Bacalar Regulates Airbnb and Digital Platform Rentals

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — In Bacalar, hotel entrepreneurs have for many years requested stricter regulation for platforms like Airbnb, seeking fair competition, formality, safety for tourists, and ensuring compliance with taxes and regulations such as land use, thereby incorporating digital platform hosts into the formal tourism registry.

Adhering to the recent reform of the General Tourism Law in the State, the Municipality reported that they have made progress in regulating accommodations offered on digital platforms, so that all service providers comply with the same obligations and quality standards, according to municipal president José Alfredo Contreras Méndez.

“Since last year, the municipality began a registry of accommodations offered through digital platforms, with the aim of providing greater security to travelers who come to this destination and use these places to stay overnight, and we have already achieved 40% progress regarding the regularization of the more than one thousand lodging sites that exist; it is the municipal treasury that ensures everyone complies with payment of corresponding taxes, that they have the required permits, and that guest safety is guaranteed,” he stated.

He mentioned that once they are located promoting themselves both on digital platforms and on social networks, the relevant notification is sent to them, inviting the responsible party or owner to approach the municipality to begin their regularization process, and so far, the vast majority have agreed to operate within the legal framework and that the rooms, houses, and apartments offered for rent comply with necessary regulations and no longer represent unfair competition for the smokeless industry.

For now, he added that the main thing is to protect the destination’s image and ensure that the service offerings are of quality, as this contributes to the annual increase in visitor influx to the Magic Town.

Finally, regarding the winter holidays, the mayor expressed that expectations are to close with 80 to 90% hotel occupancy, which will allow establishments to generate income after the difficult period they faced during the low season.