Although Mexico is listed at the ‘Level 4: Do Not Travel’ list of U.S. State Department Travel Advisory, the Mexican state of Nayarit most recently upgraded to green in Mexico’s “Traffic Light” COVID-19 monitoring system.
On Tuesday, April 20, 2021, the U.S. State Department updated its Travel Advisory system by expanding its list of “Level 4: Do Not Travel” to include about 80% of countries worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including Mexico.
This update does not imply a reassessment of current health situations in the countries but is an adjustment in the State Department’s Travel Advisory system to better align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This update is not a travel restriction, and the state of Nayarit most recently upgraded to green in Mexico’s “Traffic Light” COVID-19 monitoring system, which reflects the great improvement in the management of the virus in the destination. Due to this upgrade to green, all businesses and organizations are now operating at 70%, including hotels, beaches and tours.
“We are proud of the progress made in the destination in regard to the management of containing the virus,” said Marc Murphy, managing director for the Riviera Nayarit CVB.
“We want to reassure travelers that their wellbeing, health and safety remains our top priority and all rigorous safety measures are in place to do so.”
Mexico’s states are also individually ranked, and while the state of Nayarit is listed under “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” due to crime, Riviera Nayarit has continuously ranked as one of the safest tourist destinations in Mexico. According to data provided by the National System of Public Safety (SNSNSP) and the National Population Commission (CONAPO), in 2020, Riviera Nayarit registered just 335 incidents per 100,000 inhabitants, far below the average among other popular destinations in the country that register nearly 2,000 incidents. Most of these incidents happen far from tourist areas in the destination, including Riviera Nayarit and its areas of Nuevo Vallarta, Punta Mita and Bahia de Banderas.
As one of the first destinations to receive the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Safe Travel Stamp, Riviera Nayarit is well-prepared to safely welcome international and domestic travelers. Riviera Nayarit’s hospitality industry worked diligently and quickly to implement the new standard sanitation protocols that follows recommendations from international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and in close collaboration with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Airports Council International (ACI) and the International Association of Cruise Lines (CLIA).
Air connectivity from the United States and Canada to Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) flights are at an uptick, with increased routes most recently announced from American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta, Swoop Airlines, WestJet, Spirit, Frontier, and more.
