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Hey jet setters! I am thrilled to bring you today's blog post because I've been trying to start doing some more interview-style posts, and today we are talking with Lizzie Cole, who is the Executive Director of Promotion on the Quintana Roo Tourism Board. She has been in this position since June 2018, but she has over 30 years in tourism and destination marketing. Lizzie has a wealth of experience and knowledge in the tourism industry. Quintana Roo is made up of 13 distinct regions which make up the Mexican Caribbean. They include:
About Lizzie Cole
Having finished studies in Tourism and Destination Marketing, she has worked for the Tourism industry for over 30 years. After several years in the private sector, including a job with American Express inbound travel services in Cancun, she moved in 2002 to the public sector at the Tourism Secretariat of the State of Quintana Roo, where she was PR and Communication Director and later, Marketing Director. In 2010, Ms. Cole moved to the Riviera Maya Tourism Board, as Marketing Director; in 2014, the Riviera Maya Tourism Board took over Cozumel Island, becoming Cozumel and Riviera Maya Tourism Board.
Since November 2016, Ms. Cole was appointed by the Governor of the State of Quintana Roo as new CEO for the Cancun CVB, in charge of all marketing and promotion activities for the north of Quintana Roo, including Cancún, Isla Mujeres, Isla Holbox and the Puerto Morelos region. Ms. Cole has held the position of Executive Director of Promotion in the Quintana Roo Tourism Board since June 2018.
Jet Set Life Interview with Lizzie Cole
Lizzie Cole, Executive Promotion Director for the Quintana Roo Tourism Board (Photo credit: Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer / via DallasNews.com)
Tell us a little about yourself and your background.
“I moved to Cancun over 33 years, and I started a career in tourism. I started working in the private sector for different companies. I worked 15 years within the the private sector, and in 2002, I was invited to work for the secretary of tourism of the state of Quintana Roo. Then I started as a PR Communications Director, and moved to different positions.
After this, I moved to one of the state’s tourism boards. At the time, we had four different tourism boards within the state. Each one was in charge of the promotion and advertising for a specific region, like Cancún, the Riviera Maya, and Tulum.
In 2016, the governor of the state of Quintana Roo appointed me as CEO for the Cancún Tourism Board. I was there for almost two years. And then in 2018, the governor decided to create the Quintana Roo Tourism Board as a stronger organization to take care of all the destinations.”
Photo credit: MexicanCaribbean.travel
How would you describe the Mexican Caribbean?
“I think that the difference is just in the name. Our advertising campaign currently is ‘Mexican Caribbean - the best of two worlds’. And we are exactly that - we are the best of what a Caribbean destination has to offer, with the white sand beach, the crystal clear turquoise waters, the coral reefs. Also we have the millenary culture of Mexico with world-class gastronomies, a rich culinary history, and also everything that has to do with the Maya culture developing here hundreds and hundreds of years ago.
We are a perfect mix of all these elements that come together to create a very rich destination that has so much to offer to the visitor. You can choose to have a typical Caribbean vacation, relaxing by the pool or the beach or you can have an adventure vacation, exploring, learning about the Maya culture, and experiencing different natural sites, like the cenotes. Our cenotes is something you have to see while you’re here - they are beautiful sinkholes with very clear water.”
Photo credit: Dive Paradise
What are some of the lesser-known places worth visiting in the Mexican Caribbean?
“The destinations you named are the top destinations. But also we have three different islands. Cozumel Island is the largest one, which is a very hot destination. It's the most visited port of calls in the Caribbean and in the world. The other two are Isla Mujeres and Isla Holbox, where you can swim with whale sharks in the summertime.
Then all the way to the south of the state, in the other direction, we have the Grand Costa Maya. The Grand Costa Maya includes three different destinations - Bacalar Lagoon, Chetumal, and Mahahual. Bacalar Lagoon is a beautiful, amazing lagoon with turquoise colors, and it's surrounded by archaeological sites. Chetumal is the capital city, which has a beautiful bay and a river that marks the border with Belize, our neighbor country in the south. Mahahual is very small village for people who are looking for a more laid back vacation. Fewer hotels and less people. So this is what makes the Grand Costa Maya - a lot of history, a lot of culture, and fewer people.”
Photo credit: MexicanCaribbean.travel
Do you have a personal favorite spot in the Mexican Caribbean?
“It's difficult to choose because it depends on what you're looking for. But I live in Cancún, and I love Cancún. It’s more cosmopolitan and has some of the best beaches of the Mexican Caribbean. On the lagoon side, you have amazing restaurants and great places to socialize, dance, and watch the sun set. There’s also great shopping. It’s also so convenient to have the International Airport of Cancún, which is the number one airport in Latin America, not only Mexico.
Also, Bacalar is one of my favorite locations to get away from everything. It's so quiet and the little village is beautiful. It's nice to go there when I want to get away.
Another spot I really like is Isla Mujeres. Isla Mujeres is a small island right in front of Cancún. You can get there on a 15 minute ferry ride. I really like it like for a romantic getaway or weekend getaways. The island feels very much like a Caribbean island. And it has North Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mexican Caribbean.”
How has the pandemic affected the Mexican Caribbean?
2020 started as a fabulous year for the Mexican Caribbean. And then in March, everything stopped, like the rest of the world. It was a very difficult time for Quintana Roo. Our economic driving force is tourism, so it was it was a very difficult time for for people that work in tourism. And even if you didn’t work in tourism directly, you were still affected.
