Cancun, Quintana Roo — Hotel reservations in the Mexican Caribbean for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have fallen short of expectations, according to the head of the region’s hotel association, who cited airline problems and global economic uncertainty as key factors.
Rodrigo de la Peña Segura, president of the Association of Hotels of Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres (AHCPMIM), acknowledged that while the World Cup was seen as a major opportunity for the region due to its air connections to host cities, booking numbers have not met projections. He expressed hope that last-minute reservations could still improve the outlook.
Speaking after a strategic meeting with the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council (CPTQ) and state Tourism Secretary Bernardo Cueto Riestra, De la Peña said the industry faces external challenges that will affect forecasts for the tournament.
He noted that the slowdown is not unique to the Mexican Caribbean but is also affecting Canada and the United States, driven by a global deceleration in international travel due to multiple macroeconomic factors.
Among the main causes, De la Peña highlighted severe financial problems at several airlines, including aircraft inspections, rising fuel costs, and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
These airline issues have led to a significant reduction in available seats, particularly affecting key markets such as Colombia and Brazil, which have large numbers of soccer fans but have not delivered the expected results, he said.
Despite the downward trend in reservations, De la Peña insisted that the industry will continue its promotional efforts and remain committed to countering the reduced flight availability and global economic headwinds.
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