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History
The Tradition of hospitality in Cozumel did not originate in our time with modern tourism. It began hundreds of years ago, before the Europeans ever arrived. The island was the sanctuary of the Mayan goddess of fertility, Ixchel, and it was a major destination for religious pilgrimages.
From as far away as central Mexico and parts of Central America, the Mayan followers of Ixchel came to pray to this Goddess. On the 3rd of May, 1518, the expedition lead by Captain Don Juan de Grijalva discovered this island giving the name of Santa Cruz because the catholic celebration of this day. During the Spanish colonial period, from the 16th to the 19th centuries, numerous visitors continued to arrive. However, many of them were not particularly welcome, as the island had become a base of operations for the many pirates and cutthroats that infested the Caribbean at that time.
In the 20th century, the commercial, success of coconut and chicle growers cerated a new wave of interest in the area. The first hotels that opened between years 1924 to late 30's were: The Louvre, Yuri and Playa in 1938. However, the economic crisis of 1939, World War II in the early 40's and the post-war reconstruction put a damper on additional development.
It was not until, the late 1950's that Cozumel was discovered by tourists once again, initiating the boom that has made Cozumel an extremely important port not just in Mexico but in the world. With more than 2 million visitors per year. Cozumel is one of the most important tourist destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean.
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