OFFICIAL Press Release from the Cozumel Tourism Board

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Christi

PADI MSDT/Former CZM Dive op owner
ScubaBoard Supporter
Scuba Instructor
Messages
7,277
Reaction score
4,798
Location
Wayzata, MN
# of dives
2500 - 4999
This is official information folks, not conjecture, speculation, third/fourth/or fifth hand so I thought it deserved it's own thread!

Pilot Fish, here are your answers, even the reefs are addressed since the reports others of us posted didn't seem to satisfy you:

Just to give credit where credit is due, I pulled this from CozumelMyCozumel as posted by Trish, the owner of Mesa 17 (my favorite restaurant on the isla :)

Trish writes:
"This is what is was distributed today to reporters and editors in the US, according to some of my media friends. I know Raul Marrufo and he is a sharp guy, and I think he and tourism leaders on the island are doing their best to get the message out."

COZUMEL, MEXICO, REPORTS RAPID RECOVERY

COZUMEL, Mexico (Nov. 8, 2005) - Cozumel tourism officials report rapid
progress in the post-hurricane Wilma clean up and restoration effort on
the island.

According to Raul Marrufo, director of the Cozumel Tourism Promotion
Board, "Now that the essential services have been restored to most of the
island, we have shifted our focus to prepare the island for winter
visitors. We are enthusiastic about our progress and look forward to a
busy tourist season starting in December."

General information:
- Electricity and water has been restored to 90 percent of the island
- The Cozumel Airport officially reopened on October 29, 2005. Mexicana
Airlines is currently operating daily flights to Cozumel out of Mexico
City. American Airlines will resume its Dallas-to-Cozumel flights on
December 16, 2005, operating three flights a week, and Continental has
resumed its Houston-to-Cozumel flights, operating three flights a week.
- The first cruise ship is scheduled to arrive on November 14, 2005.
- Several dive shops are open and operating
- Officials from the Cozumel National Marine Park are optimistic and
report that many reefs along Cozumel are largely undamaged. Shallow
reefs, up to 35 feet deep, were most impacted, while reefs found at greater
depths are reported to be in good condition.
- Caverns, including Chankanaab Cavern, F1 Cavern and Aerolito Cavern
did not sustain damage and are open.
- More than 30 island excursions have been available since October 31, 2005
- 95 percent of shops and restaurants will be open beginning November 14, 2005
- The Cozumel Country Club will reopen the golf course, offering 9 holes, on December 1, 2005
- The Atlantis Submarine attraction will reopen on December 15, 2005
- Fiesta Holidays is open for snorkeling tours and car rentals

According to Aurelio Joaquin, director of the Foundation of Parks and
Museums of Cozumel, "Though the island's parks have sustained some
damage, we are thankful that the ruins at San Gervasio were not harmed. We
have already begun efforts to restore the parks and will have them
ready for visitors to enjoy by the winter travel season."

- The Museum of the Island of Cozumel is now open and fully
operational.
- Punta Sur ecological park is currently open for jeep tours.
- Reconstruction has started on Chankanaab National Park, with the
tentative opening date scheduled for December 20, 2005
- The Mayan ruins at San Gervasio were not damaged and the
archaeological site will reopen on November 14, 2005.

According to Gabriela Verduzco, manager of the Cozumel Hotels
Association, "Several hotels have already returned to business as usual and many
others will reopen prior to the busy fall season." The following is a
list of scheduled reopening dates for various Cozumel hotels and
resorts. Some properties are still in the assessment stage and have not yet
reported reopening dates.

Hotel -- Scheduled Opening Date
Casa del mar -- December 15, 2005
Casa Mexicana -- Open
Coral Princess -- February 1, 2006
Cozumel Palace -- Pending
Cozumel Resort -- Open
Days Inn -- Open
El Cozumeleño -- Pending
El Cid la Ceiba -- November 15, 2005
Fiesta Americana -- February 1, 2006
Flamingo -- Open
Hacienda San Miguel -- Pending
Iberostar -- Pending
Melia Cozumel -- December 23, 2005
Occidental Allegro -- January 31, 2006
Occidental Grand -- January 31, 2006
Park Royal -- July 2006
Playa Azul -- December 15, 2005
Presidente InterContinental -- May 2006
Reef Club -- Pending
Scuba Club Cozumel -- November 15, 2005
Sol Cabañas del Caribe -- Pending
Suites Bahia -- December 15, 2005
Suites Colonial -- December 15, 2005
Villablanca -- November 15, 2005
Vista del Mar -- Open


For ongoing destination updates, travelers should visit
www.islacozumel.com.mx.
 
