Cancún, Quintana Roo — A hotel in Cancún is seeking environmental permits to install sun loungers, umbrellas, and other furniture on a public beach, reviving concerns about private appropriation of Mexico’s coastal zones.
The Hotel Emporio has submitted a project for “Complementary Tourist Activities in the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone” that is currently under public consultation as part of an environmental impact assessment with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
The proposal calls for placing 80 plastic sun loungers, 20 wooden beach beds, 40 canvas umbrellas, and 40 round service tables on a 3,346.38-square-meter section of beach. According to the environmental impact statement, all furniture would be removable and taken down each evening at sunset, then reinstalled at dawn.
“The goal is to provide shaded spaces and areas for rest,” the document states.
Federal regulations allow private entities like hotels and restaurants to obtain concessions for specific beach uses through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. However, critics argue this system has historically been abused, with concession holders effectively appropriating public beaches and restricting access to non-guests or customers.
During the previous federal administration, authorities conducted several operations to remove furniture including sun loungers, palapas, and even fences that hotels and private clubs used to claim sections of Cancún’s beaches.
The Hotel Emporio’s project is listed under reference number 23QR2025TD024 on the ministry’s transparency portal for public review.
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