Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo — The rental of recreational boats and yachts in Isla Mujeres plunged up to 80% during the first half of 2026, while mass ferry service remained nearly flat, according to data from the Integral Port Administration of Quintana Roo (Apiqroo).
The sharp decline highlights a growing polarization in tourism: visitors are tightening budgets and prioritizing basic transportation over luxury excursions, port officials said.
Between January and June, terminals in Punta Sam, Isla Mujeres, Puerto Juárez and Cozumel moved just 325,268 people on recreational vessels — a drop of 50% to 80% compared to previous years. Apiqroo projects that total recreational passengers for all of 2026 will fall below 600,000, roughly half of the 914,242 recorded in 2023.
Punta Sam saw the steepest decline in small vessels, down 59.81% with 49,674 passengers. Puerto Juárez fell 58.27% (103,724 passengers), Isla Mujeres dropped 56.38% (6,332), and Cozumel decreased 54.38% (56,969).
Large tourist vessels also suffered. Puerto Juárez reported an 80.41% plunge, moving only 7,529 visitors. Cozumel saw a 58.98% drop (32,938 passengers), and Isla Mujeres recorded a 44.33% decline (68,102 passengers).
In contrast, regular ferry service remained stable. Routes from Puerto Juárez and the hotel zone to Isla Mujeres carried 2,791,180 passengers, a marginal 0.07% decrease. The Playa del Carmen-Cozumel route fell 3.01% (1,874,299 passengers), while Chetumal-San Pedro dropped 14.26% (11,000 users).
Apiqroo staff at the local terminal said the downward trend has persisted since 2024 and may intensify in the second half of the year, which traditionally sees lower passenger volumes, especially for recreational services.
