Cancún, Mexico

Few international airports sport the slogan of a local beer on their control towers, but on arrival in Cancún the term "Corona" blazoned on this otherwise highly functional space leaves no doubt in the visitor's mind that he or she has entered into a place that promotes the sun, sea, and sand kind of tourism. Cancún is a barrier island located on the Gulf of Mexico on the southeastern coast of Mexico and the northeastern point of the Yucatán Peninsula. It receives up to two million tourist arrivals per year, following its rapid and deliberate growth as a tourist resort during the 1960s. Fueled largely by U.S. and Spanish investment, it is now one of Mexico's best known beach resorts. Situated in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, it is a gateway to the Mayan Riviera. The Riviera encompasses a string of smaller destinations including beach resorts such as Playa del Carmen, Mayan archaeological sites such as Tulum, and Cenotes at the ex-Mayan port of X-Caret. Based on a master plan for rapid tourism growth, the 21st century has witnessed deliberate attempts to diversify Cancún's tourist offerings and pursue niche marketing strategies. It represents an apt case study for the transformation of Fordist regimes of tourism planning and development to post-Fordist, alternative forms of tourism.