both national and international tourists, potentially setting new records in the city’s thriving tourism sector.