Christi,

I saw elsewhere today on this website that the Presidente Hotel will not open until Oct. 2006. Your message indicates the proposed opening date to be May 2006. Can you account for the discrepancy? And, glad to see you are O.K.
 
Thank you Christi. You provide a wonderful service to the board members. Keep up the good work!!!!.........and be safe!
 
Mawg:
Christi,

I saw elsewhere today on this website that the Presidente Hotel will not open until Oct. 2006. Your message indicates the proposed opening date to be May 2006. Can you account for the discrepancy? And, glad to see you are O.K.

You saw on this website as in Scubaboard Oct. 2006 or on the official website?

As I said, the OFFICIAL press release is what people should believe.

Asking me to account for the discrepancy would require me to speculate and GUESS.

The statement I posted was an Official Press release from the tourism board released today, which I would consider as the most authoritative source on the subject matter at this point...other than the hotel itself.

And THIS is the OFFICIAL Cozumel Tourism Board website:
http://www.islacozumel.com.mx/
 
Christi,

It was posted here, yesterday on a thread called Cozumel Hotel Assn-Hotel Info/pics by a new member called YELLOWROSECOZUMEL. I'm going with your info.
 
Mawg:
Christi,

It was posted here, yesterday on a thread called Cozumel Hotel Assn-Hotel Info/pics by a new member called YELLOWROSECOZUMEL. I'm going with your info.


It's not MY info...it's the official tourism board info...if you click on the website link i provided for the OFFICIAL Cozumel Tourism Board site, you will see that press release.

Yellow Rose like you said is a new member, a Cozumel dive operator, also trying and doing a good job of providing real information. I'm sure the information he had said October, and I don't know where he got that information. However, the tourism board says May as of today. I''m only sharing the official info I hear because there is enough guessing and speculation going on here.
 
Hi Christie,

Thanks for the official scoop. I think it fair to say, though, that whichever place visitors are interested in, they should call the hotel/resort directly (assuming a reopening date has been set), because things change. For example, when I saw the Jan. 31 date for the Allegro Cozumel, I called reservations, since I already have a/l tickets for arriving Cozumel 21 Jan. and leaving 28 Jan. and wanted to verify that I could book the hotel for early Feb. before I changed my a/l tickets. The agent informed me she would be happy to make a reservation for me, but only for arrival May 6 or later. She did not know why the discrepancy on the web site. So, again, the best way to find out the latest for an individual hotel is to call directly. BTW, I waited until the Occidental website posted the "official" reopening date last Fri. before calling, because I didn't want to bug them.

Jim
 
steeliejim:
Hi Christie,

Thanks for the official scoop. I think it fair to say, though, that whichever place visitors are interested in, they should call the hotel/resort directly (assuming a reopening date has been set), because things change. For example, when I saw the Jan. 31 date for the Allegro Cozumel, I called reservations, since I already have a/l tickets for arriving Cozumel 21 Jan. and leaving 28 Jan. and wanted to verify that I could book the hotel for early Feb. before I changed my a/l tickets. The agent informed me she would be happy to make a reservation for me, but only for arrival May 6 or later. She did not know why the discrepancy on the web site. So, again, the best way to find out the latest for an individual hotel is to call directly. BTW, I waited until the Occidental website posted the "official" reopening date last Fri. before calling, because I didn't want to bug them.

Jim

I 100% agree with you. I think I even said that in an above post.

The point i am trying to make is not to take everything posted here as gospel as some people tend to do. Call your dive op and/or hotel directly if you really want to know.
 
Christi:
I 100% agree with you. I think I even said that in an above post.

The point i am trying to make is not to take everything posted here as gospel as some people tend to do. Call your dive op and/or hotel directly if you really want to know.

And even then understand that if the information you get from them indicates a return to service in the future (as opposed to being in service at the time you contact them), understand that their situation may change, or they could be overly optimistic or pessimistic in their estimates, etc.
 
"Shallow reefs, up to 35 feet deep, were most impacted, while reefs found at greater
depths are reported to be in good condition" ]]]]]]from Coz Tourist Board link provided by Christi.

Good Morning, Christi. If you check my previous posts you'll notice this is exactly what I said I had heard. I think we are in agreement. :)
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom