Airlines Cut Seat Capacity by 10% but Quintana Roo Maintains 67% Occupancy

Cancún, Quintana Roo — A 10% reduction in airline seat capacity has not slowed tourism in Quintana Roo, where hotels are maintaining an average occupancy rate of 67% during the summer vacation season.

The decline in flights from the United States to Cancún stems from external global factors, including rising jet fuel costs and international economic uncertainty. Although state authorities have no influence over airlines’ commercial decisions, the region offsets the adjustment with more than 104,000 active hotel rooms.

Bernardo Cueto Riestra, head of the Quintana Roo Tourism Secretariat (Sedetur), said the adjustment had already been anticipated by the commercial aviation industry and does not compromise the strategic position of the Mexican Caribbean relative to other international destinations.

Mixed Performance by Destination

While the statewide average stands at a favorable 67%, some resort areas face challenges. Playa del Carmen and Tulum have seen weaker-than-expected reservation demand this summer, while Cancún and the Riviera Maya remain stable thanks to diversified source markets.

“Rather than being at risk, the tourism potential is very much strengthened,” Cueto Riestra said, emphasizing that public strategy focuses on boosting promotion and competitiveness.

Record Cruise Arrivals in Mahahual

The cruise sector is performing strongly in the southern part of the state. Mahahual and Costa Maya report more than 10% growth in maritime visitors compared with the same period last year.

To build on that momentum, the state government, led by Governor Mara Lezama, plans to finance tourism infrastructure through a special trust fund. Projects in Mahahual include the comprehensive renovation of the boardwalk, rehabilitation and paving of main roads, and modernization of the emblematic lighthouse and its surroundings.