“Secret Vacation Rentals in Bacalar Exposed! Is Your Stay Eco-Friendly?”

The Bacalar City Council has begun creating a registry for vacation homes in the area due to a rapid, unchecked increase in recent years that is impacting the local ecosystem. José Alfredo Contreras Méndez, Bacalar's municipal president, highlighted that many of the cabins, houses, and apartments listed on platforms like Airbnb around the Laguna of the Seven Colors are not officially registered with state authorities, effectively operating "off the grid".

The council's primary goal is to locate these properties, ensure they aren't negatively affecting local bodies of water, and then encourage them to regularize their status," Contreras Méndez explained.

The exact number of properties operating in this manner is currently unknown, which has led to issues such as excessive noise from secret parties, overflows of wastewater due to inadequate treatment systems, excessive waste produced by guests, and tax evasion.

Contreras Méndez acknowledged that a significant portion of these properties are registered and pay their dues, but new Airbnb listings that fail to do so continue to emerge. He also empathized with hotel owners, who see these rentals as unfair competition. These rentals often don't employ staff, pay minimal taxes and permits, and aren't required to adhere to basic safety standards.

Contreras Méndez reassured, "This isn't a witch hunt. We simply want everyone to obtain the necessary permits to operate as accommodation providers in the right way."

The state Secretary of Tourism's latest count reports 1,210 vacation homes operating in Bacalar. However, municipal estimates suggest this number could be closer to 2,500, taking into account the newly established properties.