Luckily, our government took a very strong position in facing the pandemic, and it was a very brave decision. In June 2020, they declared that tourism was an essential activity in Quintana Roo. So protocols were created and that allowed us to reopen at 20% maximum capacity. The Secretary of Tourism and the state Health Department worked together to create the Clean and Safe Check certification for tourism-related businesses. It included over 250 protocols, and more than 7,000 companies applied for this certification.
A lot of conversations took place with hotel leaders and company owners to make sure that jobs were kept as much as possible. For those who were not able to keep their jobs, the government provided alimentary and economic support.
In September 2020, we were able to move to a code yellow, which meant that our hotels, restaurants, and bars could open up to 60% capacity.
Fortunately, our airport never closed. We continued to receive flights, specifically from the US and Mexico. The connectivity has been steadily increasing ever since June 2020. By December, we were receiving almost the same amount of flights from different places of the world, as we had in 2019. From June 2020 to March 2021, we have received over 5 million visitors.
What is the best way people can support the Mexican Caribbean right now?
The best way to support the Mexican Caribbean - and really any destination around the world - would be to come travel and visit us. We offer so many attractions that occur in open air spaces, so social distancing is actually very easy to do here. The beach, the cenotes, our archaeological sites - all of these places are outdoors, so it's easy to maintain your distance from other people. And if you go to a restaurant, you will see that safety measures are being taken.
We are a short flight away, which makes a difference too. We have direct flights to approximately 50 airports in the United States. So most likely, if you’re coming from the US, you won’t have to connect anywhere.
Photo credit: UNICO Hotel Riviera Maya
What adults-only hotels do you recommend?
“Adults-only is my favorite type of resort. There are so many to choose from and also in different budget types. You don't have to go super luxury to stay at an adults-only resort.
Photo credit: CiaoFlorentina.com
For those not traveling yet, what's one way people can feed their Mexican Caribbean wanderlust?
“Well, the most traditional thing to eat here in the Mexican Caribbean is seafood, specifically a good ceviche. Everyone loves a good ceviche - it's easy to prepare and doesn’t require many ingredients.
All you basically need is onion, coriander, fresh cilantro, and a little bit of tomato, cucumber, or mango. Marinate your raw fish or shrimp in lime juice, and mix everything together. A little bit of olive oil and salt and you're done. All you need near is some guacamole and chips.”
Hungry for ceviche? Here’s a great recipe for authentic Mexican ceviche!
Photo credit: Cenote. MexicanCaribbean.travel.
What is a must-do or must-see in the Mexican Caribbean that you would recommend?
“If you’ve never visited before, I would highly recommend the archaeological site of Tulum, which is one of the most beautiful Maya sites. It’s the only Maya city that overlooks the ocean.
And also in the area, are the most beautiful cenotes. Even if you don't snorkel or dive, it’s worth the visit. They feel very mystical, and it's a very unique attraction to our region. Some are open air, some are within caves, and some you have to repel to get to. For the Maya people, cenotes were considered sacred for two reasons. First, they thought cenotes were the entrance to the underworld. And second, it was their only source of fresh water. So the cenotes were very prized.
You know, so many people don't see us as an adventure destination but we absolutely are an adventure destination as well. Most people know us for the fabulous resorts for destination weddings, honeymoons, and family vacations, but we are also an adventure destination.”
Hotel Xcaret Hotel. Photo credit: TravelWeekly.com.
What are you currently promoting in the Mexican Caribbean right now?
“We have a lot of events throughout the year. For example, we just had the Challenge Cancún triathlon last week. And we have the Ironman events in Cozumel - the half Ironman and the full Ironman. We also have the Gran Fondo New York (GFNY) cycling race in Cozumel, which is a great cycling event.
We have great culinary events too. There's always new hotels and restaurants coming to the area, specifically in Tulum and Cancún. The Nickelodeon Hotel opens in July 2021.
If you've never seen it, you have to because it's a great hotel that has Mexico all over it. You know, you feel like you're in Mexico. It's one of the newer favorites, for sure.”
Photo credit: MexicanCaribbean.travel.
Where can we learn more about the Mexican Caribbean?
“I’d like to invite everyone to visit our website, MexicanCaribbean.travel. This is a great place to start and get inspired. If you're not ready to travel yet, you can learn everything there is to know about our destinations. We have videos and images and you can learn about the differences from one region to the next.
Also, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter - those are the best locations to start to learn more about our destinations and what's happening within each of them. “
Summary
Wow - what an amazing interview. A special thanks to Lizzie Cole and her team for making the time to speak with me. And also, thank you to Marissa Labadie for helping with all of the coordination efforts.
I’m honestly SO excited to plan a trip to Mexico again. I’ve been to Cancún and the Riviera Maya within the Mexican Caribbean, but after speaking with Lizzie, I now realize how much more of the region there is to see and do!
Top of my list now for must-do activities in the Mexican Caribbean are:
Swimming in a cenote
Visiting the archeological site in Tulum
SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS!
In the meantime, I’ll have to settle for some ceviche, guacamole, and chips!
~ What interests you on your next trip to the Mexican Caribbean? Share with me in the comments below! ~
author bio
Known as The Jet Set Blonde, Brittany Ryan inspires others to add more adventure to their childfree travel experiences. Brittany has visited 23 countries (and counting!) Connect with her to get access to detailed childfree travel itineraries, travel guides for weekend getaways, and updates on adult-only hotels, resorts, cruises, and other travel amenities.
