PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic -- Three months after cartel vandalism and violence rattled the Mexico travel market, Marriott International is watching demand return, albeit with some soft spots.
Although Puerto Vallarta is still struggling, demand across many of the company's 300 properties in Mexico are "getting to a normal pace," said Martin Castano, vice president of sales and distribution for the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA), while attending the company's second annual Discover CALA Travel Summit here.
"To be totally transparent, in the beginning, it was not easy," Castano said. "Even though it was a serious thing that happened in one area of Mexico, it affected [demand in] all of the country," he said.
The upheaval began when members of cartels burned cars and vandalized businesses in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara in February in reaction to the murder of their leader. Travel advisors attending the travel summit said their Mexico business took a hit right after the cartel disruption.
Advisors had clients who wanted to cancel their Mexico trips, even to places far from the incident, such as Cabo, nearly 800 miles away. Some guests stuck with their plans, but since the incident, first-time travelers to Mexico have needed more assurances about safety before committing, several advisors said. Meanwhile, advisors said regular travelers to the country are returning.
"People who love Mexico, love Mexico. If they had a good experience, they are coming back," said Kate Robertson, an advisor with Travel Expo based in Charlotte, N.C. Mexico sales account for 70% of her business.
Demand among her clients has recovered on the country's east coast, including in Cancun and Quintana Roo. But it's along the West Coast, where Puerto Vallarta is, that is still struggling, she said.
Shifting to the Caribbean
While some tour operators offered incentives to draw travelers back, airfares haven't dropped much to help entice travelers there, Robertson said. Advisors noticed other tactics, too, such as offering a third night free on a two-night booking or increased commissions.
Several advisors said their clients shifted trips from Mexico to the Caribbean this year in light of the cartel event. The Caribbean has performed well for Marriott, but it is unclear whether that success was due to Mexico's troubles, the war in Iran or economic uncertainty keeping travelers close to home.
Travel advisors at the CALA Summit said they often suggest Mexico as a destination, noting its value proposition, array of luxury properties, unique room products and a vibrant culture. Yet they still struggle to sell Mexico to some of their clients, not just because of lingering memories of the cartel incident but also because of a general perception of safety and an "anywhere but Mexico" perspective, they said.
"When I sell Mexico, some people are uncomfortable with it, and I have to dig deep and find out why you're uncomfortable," said Deborah Barth, an advisor and independent affiliate of Brownell. It's often a matter of safety, she said, which requires her to talk to her clients about how to mitigate trouble.
"For me, it's the best destination. You're going to get the most bang for your buck and the nicest resort. It's just a better value," Barth said.
Trending: shorter trips, more uncertainty, booking closer in
Shorter trips with smaller booking windows are the name of the game right now, according to Castano and advisors at the summit. Whether due to geopolitical affairs or economic uncertainty, guests are waiting longer to book stays, including throughout Marriott's properties and destinations.
"Yes, people are maybe waiting until the last minute to decide what they want to do," he said. But they are still traveling. "What we're seeing is that the booking window is shorter and people are making decisions more last-minute."
While trips are shorter, people are traveling more often, he said. Instead of taking a two-or three-week vacation, people are taking one-week trips several times a year.
Travelers are also concerned about price increases, especially with the war driving up the price of fuel and airfares.
Elevated airfares are likely here to stay, said Jonathan Mullings, director of group sales for United Airlines. He told advisors at the summit that even if oil prices decline into late 2026 and 2027, elevated prices are likely to remain.
"Even when we see the oil [price] come down, we're in a market where fares were actually lower than they were pre-Covid, so it's kind of a right-sizing of the market," he said.