Zacatecas is one of the world’s top New Year’s Eve destinations this year according to searches for accommodation on the booking platform Airnbnb.
The central Mexican city saw a 118% increase in reservations by Mexican and international users over the same period last year, putting it in 12th place on the list of the most popular places to celebrate the new year.
Although not known as a party city, Zacatecas is celebrated for its colonial architecture and historic center, named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
One attraction for New Year’s revellers might be the city’s traditional callejonadas, musician-led romps through the streets, events that are filled with laughter laughter and lots of mezcal.
For the culture-seeking reveller there is the Zacatecas cathedral, which is built of pink limestone and stands out for the quality of its Churrigueresque — late Spanish baroque — facade and other architectural features.
Zacatecas also has world-class museums, such as the Museo Pedro Coronel and the Museo Manuel Felguérez.
New Year’s visitors to Zacatecas will be able to enjoy the city’s Christmas Festival, which hosts concerts, circus acts and other family activities until January 6.
Zacatecas wasn’t the only surprising New Year’s destination on the Airbnb list. The top three were Accra, Ghana; Louisville, Kentucky; and Haymarket, Australia; reflecting an interesting trend in people’s choices.
“. . . 95% of Airbnb guests are staying outside of the 10 biggest travel destinations this New Year’s,” said the site in a press release.
Among Mexican users of the app, only one other destination in the country was more popular than Zacatecas. Brisas de Zicatela, in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, was the most popular destination at the national level with a 128% increase in bookings over last year.
Zacatecas saw a 115% increase in bookings by Mexican citizens, followed by Ixtapa-Zihuatanjeo, Guerrero (111%), Mazamitla, Jalisco (107%) and Puebla (106%).
Sources: El Universal (sp) Airbnb (en)
