Cancun -- On April 20, the resort town of Cancun will turn only 38 years since established, but is currently the most important tourist destination in Mexico and one of the most important in the world. It is a successful reality that no one would have ever imagined when the island of Cancun – Kaank’uun in the Mayan language – was inhabited by only a small group of Mayan fisherman. Back then, no one dreamed that in just 38 years it would offer international tourism 146 hotels with over 28,000 rooms, approximately 453 restaurants, 12 shopping centers and 13 golf courses.
Cancun’s story began in 1968 when Bank of Mexico was looking for new ways to bring foreign currency into the country. It commissioned a group of economists to explore 11,000 miles of the nation’s coasts to find the most attractive location in which to develop tourism, based on climate, water temperature and beautiful scenery. The computer picked Cancun as one of those special places.
During the 70s, there was hardly any international tourism in Mexico. With Cancun came freeways, airports, ports and the entire country’s tourist attractions moved to the next level. International investors and tour operators set their sights on the new territory and transformed it into the phenomenon that it is today, making it the favorite destination of more than three million national and international tourists each year. 
Cancun annually brings a considerable amount of foreign currency into the country and it is a direct or indirect source of employment for approximately 800,000 people. It has the second largest airport in Mexico with 54,729 annual flights and it has become one of the hubs with the highest number of direct international flights in Latin America.
Cancun aims to continue elevating the quality and diversity of its tourist attractions, by adding sports, ecological and adventure attractions to its white sand beaches, archaeological attractions and famous 15-mile boulevard.
More:
Official Site
Cancun Hotels
Riviera Maya Hotels
Airport Transportation
Tours & Activities
Riviera Maya Guidebook
