Cancún’s Protected Natural Areas See Tourism Slump, With 600,000 Visitors Expected in 2026

Cancún, Quintana Roo — The protected natural areas surrounding Cancún are heading into a year of sluggish tourism, and the Costa Occidental de Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancún and Punta Nizuc National Park could finish 2026 with roughly 600,000 visitors — down sharply from the million it typically receives.

Arturo González González, who manages the park as well as the Nichupté mangroves, said tourist arrivals have fallen by as much as 40 percent in some periods, and the summer season failed to bring back the expected flow of visitors.

One of the main factors has been port closures caused by bad weather and high waves, which prevent boat trips to Isla Mujeres and reef areas. A weaker performance in international tourism has added to the slowdown, reducing activity across these natural spaces.

If the trend holds, the park would end the year with about 400,000 fewer visitors than its usual average. The decline also hits cooperatives, tour guides and companies that provide maritime services and depend on tourist arrivals.

Lower visitor numbers also cut into the revenue collected through user fees, which funds environmental conservation work in these protected areas. With the end of the year approaching, authorities say they are continuing to monitor tourism activity and the conditions that have limited access to the sites.