Puerto Vallarta has slowly started to welcome tourists back with a focus on health and safety that addresses the COVID-19 pandemic.
The destination that started a lockdown in early March is now undergoing a multi-phase reopening process led by local officials focused on state, federal and international protocols. These initiatives have played a part in the State of Jalisco obtaining a Safe Travels stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
The measures implemented in Puerto Vallarta begin at Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport, the destination’s primary filter, which has also received the WTTC Safe Travels stamp. Social distancing is being practiced by airport workers, and thermal video cameras are being used as travelers enter the immigration zone, where electronic documentation is currently taking place. Disinfectant mats are used at all airport entrances and exits.
In addition to the preventive and precautionary measures at the airport, the city is requiring extensive and continuous sanitization in hotels, public transportation, and public spaces. Restaurants must maintain physical distance between tables and patrons, and establishments must place disinfectant mats at entrances. Local officials are also distributing antibacterial gel and conducting temperature checks.
More than 45 hotels have reopened to visitors, with a maximum 30% occupancy, and are offering modified access to on-site restaurants, pools and beaches. A second group of hotels will open during July for the summer, and the remainder will open in the last trimester of the year.
Although Puerto Vallarta’s Malecon waterfront promenade is not yet fully open to the public, there are access points to restaurants and shops. Bars remain closed until the destination enters the next phase of its reopening.
Air service is coming back as well. Mexican airlines offer continuous flights to main domestic destinations, including Mexico City, Guadalajara, Tijuana, Aguascalientes, and Monterrey. Internationally, four airlines are connecting U.S. cities with Puerto Vallarta. Alaska Airlines has daily flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco; American Airlines offers a daily connection to Dallas and Los Angeles; United Airlines maintains a daily flight to Houston, and Delta Air Lines has daily services to Los Angeles.
Given the fluidity of the situation, new measures may be implemented, so check visitpuertovallarta.com often.
For more updates on new protocols, visit Recommend’s Safe Travels page. Stories about future travel can be accessed at #AmazingDaysAhead.
