Cancun International Airport handles the nation's largest
number of international flights from the principal cities of
Europe.
Although it is a single industry, the Mexican tourism business
has increased continuously, leading Latin America, and
occupying world's eighth place in number of foreign tourists
received, and the twelfth in foreign exchange capture,
generating $62 billion in 2004.
Fonatur, the national tourism development fund, has favored
expansion in the beach areas with the greatest attraction for
tourists from the United Status, our country's most frequent
visitors.
Because of this, the most attractive destinations have been designated Master Planned Centers (Centros
Integralmente Planeados -- CIP), which have been selected after very conscientious research and analysis. At
present development has centered in Cancún, Ixtapa, Huatulco, Loreto and Los Cabos, each of which is at its
own stage of progress.
The current administration has defined other places which will be the object of tourism development. Among
these are two sun and sand destinations -- Costa Maya, in Quintana Roo, and Nayarit, both of which have
extraordinary natural beauty.
Costa Maya is located approximately sixty miles from Chetumal, in the Riviera Maya's last territorial reserve. It
will be a low environmental impact master planned tourism project in the Mahahual-Pulticub corridor. The total
development area will cover almost fifty square miles; work the first phase will start on approximately twenty
square miles. Initial plans include two golf courses, thirteen hotels with 2,260 rooms, 160 residential villas and
two hundred condominium apartments, a theme park and business and entertainment centers. When this is
completed, 4,740 hotel rooms and another golf course will be added.