Tulum, Quintana Roo — The closure of numerous businesses along Tulum’s coastal strip in recent months is linked to a drop in economic activity and a lack of customers, according to local entrepreneur Javier Chaves. He says the situation is creating conditions that favor property acquisitions by large investment groups.
Chaves, who is involved in tourism-related activities in the area, said a decline in visitor numbers and financial difficulties facing many establishments have forced some owners to sell or abandon their operations because they can no longer cover operating costs.
“They’ve gone bankrupt because there are no customers, but the billionaire mega-developers are happy because they’re buying cheap. The desperation of many allows them to acquire properties at lower prices,” Chaves said.
In his view, large developers are interested in consolidating extensive real estate projects in the region. He argued that the depreciation of some assets and the struggles of small business owners ultimately benefit investors with greater financial capacity to acquire strategically located land and businesses.
Chaves said this process could significantly transform the development model of Tulum’s coastal zone by concentrating more properties in the hands of large corporations. While his statements represent a personal opinion and were not accompanied by supporting data, they reflect concerns among some local business owners about the wave of closures and the changes the tourist destination is currently experiencing.
