This is stated by Dr. María Fernanda López, a specialist in cultural heritage at the Autonomous University of Yucatan.
This designation of Chichen Itza as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, granted in 2007 through a global survey, transformed the place from a popular archaeological site to an international icon.
The site’s iconic structure, the pyramid of Kukulcán (often called El Castillo), appears on countless travel wish lists, social media and tourism marketing campaigns around the world.
“Chichén Itzá has become synonymous with the Mayan civilization in the world imagination,” López said in dialogue with Yucatan Magazine.
Most visited archaeological site in Mexico
Days ago, Dulce Guzmán became the 2.1 million visitor to Chichen Itzá this year, and thus joined a remarkable statistic that underlines a persistent paradox in tourism in Yucatan: despite the fact that the peninsula is home to dozens of spectacular archaeological sites, an ancient city continues to capture most of the world’s attention.
The figures tell a shocking story. While Chichen Itza constantly attracts more than two million visitors a year, remaining the most visited archaeological site in Mexico, other impressive Mayan cities in the region receive a fraction of that traffic. Uxmal, widely considered the best example of the Puuc architectural style and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, attracts about 400,000 visitors a year.
Ek Balam, with its extraordinarily preserved stucco facades and the only climbable pyramid in the region, receives fewer than 200,000.
Meanwhile, Mayapán, which was once the last great Mayan capital, barely attracts 50,000, according to data published by Yucatan Magazine.
Beyond the number of visitors, the truth is that those who venture beyond Chichen Itza often discover and enjoy experiences that the famous site can no longer offer, for all its conservation and care environment.
As López says: “Chichén Itzá opens the door. And our job is to show visitors what’s beyond.”
In tune, some destination marketing strategists argue that Yucatan should take advantage of Chichen Itzá’s fame. By positioning other archaeological sites as complementary experiences for visitors who have already visited the famous pyramid, tourist authorities can encourage multi-day trips that benefit a wider sector of the region’s economy and thus all benefit from the interest generated by Chichen Itzá as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.