Cancun, Quintana Roo — The summer tourist season has yet to pick up, and Cancun’s nautical sector is feeling the strain, with operations hovering around 50%. Industry leaders warn that if the pace doesn’t climb to 70% in the coming weeks, businesses could face closures by September or October.
Francisco Fernandez, president of the Nautical Association of Quintana Roo, said the situation has been difficult and that this year some companies in the sector may indeed shut down due to the economic crisis.
Fernandez noted that one company is already selling off assets, and while that process isn’t solely due to this season’s performance, it is linked to the ongoing crisis.
He said that for the rest of the year, solidarity days won’t be enough to sustain jobs and operations if the summer doesn’t bring a real rebound. So far, operations are barely at 50%.
Despite the challenges, Fernandez expressed hope that alliances and strategies could lead to a significant uptick in early August, driven by domestic tourists traveling to the destination. But he said the sector must wait and see.
“We need to raise operations to 70%, otherwise we won’t be able to withstand September, October, and November,” he said.
Fernandez acknowledged that the sector is used to not working 100 days a year due to port closures and weather, but that pace is manageable only if the rest of the season sees strong operations — something that hasn’t happened this year. The low numbers are worrying.
For the tough months ahead, the priority is preserving jobs and avoiding layoffs, though Fernandez admitted it’s unclear when that line might be crossed if things don’t improve.
He stressed that the sector is not standing idly by, and is participating in alliances and initiatives to boost tourism and local consumption, including a partnership signed earlier this morning with other business organizations.
