There may be no better time to visit Mexico than now. It’s been about a month since swine flu scares sent tourists fleeing, but with new cases of the H1N1 virus on the wane, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifted its ban on nonessential travel to Mexico on May 15. Museums, restaurants and historic sites are largely back in business. And resorts from Los Cabos to Cancun, which saw occupancy plummet by more than 50 percent at the end of April and the beginning of May, are beckoning with discounts of up to 70 percent.

The perennially popular Maya Tulum Wellness Retreat & Spa, which normally doesn’t have to discount, is offering summer rates from $1,368 a person for its seven-night Mind, Body and Spirit Package through October, including three meals a day, spa treatments, daily yoga sessions and nature tours; guests in June or July get an extra 30 percent off that. At the very high end, Rosewood’s popular Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos has cut already discounted summer rates for its three-night Escapes package to $515 a night and is adding extras like free upgrades and $200 in resort credit.

Cheap airfare is easy to find. Rates for nonstop round-trip flights from New York were as low as $270 to Cancun and $280 to Mexico City in recent online searches; and Los Angeles to Los Cabos was about $250. Apple Vacations, a major seller of trips to Mexico, recently announced round-trip airfare from Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas and elsewhere for as low as $199 round trip.

Major airlines have also lifted low-fare travel restrictions on tickets to Mexico well into peak winter season. “Many popular routes such as to Cancun and Mexico City now have low fares with no advance purchase requirement and are valid for travel through a 330-day period,” said George Hobica, founder of airfarewatchdog.com

Meanwhile, as Mexico is aggressively trying to win back tourists, competing resorts in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean are trying to position themselves as alternative vacation spots for travelers still wary of Mexico. Couples Resorts is hoping a new 50 percent-off promotion will persuade some travelers to change their destination to Jamaica. Others, like Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda, which without marketing picked up more than 200 room reservations in May, have been benefiting from travelers looking for alternatives to Mexico. But the bargains for Mexican vacations are hard to beat. “The bottom line is Mexico is on sale and offering incredible specials to lure people back,” said Sallie Rawlings, a spokeswoman for Travel Impressions, a major tour operator to Mexico.

CANCUN-RIVIERA MAYA

All-inclusive resorts up and down Mexico’s east coast are slashing rates and adding perks. Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort near Playa del Carmen is offering a Welcome Back to Mexico automatic double upgrade deal through June. That means guests who book a regular suite for $300 a person a night are upgraded to an Ambassador Pool Suite, with a plunge pool, normally $630 a person a night.

And Real Resorts has cut rates to about $268 a night for two at the Royal in Cancun, from $485. Karisma Resorts and Hotels is offering up to $400 in airfare credits to guests who book four-night air-inclusive vacation packages by June 8.

With all of the deals availiable, your dream Cancun vacation is right around the corner! Dont miss on this great deals and wonderful opportunities!   Traveling to Cancun can be a great experience for the whole family and right now is the best time for that Cancun vacation!

Source: NY Times/ www.nytimes.com