The Acapulco Destination Marketing Office has announced one of the destination’s most successful winter seasons in the last few years reporting an average hotel occupancy of 83.5 percent for December 20 – 31, with hotels often reporting rates of over 97 percent throughout the month of December.

The first cruise ship to call in 2016 was Oceania’s Regatta on Jan. 9.

According to the Secretary of Tourism of Guerrero, the destination registered the highest occupancy of the past seven years with 98 percent on January 1, an increase from the 95.9 percent reported during the same day in 2015. Interest for Acapulco was especially high during weekends and holidays as this is the third consecutive year that the destination showcases an increase in occupancy of over 94 percent on New Year’s Day.

“For the first time in many years, we have seen a continuously high occupancy throughout the winter season with 16 days of over 80 percent hotel occupancy in the State of Guerrero,” said Ernesto Rodriguez Escalona, tourism secretary of the State of Guerrero.

Acapulco, Taxco and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo registered nearly 900,000 tourists in December who contributed an estimated economic impact of $150 million.

As one of Mexico’s premier beach destinations, Acapulco also showcased its entertainment during the December holidays with events like the Mega Feria Mundo Imperial 2015, where 14 music groups and artists like Wisin, Margarita la Diosa de la Cumbia, Ha-Ash, CD9, Yuri and La Arrolladora Banda Limon, among others, performed throughout the night. The destination also hosted a Holiday Parade attended by more than 300,000 people.

And to close out 2015 and welcome in the New Year, there was an eight minute pyrotechnic show with over 130,000 fireworks throughout Santa Lucia Bay, Puerto Marques Bay, Bonfil and Pie de la Cuesta.

Special events slated for 2016 include: Acapulco Pro, a surfing tournament held on Playa Bonfil; Costa Pacifica Golf & Beach Polo, a golf and polo tournament; Abierto Mexicano de Tenis, one of the major tennis tournaments in Latin America; el Rally del Golfo al Pacífico, a rally race of approximately 620 miles; Festival Frances de Acapulco, a festival that celebrates the strong relationship between France and Mexico and showcases art, film, gastronomy, fashion and music; and the Festival Internacional de Cine Acapulco, showcasing local and international cinema.